Camellia sinensis is the botanical name for a magical plant, the leaves and buds of which provide us with the most delicious beverage on earth: tea.

The name sinensis means "Chinese" in Latin. The Chinese did not invent knitting, but they are responsible for chow mein, which is close enough.

Knitting and making tea go together like a horse and carriage. Both activities are leisurely, soothing and domestic. Both involve taking two disparate elements —leaves and water or yarn and needles— and combining them to make something new and better than the sum of its parts.

The "yin" of tea is that it contains caffeine and stimulates mind and body, while the "yang" of knitting is that it begets clothing which increases the wardrobe. When practiced in harmony, knitting and tea provide a balance.

This web site will bring you closer to better-quality tea leaves and better-quality wool. Good ingredients will vastly improve your enjoyment. You'll also find online communities, and purveyors of tea and knitting goods local to Toronto, Canada, where this site originates.