By: Blonde Two
As you know, I am a fan of darning, which is just as well because I am also a fan of wearing merino wool base layers next to my skin (although bamboo is fast becoming another favourite). Be it thermal leggings, merino vests (tucked in of course) socks or even knickers, a Blonde is happy when safely nestled in old bits of New Zealand sheep.
My preferred location for the purchase of said merino underwear is an Icebreaker seconds shop. You almost certainly won’t have been there because it is in Wellington (not the Somerset one, the New Zealand one). I visit every time I am in New Zealand and refuse to buy my Icebreaker merino gear anywhere else. Buying seconds appeals to my sense of a bargain, but I realise that this sense must be a bit warped because, even if I buy two vests on each trip, even with a hefty discount at the seconds shop, I will still have paid at least £600 for each of them just to get there in the first place.
I think this must be some kind of Icebreaker record. On Wednesday night I spent a considerable amount of my evening darning (re-darning because I think it was the third time) my favourite, pink Icebreaker merino wool vest. I mended at least six holes but felt pleased with myself that I had resurrected ‘my precious’ once again (please note the NZ/LOTR reference).
Sadly my pleasure in my own thriftiness didn’t last because, after a very wet Dartmoor bush/loo trip on Thursday evening, I attempted to tuck my pink vest in only to put almost my whole hand through the fabric.
I last visited New Zealand and therefore the Icebreaker seconds shop in 2015. It is definitely time I went again, I could never resist a bargain!