It's so important to knitters to have a yarn that feels good against your skin and that is aesthetically pleasing. The same holds true for spinners who knit, but with the added requirement that the yarn be organic. Most spinners want to know what their yarn is made of and usually want to know the number of plies in the yarn.
Those things don't always matter to non spinners but can play a role. The make up of the yarn influences the care of the garment being made and the appropriateness of the gift for the person you're knitting for. It's understood that most knitting ends up being a gift, and baby gifts should never be dry clean only. You see my point. Better yarns (those with organic or exotic fibers) require more care and attention!
I feel the same way about people. I am very interested in where people come from and what they're made of. The outside matters and is interesting but I like to get to know people's background and history. I think it really plays a role in who they are. I told a friend today that no matter how bad you think your parents were, they must have done something right in raising you, otherwise you wouldn't care about it at all in the first place. You are probably the result of a few tears and sleepless nights, even if you didn't witness them.
When I'm knitting yarn, I'm very aware of what went into the making of that yarn. You can tell if a fleece was exposed to too much sun (while on the sheep's back!), if there was not good nutrition or if the sheep went through a lot of stress before being sheared. There will be weakness in the fibers and they may break easily. I believe people are the same way. If they tend to break easily, they may have gone through some significant stress or not received all the nourishment they should have. It's important to remember that we all need a little grace and forgiveness now and then!
Here my friend, is the finished pair of Kinder Mitts, made entirely of acrylic yarn! Starring Plymouth size 5 bamboo DPNs, Fibertech wooden cable needle, and a pink stitch holder I got from my mother in law when she was still alive. All of these humble elements went into these now award winning fingerless mittens. They probably have some serious super-hero powers, if you want to try them on!
