It's Winter...in Australia

As Anne mentioned in her post last week, this time of year we celebrate the Summer Solstice up here in the Northern Hemisphere.  Although it's been rather wet and chilly in these parts (i.e., central Alberta where the Shop is located) it is summer, and up till 10:54 a.m. (Mountain Daylight Time, in which the Shop is located) on June 21, the hours of daylight were getting longer here.

Now...slowly, almost imperceptibly, they will shorten again.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Meanwhile, in Australia...

See that red line in the above flattened world map? (No, the world isn't flat; just the map! 😉)  That line marks the Tropic of Cancer.  As explained by "Astronomy Essentials" on earthsky.org:

"At the June solstice, Earth is positioned in its orbit so that our world’s North Pole is leaning most toward the sun. As seen from Earth, the sun is directly overhead at noon 23 1/2 degrees north of the equator, at an imaginary line encircling the globe known as the Tropic of Cancer – named after the constellation Cancer the Crab. This is as far north as the sun ever gets.

"All locations north of the equator have days longer than 12 hours at the June solstice. Meanwhile, all locations south of the equator have days shorter than 12 hours."

So our Aussie yarn-crafting friends just marked their Winter Solstice (which we Northern Hemisphere folks mark in December).

The continent's location, however, with exposure to different environmental influences (like the presence of the Southern Ocean between it and Antarctica, and the influence of a belt of sub-tropical high pressure above it) means that Australia's winters are relatively mild (and with global warming, climate change issues are significant -- but that's a topic for another day).

With a warm-to-hot climate (and getting warmer, alas!), why do Australians knit?  Well...because they enjoy it (and crocheting too!) -- just like the rest of us.

PLUS their climate and geography are ideal for raising a breed of sheep that produces some of the world's softest, finest wool: merino.  In fact, Australia is the world's largest producer of wool, accounting for 20% to 25% of all the wool produced around the globe!

Merino rams
Source: Encyclopedia Britannica

And it's Fine grade Super-wash Merino that The Crafty Lady is offering this week for our Super Special Sale!

Rustic Merino Sport
from the Queensland Collection
Knitting Fever (KFI)

100 grams = 300 metres (328 yards)
100% Wool - Fine Super-wash Merino

Regular Price: $24.00

Sale Price: $6.00!!

While perfect for hats, scarves, cowls, mittens and even socks, this lovely tonal yarn is also perfect for shawls and sweaters.

That said, colour selection and quantities are limited, 

so The Crafty Lady is reserving quantities per purchaser for this special sale.

Limit: 4 skeins per person

See you in the shop!

PLEASE NOTE:
WE WILL BE CLOSED JULY 1 FOR CANADA DAY!

*Written by Margaret who loves to knit with fine merino...but don't ask her to use it for socks!  😉