So handspun it hurts
Use your handspun. It’s the only way you can determine if your spinning is any good. I read that somewhere and it’s stuck in the back of my mind all the time now.
Last May, I bought 1/2 lb of Ashland Bay merino roving from Penelope Fibre. It sat in the stash for a few weeks because I was intimidated by it and worried that I might ruin it. I sucked up the courage to start spinning it laceweight. Finally, in January, I finished all the spinning and started knitting the Lotus Blossom Shawl.
This is my real first, large-scale handspun and handknit project… and here it is off the needles:
Lotus Blossom Shawl
- Pattern: from Fiddlesticks Knitting, designed by Dorothy Siemens
- Yarn: Handspun Laceweight Merino (I have about half of my spinning leftover! So I must have used about 100 g)
- Needles: US 6 / 4.0 mm Addi Turbos
- Changes: I used a smaller needle size just because I didn’t have any other needles handy, so I had to knit chart 2 twice to give the shawl extra length
- Finished Measurements: 70″ x 35″ (definitely smaller than the pattern specs, just slightly bigger than my blocking board).
What are things that people always say about spinning laceweight… the singles need lots of twist to hold the finer diameter, take all the tension off so that you can get lots of twist in, blah blah blah. This handspun is irregular in grist because I spun it over such a long period of time, was still getting a hang of spinning fine and also because I switched wheels part way through! But in some places, I think the yarn had so much twist that it became wirey and dense. If I were to do it again, I would spin it all a little softer.
This leads me to sampling. What a good idea. It’s like knitting a gauge swatch (which we always do, right?!). How does the fabric feel knit at that tension with those needles. How about going up a needle size, going down a size? Is the fabric too dense? Too drapey? When your knitting with commercial yarns, the yarn itself is taken out of the equation — it’s your job to just pick the most appropriate needle size for that yarn (ok, I’m oversimplifying). But when you are making the yarn, you need to look at how your yarn works up as fabric and if it is appropriate — will it be hardwearing? Will it pill or fuzz? All those variables are under your control now. So, spin a little bit, knit a little bit. See if you like it.
That’s what I’ve done with this new project:
There’s about 2 oz of Cashmere/Silk 50/50 top that I bought from Deep Color Studio this past November… Again, nervous about spinning it up and ruining it. So I tore off a little piece and spun it up laceweight using my new highspeed bobbins and whorl (I’m using 19.5:1 for spinning singles “from the fold” and 17.5:1 for plying). I washed the yarn and have started knitting it up in Evelyn Clark’s “Trellis Scarf” pattern from the Spring IK magazine. I figured if I liked it, I could keep going. If I didn’t like it, I could just go back and modify how I’m spinning it. As it turns out, I like it.
Tags: cashmere/silk, handspun, Lotus Blossom Shawl, merino
Your shawl is simply stunning. And the new Trellis Scarf is knitting up beautifully! I enjoy visiting your blog!
Oh! Your lotus blossom shawl is beautiful, it’s so special since it’s not only hand knitted, but the yarn is handspun by you as well, that’s pretty amazing. Good job. And nice progress on the trellis scarf.
I swear - you’re my hero! The shawl is GORGEOUS! I’m so jealous of your handspun. I still don’t feel like I could knit any of mine. But I’m getting closer.
Wow! What an accomplishment. You get a gold star for such lovely work.
Lotus Blossom is beautiful…the color, the size…everything! Great job!
Beautiful shawl! All handspun, man, gotta try me some of that lace spinning. Yummers on the cashmere silk! Are you going to dye it?
I am always thrilled/delighted when someone else knits/crochets their handspun into something. You learn so much by using your handspun. And when you finish something this wonderful and start another, I know I found a fellow addict. You make my day.
Your Lotus Blossom is beautiful! I love it knit up on the smaller needles - I just thought that it was way too open when I knit it on the US8s. When I knit it again, I was planning on using US6s, so I’m glad to see that it looks even more gorgeous knit up on them!
Absolutely Incredible!!!
Beautiful shawl! I just looked in your archives to see what kind of wheel you have, and I see you only started spinning a year ago… you’re inspiring me, since I just signed up for a wheel-spinning class. Maybe by this time next year I’ll be making my own handspun shawl!
That’s a beautiful shawl. Thanks for the tip about spinning a little, then knitting a little. My spinning is very basic, but trying out how it knits up will hopefully help me improve.
