Memory of Wool

   Now that the weather is getting colder, we find ourselves digging in the closet for warmer clothing. Gone are the days of t-shirts and shorts, and we welcome the season of long pants and sweaters. As I dig through the piles of clothes, I find that I am amazed by the changes in my closet over my lifetime. 

   When I was younger, cold weather meant that the hats and mittens were pulled out of a garbage bag that had spent half a year stuffed into the back of one of the few closets in the house. Now we find ourselves looking in a walk-in closet, for a plastic tote that in all likelihood has been sealed with cedar to keep the clothing fresh and moth free. No more picking up the moth balls that fall out of the bag as we dig through finding our favourite hats and mittens. 

   The clothing itself has probably changed the most. We used to use wool for everything. We had wool scarves, wool mittens, wool socks, wool sweaters, and even wool long underwear. I even remember having wool pants to wear outside when it was particularly cold. And we were glad for the extra warmth. We pitied our friends who went coasting or skating in only a pair of jeans. We knew that they were going to freeze as soon as they got the least bit wet and that they would be the first to leave to go home and warm up. 

   Wool was the go to material for many years. It retained its warmth when it got wet, and it let out moisture when you were physically active. But anyone who remembers those days also remembers how it itched. It seemed that we got a new home knit sweater most years for Christmas and we had to try it on for fit as soon as we unwrapped it. With no base layer, as we would say today, the feel of that scratchy wool was enough to make us want to rip the skin from our bodies. But when we put a shirt under it, we were warm and cozy and ready to face the worst that winter had to offer. 

   Today, microfiber has largely replaced the wool of our youth, and it does the job with amazing skill, keeping us warm in all conditions. But there are still the purists who insist on natural fibres and for them it is still wool. But even wool has changed over the years. The Merino wool of today is as soft as silk on the skin and you can wear it with little worry that you will remove it to find you skin reddened and full of hives. The socks, mittens and hats are all soft and warm while being more durable than their home knit ancestors. You don’t see anyone today sitting around with an orange stuffed in the heel of a sock, darning the worn out section. Some skill have gone by the wayside in the march to progress.

   Regardless of the type of clothing you prefer, modern or old-school, this is the season to dig out those warm clothes and get outside and have a walk through the crisp air as you kick your feet through the fallen leaves and take in my favourite season of the year in comfort.