1. Handknitted socks, of course. These, specifically:
2. Shearling lined leather boots.
3. Leggings. You really need a soft layer next the skin. The idea is to build light layers to trap air, so leggings plus a second layer do the job quite well.
4. An ankle-length skirt. Everyone knows that jeans are just about the worst thing to wear on a cold day.
5. Some extra warmth for the neck:
The Bandana Cowl was the first project I made with my spindle-spun yarn. The BFL is soft against my neck.
6. My thickest cardigan with the tallest neck.
When it is buttoned all the way up with the cowl underneath to support the collar, it sits quite satisfactorily around my lower face, all the way to my nose. If I tuck my head down, I can cover my nose entirely.
7. Hand protection. Everyone in Canada knows that a single pair of mittens offers little of that. So, I wear these,
inside of these:
Of course, these mitts are already stranded, which makes this combination of gloves and mitts actually triple-layered.
8. More stranded protection, this time for the head.
9. A long wool coat over all.
It takes about five minutes to suit up before heading out the door at this time of the year. It's rather like getting ready for a space walk. Pity the kindergarten teachers who have to ready their charges for recess--all those boots and mitts and scarves to be tied around faces. At least it keeps us knitters in mind of exactly why we need wool and knitted things. It's not just about keeping our hands and our minds busy,
however enjoyable it may be to knit by a fire with a mug of tea in the bleak midwinter.