It looks absolutely gorgeous! You should be so proud of yourself!
i sub in bloglines but i don’t always remember who’s who. i thought you must be one of us beginners and was tuning in expecting something along the lines of the lumpy mittens i just finished. the shawl is just beautiful and an inspiration. but i can show you handspun that really hurts
The shawl is so beautiful it hurts. A very beautiful piece, spinning, knitting, colour and pattern.
Beautiful shawl! So inspring…
Best of luck with the Trellis Scarf. I’m tring it right now too. How’s the k7tog going?
Incredible. That shawl is just gorgeous. I need to get a little more adventurous and start practicing laceweight.
Your shawl is stunning! Find a fair in your area and enter it! I’m sure you would win a blue ribbon!!
Oh, that shawl is gorgeous!!!!
What a special project, and it came out just beautiful! Enjoy wearing it, and enjoy spinning yarn for your new scarf, too :).
Very, very beautiful!
While I love knitting lace, I don’t think I am ready to spin my own. But you have inspired me to begin knitting my worsted/DK weight handspun.
Again, beautiful!!
Your lotus blossom shawl is just lovely.
I don’t know why, but it never (not that “ever” has been such a long time) occurred to me to start knitting with my yarn partway through a spinning project. I’ll have to try that…
Oh to have my spinning look even remotely like that… I still have a ways to go. Lovely
Wow! Beautiful job on the spinning and knitting for the Lotus Blossom shawl! I just started spinning for the Trellis shawl too…in silk and camel. Not sure if I like the sample so far. It’s a bit too fuzzy for the shawl I think. That’s a good point about using more twist. I think I’ll try that. Your cashmere & silk looks so nice and crisp.
The shawl is really beautiful. The subtle color changes - everything. Really beautiful. I’ve been thinking about Trellis too. It’s so pretty!
wow - lotus blossom is gorgeous! even if the yarn is a bit uneven in places, the final product is BEAUTIFUL!
Both shawls are gorgeous! Can’t wait to see the finished Trellis!!
Wow! That Lotus blossom shawl is gorgeous, as is your handspun yarn. You must have a nice collection of beautiful shawls from which to choose… and your new project looks lovely, too.
Your LB looks fabulous. I love that pattern. And your handspun… it makes me speechless. I love the Trellis Scarf pattern and added it to my list awhile ago, although I won’t be using handspun!
What fine, intricate work. Very nice, Felicia!
Wow, it’s absolutely gorgeous, and what a great accomplishment. I’m attempting to spin up my first yarn for a large project, it’s a aran shawl for my mother-in-law. If it turns out half as nicely, I’ll be pleased.
It’s amazing! I am amazed by every post and have been an avid reader/fan for months. And thanks to your grogeous pictures I bought a wheel recently though I’m a tad afraid of it, your creations continue to inspire the dickens out of me. Thanks for the envious posts, and the shopping links too!
-Sp
The LB is so beautiful, but I think I love the natural cashmere blend even better! Are you knitting with 2 ply or single ply? Just lovely!
The LB is so beautiful, but I think I love the natural cashmere blend even better! Are you knitting with 2 ply or single ply? Just lovely!
Wow, that is really quite an accomplishment. Next thing you’ll be growing your own sheep! Lovely pattern and color.
Absolutely beautiful!
I was curious about how Fiddlesticks shawls start out?…neck down?…bottom up? I just don’t like the idea of casting on 400+ sts:o) like a pattern I just recently started, and stopped very quickly.
I often feel that my handspun is overtwisted, so now I’m trying to learn to spin softer yarn. It takes a lot of effort, but I think it’s worth it, nothing worse than a ropey yarn.
Your scarf is absolutly gorgeous!
I often feel that my handspun is overtwisted, so now I’m trying to learn to spin softer yarn. It takes a lot of effort, but I think it’s worth it, nothing worse than a ropey yarn.
Your scarf is absolutly gorgeous!
What a lovely job. It turned out spectacularly. If you grist is uneven, I certainly can’t see it.
both are beautiful!
I am truly impressed. Your work tempts me even more to start spinning again, which would truly take over my apartment. Best of luck with the new shawl!
let me shout it from the Mountaintop - FELICIA ROCKS!
What an absolutely stunning shawl - I am inspired!
That shawl is gorgeous.
Yowza! Love the shawl. And your Trellis Scarf. I just happen to have 4 ounces of the same blend in my fiber stash and you’ve given me some good ideas….
Amazing Lotus Blossom shawl. Wonderful, Wonderful! I just started the trellis scarf as well… how about those k7tog?