Years ago my cousin Laila brought me a sweet little bouquet from her yard, and only afterwards did I discover the words she’d taped on the jar. They say, “This is a wonderful day. I have never seen this one before.” Today my zinnias and I are grateful the message and the reminder. What does your wonderful day hold? ...

Fridae. ...

Conversations are taking place around the affordability of yarns called for in knitting and crochet patterns. I can’t speak to the economic realities of the yarn manufacturing or pattern design world. That’s a whole other not so straightforward conversation.

But as someone who has followed the yarn world closely for the last 20 years, I can offer the following observation: Yarns come and go. By the time you finish reading this, a yarn could very well have been discontinued, a dyer may have closed up shop. Designers are constantly having to play catch-up. It’s always been this way, and I don’t anticipate it changing any time soon.

But here’s where something really glorious enters the picture: Yarns share certain behavioral traits based on their fiber content, preparation, twist and ply structure, and even dye technique. The more you understand those components and how they translate into knitted and crocheted fabric, the more easily you can “read” the recommended yarn in any pattern, do a little sleuthing as to its make-up, and then confidently use a yarn of your own choosing. Without having to sacrifice the quality of the results.

It’s been my life’s work to try and untangle the mystery of how yarn works. I wrote a whole book about it. And maybe it’s just because I don’t like being told what to do. But I really do believe that knowledge brings a freedom to use whatever suits us best, regardless of what the cool kids are doing, and to feel truly empowered by the process. ...