| Author |
 Topic  |
|
LilyBeth
Gabber Extraordinaire
378 Posts |
 Posted - 12/07/2007 : 12:20:49 PM
|
The critical word here: layers.
You probably won't put on a heavy turtleneck and wool sweater and keep them on all day--except for those few days in January when a blue norther roles in and the entire state shuts down. But, if you've got on a cardigan that you start the day buttoned or zipped, then unzip/button, then take off, you'll be in good shape!
---------------
Visit The Dilettante -- a blog where art lovers
can rediscover the masterpieces. www.lunday.com/dilettante/
|
 |
|
|
PatriciaS
Gabber Extraordinaire
USA
537 Posts |
Posted - 12/07/2007 : 1:28:36 PM
|
LilyBeth's "layers" comes closest to my own experience. I've lived near Atlanta for over 20 years now (grew up near St. Louis), and my experience is waaaaaaaaay different from most of what's posted here. So much so that I'm literally shocked.
It took me about 10 years, but I finally did learn the lesson that buying wool clothing was a big mistake. Oh, sure, they sell wool clothing and even big ole heavy wool coats here, and time and again I would buy and wear wool jackets and skirts to work, and time and again I'd be miserable for half the day or more and would have to partially disrobe. I found that even long sleeved blouses under any jacket could be uncomfortable in Atlanta winters.
For outerwear, I found that a dressy raincoat with a removable heavy-duty lining is the perfect solution, aside from lightweight jackets for everyday wear. And for all but the coldest days the un-lined version would suffice.
Sure, if you're going to be spending entire days outside (say up to the Georgia Appalachian mountains for a hike or campout), one might want to invest in ski jacket type warmth, but then expect it to last for years and years (IOW: go out of style well before it's worn).
Nowadays I search for garments that I can literally wear year 'round, but that does NOT include (at least for me and most women) that "4 season wool gabardine" that some mens' suits are made of. No wool for winter, definitely no wool for summer. Not for me, not here.
Nor do I want wool knitted garments -- except perhaps as a jacket (outerwear) -- unless I only want to be able to wear it one or two days out of the year. I could get away with a wool cardigan or perhaps hoodie -- back to the "layers" idea -- but I'd make anything else (pullovers) in acrylic maybe with a bit of wool thrown in: e.g., Wool Ease. And even THEN, I'd still stay away from non-layered garments.
Cotton blends, cotton-like acrylic and acrylic blends are great. Even cotton with a bit of wool. I hate 100% cotton, though, and will never own another garment in that fiber either.
In the dead of summer I usually won't wear anything knitted in any fabric. Wherever I'm going may be air conditioned, but getting into a hot car in a knitted top can just about kill you, and drench the garment in sweat. Yuck.
So in the final analysis, you'll have to see what works for you in San Antonio. Are you cold by nature? -- then wool may perhaps still be entirely appropriate. But if you're not, you'll want to adopt other strategies.
Good luck with the interviews!
-----------------------
|
|
|
|
Wen
Permanent Resident
Australia
3242 Posts |
Posted - 12/07/2007 : 4:04:37 PM
|
I live in Melbourne Australia, temperatures in winter are around 10 - 15 celcius but in summer it can get up to 40+ (>100F) on a few days, the average is around 28 in summer. I knit a lot of cotton sleeveless tops, lacy shawls and light cardigans for summer. I love my wooly jumpers for winter though.
You may just need to move to lighter weight wool, as others have said the air con in the shops and offices means you need cardigans, shawls etc to throw over whatever you wearing to stay cool outside.
Wen
2007 stats: 5 FO, too many WIP, 1 frogpond.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/wen1965/ |
|
|
|
Momma78239
Permanent Resident
USA
4859 Posts |
Posted - 12/07/2007 : 8:51:12 PM
|
Hi, Roberta!
I answered your question on Ravelry, too (ZaftigWendy there), but I thought of another thing to keep in mind. Our homes are pretty efficiently air-conditioned, but not well heated. Here, all the heating/AC vents in ALL the houses are on the ceiling, not the floor as they are up north, which means that the heat rarely reaches all the way to the floor. Plus, there's a lot of tile floors and other hard surface (cold) flooring, even in bedrooms. We have a lot of cold feet in the winter.
San Antonio is definitely a "shoes off" town. Nearly everyone drops their shoes at the door, both at their own house and when visiting.
That all means that handknit, wooly socks are well loved here.
-WendyM[IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v632/Momma78239/smallspindlepic.gif[/IMG]
And all the women that were wise hearted did spin with their hands, and brought that which they had spun, both of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, and of fine linen. Exodus 35:25
Knit, Spin, and Crochet at Yarnivore! |
|
|
|
2trees
Seriously Hooked
749 Posts |
|
|
RobA
Permanent Resident
2373 Posts |
Posted - 12/08/2007 : 6:15:27 PM
|
LOL, 2Trees -- a friend of mine who grew up in northern Germany and then lived in Pittsburgh for years moved to Austin a few years ago and now complains *bitterly* about those cold 60 degrees days!
