feathers - the yarn of satan.

we'll happily admit - we're not too fond of feathers as shown in this charming "smile HARDER!" patons graphic. we know that if we do go to hell, satan will be checking in on us with a basketfull of feathers to knit. on a weekday walk in the city, you'll see feathers scarves strangling the necks of office workers. the 100% polyester fumes of said accessory, accompanied by commercial radio, grey office cubicles, public transport ticket checks, and lunchtime mcdonalds, is surely contributing to the downfall of not just beloved melbs, but of the nation as a whole.
we don't have a problem if you're smart with the stuff, and know how to mix it with a few other things, as suzette has done. we're a little of a same mind as bartender toby ceccini, author of cosmopolitan. whether you have a bar, or a yarn store, what you stock determines the feel of the place, and your clientele. given the large amount of customers for a store that we've seen walk inside the door, head straight for the pile of feathers, demand to know how much will make a scarf (how long is a ball of string, madame?), hand over the cash, and walk out, completely ignoring luscious mohair silk mixes, hand dyed wools, natural alpacas, that fluffy white and silver glitter stuff that marilyn monroe would love to have if she were still alive, tweeds, a thick mix which would make great dreads, baby yarn in all the colours of the rainbow, sock wool that could also be cleverly blended with other yarns to cut back the fluff, give a new texture, and calm down a full on colour.... is it any wonder that we're not fond of feathers?
we can fully understand why people stock it (or at least, why they did...we have a feeling that feathers is starting on a downhill run saleswise....), and people knit with it - there's a comfort factor - you've seen it elsewhere, your friend has a scarf in it, you want one too. we just reckon it would be rather thoughtful to knit something made out of wool which should smell a little like the animal it came from, not a chemical factory, and if you get the right stuff, supports the australian sheep farming industry while you're there...warm and fuzzy inside and out.