yarn yoga

Well, almost. It's funny how all my life I've tried to avoid labels, but now, I'm actually striving for one. I was a vegetarian for a full 2 years nearing the new millenium. I was never really a big meat eater to begin with. My family raised some animals. We had horses, rabbits, at one point we had a pig. One day we had pork for dinner and something clicked. We were eating Wilbur! I cried while my parents tried to reassure me that it wasn't him (it was). Vegetarianism didn't happen just then, but it did get me thinking.

Living in Louisiana and not eating meat is just, well, it's unnatural! lol. That was the mind frame of just about everyone who knew I was vegetarian. Only my mom was genuinely supportive ~ and it's a good thing, cause she cooked all of our meals! She was really sweet about making things that I could eat as well, or at least having something on the side for me.

When I decided to go Vegan, over the last few days, she wasn't suprised. She didn't fully understand how it differed from vegetarianism, but I think she does now. My hubby, being an avid carnivore, wasn't thrilled. He is supportive as he can be, but it does sadden him that he'll never come home to a juicy steak on the table ~ not that he ever has.

Unfortunately, as much as we try. I don't think that anyone is actually 100% Vegan. And if someone is that precise, are the neccessarily making the world a better place? My point is this: There is an ecological impact created from Every single thing that we do. (Think about the pesticides used on cotton crops.)This is where the knitting content comes in. There's been quite a bit of debating over at craftster. Pleasant debating, which I am quite proud to say!The BIG wool debate

After all this debate, I think that I am probably going to continue to knit with wool and perhaps, silk. We'll see. I already have a ton of guilt on my shoulders as I type this. I am definitely going to avoid wool from Austrailia ~ as soon as I find out which wool that is. I would love to say that I will only buy organic cotton or other non-animal derived products to knit with. But I'll have to see if I can afford to first. And honestly, I don't really have a problem with well cared for sheep getting a trim in the spring time as long as it is done in a way that is painless to the sheep. I know people who raise their own sheep and use the wool that they grow for yarn. These people speak of their sheep as if they are one of the family. So I know that they are in good hands. I will continue looking for affordable cruelty-free yarn, but for now I'm taking it one step at a time. And, as a vegan-wannabe, I'd buy homespun wool over pesticide cotton any day.