Rob http://roberta.typepad.com/robknits/ |
|
|
|
LilyBeth
Gabber Extraordinaire
378 Posts |
Posted - 12/10/2007 : 8:00:57 PM
|
I'm a Texas native, but I spent three years in North Carolina. What I noticed was that in NC, it would get cold and then *stay* cold, and you adapted to it. Hats, gloves, and coats were the norm, but the cold didn't really bother me that much.
Now in Texas, the winter is a series of ups and downs--particularly in central Texas, including San Antonio. It will be 65 and gorgeous for three days, and then a cold front will blast in and the temperature will drop to 40. Four days later it could be 65 again. That happened just this weekend--Saturday morning it was so warm I was in capris and my son in short sleeves. That afternoon the wind started blowing. By Sunday morning it was 38.
Since it never stays cold, you never adjust to it. So those 40-degree days are miserable! And you can't ignore the fact that Texas cold is usually *wet* cold. In NC it was so dry we had to keep the humidifier cranking and went through tubes and tubes of chapstick--here that damp wind cuts right through you.
In conclusion, as I blather on, I'm happily wearing wool socks right now, even though I had on sandals on Friday.
---------------
Visit The Dilettante -- a blog where art lovers
can rediscover the masterpieces. www.lunday.com/dilettante/
|
|
|
|
Castiron
New Pal
4 Posts |
Posted - 12/12/2007 : 9:40:53 PM
|
quote:
Originally posted by RobA
(I am being superstitious -- don't want to jinx my chances -- but OK, it's San Antonio. Shhhh!)
I live within 100 miles of SA, and I still knit some things with wool. I found that my wool socks are comfortable further into summer than I'd expected; I use my alpaca lace shawl far more in summer than in winter (hefty air-conditioning in my office). I'm working on a wool pullover now, and have yarn for a couple wool and wool-blend cardigans; I'll likely only be able to wear the pullover routinely in January and February, but that's okay with me. Yes, it's not going to get cold enough to wear a Lopi pullover, but a sweater from finer wool yarn will be more useable than you'd think, and a lace shawl will be quite useful.
The big problem with wool down here isn't the heat; it's that it rarely gets cold enough to seriously affect the bug population, and your sweaters probably _will_ spend more time in storage than they would further north, so you'll have to take much greater care to keep your yarn and projects from getting eaten. I don't recommend having a large stash of wool yarn unless you have a very well-sealed home or a big freezer for storage. |
|
|
|
luvsuns@comcast.net
New Pal
3 Posts |
Posted - 12/12/2007 : 9:53:51 PM
|
I live in North FL and knit with cotton or blends that can be worn anytime of year. We have the AC nuts in the warm months and it gets cold here in Northern FL in the winter so I can wear a sweater to and from wherever I am going. Plus, I have grandkids in the North and West where it gets cold enough for wool. I can get my kicks knitting with that for them.
Happy knitting and you'll find yarn to please you I'm sure. Isn't the point to knit??? |
|
|
|
Flit
New Pal
6 Posts |
Posted - 12/12/2007 : 11:23:28 PM
|
I live about 100 miles north of San Antonio. You would have ample days to wear wool socks and wool sweaters/jackets. There wouldn't be much point in Shetland wool Nordic type very heavy sweaters, but the temps get down to the teens and we sometimes have nine and even one degree temps--although the 20s through 40s are the norm; light snow occasionally, ice more frequently where I live. We have had below freezing weather for ten consecutive days but the cold spells generally don't last a long time. Layering is in order.
It is not like living where it is warm all year round; we have wet cold weather and strong cold North winds in December through February and sometimes March. Lily Beth's comment that it is difficult to adapt due to the shifts from warm to cold is quite accurate. One feels the cold intensely. Even in summer I keep a sweater in the car because air conditioned places can be quite cold.
I do not knit in cotton or linen. I prefer wool and silk. I use and enjoy all my knitted wool hats, sweaters, scarves, gloves, mittens, socks, whatever every winter. |
|
|
|
loribird
New Pal
14 Posts |
Posted - 12/13/2007 : 05:17:58 AM
|
| My husband is in the coast guard, so I may have the same problem someday (though so far we've been lucky - Alaska and Maine!) I think you could knit a lot of lace with wool yarns, things that would take the chill off an air-conditioned room, and there is always gift knitting... And, oh! The luxury of silk! |
|
|
|
scarfitup
Chatty Knitter
187 Posts |
Posted - 12/13/2007 : 05:31:41 AM
|
We lived in New England for 30 years and now have relocated to coastal NC. We LOVE it! Despite the fact that this week has been in the upper 70s - low 80s, that is NOT the norm for this time of year. As others have attested, there will be times in TX when you'll need your warm socks and sweaters. But I always like to look at "problems" as opportunities, so I would look at this one as a chance to experiment with new fibers (for you!) like silk, linen, tencel, etc. You can also knit accessories and other fun things for yourself or for gifts.
Good luck with the job and your knitting! I hope you enjoy both as much as you have in the past.
