The Great White North

Last fall Environment Canada predicted a very cold winter but with less precipitation. As per normal they did not quite get it right. We have a lot of snow here in St Thomas, which is  known to be located at the tip of what is sometimes called the Banana Belt of Canada.

Derk and I are familiar with this kind of cold (windchill factors down to -30 Celsius and more) having lived in Manitoba for nine winters. However my younger brother is experiencing these temperatures for the first time. Last summer he and his wife and their youngest son moved to Manitouwadge. Manito what? you ask. This town is where you can experience the Great White North of Canada. According to wikipedia: Manitouwadge is a township in the Canadian province of Ontario. It is located in the Thunder Bay District, at the north end of Highway 614, 331 kilometres east of Thunder Bay and 378 kilometres north-west of Sault Ste. Marie.

When you here the words 'winter' and 'Manitouwadge' you should automatically follow it with BRRRRRR!

So....last December, when I heard that they were coming down south for Christmas, I decided that they would greatly benefit from and homespun, handwoven blanket. The yarn was just begging to come off the shelves and jump onto the loom. And here's the thing ---  once certain skeins have been selected to go into a blanket, others start clamouring for a turn as well. The result? Instead of one blanket you actually end up weaving two.

My older brother also lives further north. It is true that Barrie is not as far north as 'the Wadge', but it does rate in terms of snowfall and cold weather. So, in order to stay in the good graces of both these siblings, I wove two blankets in three weeks and was able to gift both brothers and their wives at our Christmas get-together.

This is the Manitouwadge blanket.

This blanket is the first blanket that I have brushed. I usually full my homespun blankets in a toploading washing machine. This makes the blanket softer and less stiff. But I had recently watched a video by Laura Fry on wetfinishing  handwoven items. So I did something new and also brushed this blanket while it was still damp. Doing this raised the nap and created what is called a halo. And presto: the blanket was softer yet!


The Barrie Blanket

These balls of yarn are feeling pretty please with themselves, having made it from skeins, into balls and on the front beam of the loom.

The warp on the back beam ready to be wound on.

Weaving in progress....

Finished product!

The recipients and their blankets. (Unfortunately my older brother didn't make it onto the picture).

Here's to you, Walter and Marsha, and Martyn and Mary: may you enjoy your blankets in the Great White North!