Saturday, August 4, 2012

Handspun Shawl

I'm a new spinner...without a hands-on guru to mentor me...so I learn by mistakes. I'm trying to curb my spinning zeal and spin, knit it up, spin, knit it up, etc. That way I can find out what flaws I need to correct BEFORE I spin up all my fiber stash.

This is one of those projects. The brown is Knitpicks Alpaca Cloud laceweight. I held it doubled and knit till I was completely out of yarn. Then I added on my handspun and knit till I couldn't complete another full row. (I have about 6-8 yards left over. I'm going to crochet a coaster and use all of it up.)

Here's its journey:

It started out a braid of fiber that I bought ($10.75) at the Arkansas Fiber Extravaganza


I didn't split the braid in half...so one skein is lighter than the other.

Here it is finished and blocking out (you have to pin it open when it's wet to make the eyelets pop open.)


Detail

A Shawl Tab (Only interesting to about one person)

I'll upload a modeling picture of it when it's not a) dark or b) +90 degrees outside.
Love ya,
Ang

5 comments:

  1. I sooo love this -- the combination of commercial and your handspun -- it's a wonderfully beautiful shawl and a great idea, too. I think I'll steal your idea! I was so focused into trying to figure out what to do with my handspun, I didn't think about knitting it with commercial! Now off to Ravelry for some pattern hunting!

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  2. I have a hard time finding patterns for handspun. I live in such a warm climate that I don't need an army of hats/gloves/scarves. So small projects usually are cowls/shawlettes. I LOVE to knit small shawlettes, but never wear them. I have about 8 or nine, but they make my neck look thicker than it actually is. Maybe shawlettes are for willowy ladies.

    This shawl is large enough to fit around my girth. The alpaca is nice and soft around the neck, and the rougher wool works around the edge.

    I remember you saying (a few years ago) that your goal was to completely knit from handspun. I've adopted that goal too. I haven't bought yarn in about 8 months. The last purchase was a JoAnn Fabrics close out sale where I got baby blanket worsted (gag) for about $3.00/skein. It's so nice to see my stash bins empty out. And liberating...I don't feel the overwhelming desire to buy from every Knitpicks sale that comes to my inbox.

    Love, Ang

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  3. I know there are knitting purists that will give me the stink eye for mixing yarn weights (Lace doubled/sport) and fibers (alpaca/wool)

    But it's a shawl. Guage is mah biaaach!

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  4. I know what you mean about having an army of hats/gloves/scarves. Hats, it's hard to find a pattern that would accentuate my round face. Gloves, my hands are really picky about the material. Scarves, not so much. Shawlettes and cowls, big yes! I guess I will need an army of those small accessories, esp. for where we're going next :(

    You remember that (as I'm hiding behinds my hands)? I'm still leagues away from my "knitting from my handspun" goal ... it's embarrassing. I separated my handspun from my commercial, but now I know I must re-organize it into colors that work together. A German woman I know has her own sheep and has fleece year round for dyeing and spinning ... and she spins INCREDIBLE art yarn. It's so inspiring, I feel ashamed for stashing. I need to stop thinking about it and just do it!

    As for those "purists" ... I hope their faces freeze that way! It's YOUR shawl!!!

    <3,
    -d

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  5. ... that would NOT accentuate ... so much for proofing it before I hit Publish!!!

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