Scarf It Up!
http://scarf-it-up.blogspot.com
http://scarfitup.etsy.com
http://flickr.com/photos/scarfitup
http://portcitypottery.com
|
|
|
|
topenchilada@gmail.com
New Pal
USA
2 Posts |
Posted - 12/13/2007 : 06:01:11 AM
|
This very thing happened to me last year (October 2006). I ended up moving from Delaware to Florida. I still wear my hand knit socks occasionally.
What has changed for me is that I now knit a lot more with silk, cotton, linen and hemp. And blends of those with wool. I've discovered the knit shell and my wardrobe loves me for it.
Laura in Orlando |
|
|
|
greyhound
New Pal
36 Posts |
Posted - 12/13/2007 : 09:35:36 AM
|
I too live in AZ - specifically in Phoenix and we also do not like it here are hoping to move back East next summer. Having said that, surprisingly there are 5 yarn shops in the valley and I've been to 3 of them - Jessica Knits, Phoenix Knitting and Needlepoint and AZ Knitting and Needlepoint - nice shops and people. But having moved here from MI after living there for 10 years - I miss the fiber shows and the funky one of a kind yarns, you simply cannot find here. People are surprised that I still living in AZ - we still wear sweaters and socks here! I've always knitted year round - for gifts, coworkers and selling on line - Etsy.com. No matter where you live you don't want to lose that connection that knitting brings to you. Best of luck in your job and whereever you end up at.
Happy Christmas! |
|
|
|
FL Knitter
Warming Up
59 Posts |
Posted - 12/13/2007 : 12:19:21 PM
|
I live in Florida, but I don't let that inhibit me from knitting any and all types of sweaters, no matter how heavy or woolly. Lucky for me if it drops below 85F I get chilly anyway, so I get to wear most of them from November - March. Plus I have them for when I visit up north.
As mentioned above, we're a bunch of AC nuts too, so I'm always freezing indoors in public places.
Plus - plenty of need for knitted purses, slippers, throws, toys, etc. |
|
|
|
lauraks555
New Pal
42 Posts |
Posted - 12/13/2007 : 1:52:33 PM
|
Having lived in the Texas Panhandle, I'd have to add two cents. On the hottest days of 105, our workplace had the AC cranked to 65F. My fingers would lose circulation, since I tend to spend a lot of times outdoors. Even here in Kansas City, MO, people lower the AC to the mid sixties. I'd take all my wools and make cardigans out of them. Sweaters would be too hot, even with the wet cold, at first. This winter, if you move rather soon, you'll be used to much colder temps. But next year, once the 100F heat and 60%+ humidity has warmed you, you'll shiver at 70F.
Of course, thay may just be me and my own temperature reactions. :)
My adventures in yarny goodness: http://theperfectplace.blogspot.com/ |
|
|
|
sweetpea
New Pal
36 Posts |
Posted - 12/13/2007 : 5:44:18 PM
|
| My family's from Tucson, and in spite of popular belief, it can get really cold at night. Occasionally the daytime temperature can drop into the 50s or lower and many people love to crank the AC down to the low 60s. Gets pretty cold when that air's blowing directly on you. It really depends on how your body acclimates to the climate. And over time, you may find your body temperature reaction changes. |
|
|
|
BorisKitten
New Pal
USA
2 Posts |
Posted - 12/14/2007 : 09:35:09 AM
|
I've lived in Florida all my life, and I'm often surprised how often I wear my hand-knit wool socks: Well into May or June! Also knitting lace is great fun, and always practical. Wool is great for bags & back-packs. I often wear a wool cardigan to work (freezing A/C even in mid-summer) or shopping; I can wear wool pullovers from Nov-Feb. In summer I like cotton blends, and make lots of socks and lace.
So, please tell us whether you get the job! Good luck to you! |
|
|
|
Wen
Permanent Resident
Australia
3242 Posts |
Posted - 12/14/2007 : 12:57:39 PM
|
It was well into the 90s here yesterday, I had a DK weight bolero over my dress all day as I was in the office, in the car or in the shopping mall. When I got to my BBQ in the evening was the first time I took it off all day!
Knitted items are always required, they mad be thinner and smaller than you are used to but they are there.
My next 2 summer projects are a short sleeved rayon/acrylic knit to wear with jeans and a 4ply mohair bolero to wear with dresses.
Wen
2007 stats: 5 FO, too many WIP, 1 frogpond.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/wen1965/ |
|
|
|
BastetG4
Chatty Knitter
USA
200 Posts |
Posted - 12/14/2007 : 1:34:31 PM
|
You don't have to give up wool! I live in Philly now, but I used to live in Tampa, Florida and I owned wool sweaters when I lived there. It may not be cold for long, but I'm sure San Antonio also gets winter weather for at least one month of the year.
However, for the rest of the year...yeah, you'll probably be knitting a lot more with cotton, linen and hemp. :-b If you need more woolly knitting, you could always knit gifts for your family and friends back home in PA.
--
I'm getting comfortable with ripping. |
|
|
|
Topic |
|
|
|
| Knitter's Review Forums |
© 2001-2013 Knitter's Review |
|
|
|
|
Knitting in Warm climates
