Knitting with Your Handspun?

I just started working on a Baby Surprise Jacket with my Koolaid-dyed hand spun yarn:

What projects are you working on using your hand spun yarn? What have you made from yarn you have spun? What projects are you planning for your own yarn?

Tags: knitting, projects, spinning

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by MartyAZ on November 11, 2010 at 4:13pm

I tried to knit something with my handspun, but the yarn was like knitting with twine. Better luck next time. I suspect it was over-spun.

Permalink Reply by Peggy Stuart on November 11, 2010 at 5:35pm

My first spinning was unuseable. "Twine" doesn't begin to do it justice!

Permalink Reply by Elaine Wenger on November 13, 2010 at 4:31pm

Well Gals let me tell you what. Looks like I just got into this spinning thing just in the nick of time. As it turns out there is a big market for twine in this area and the stuff I've been spinning just fits the bill. LOL! I guess the spinning of actual yarn will come about eventually.

Permalink Reply by Susan the Blue Lake Knitter on November 13, 2010 at 5:31pm

My first real yarn looked exactly like twine... here is it.

Yes, this is wool twine! LOL. But I got past that stage and now really make yarn fit to use for knitting.

Permalink Reply by Elaine Wenger on November 14, 2010 at 12:46am

Thanks Susan, that makes me feel better. You know that if it had not been for people like you and Peggy I probably would not have been so quick to buy the Sonata. But seeing your progress and projects you are now making fuels my creative side. My knitting endeavors were becoming rather ho-hum, no one here to share with. I joined a sit and knit but so far it is not inspiring. People in Lancaster County are slow to accept newcomers. (just the way it is) But since I met you guys all of that has changed. Can't thank you enough.

Permalink Reply by Peggy Stuart on November 14, 2010 at 6:14am

Elaine, we are so happy to have you!

Permalink Reply by cherubhmm on November 15, 2010 at 12:35pm

Susan, this is beautiful even spinning. I am ok with doing the singles - just the plying lets me down. I am on bobbin two of the Romney. It is very fine. Still umming and aaring about whether to use 3 ply.

Permalink Reply by Peggy Stuart on November 11, 2010 at 4:14pm

Here's the body of my La Boheme Cardi. I just started the second sleeve:

Permalink Reply by cherubhmm on November 15, 2010 at 12:37pm

Its brown!! Oh good....I thought it were only me that had copious amounts of brown!!!! Thinking about what to knit with it right now (havent actually plied any yet - bit of forward thinking!!)

Permalink Reply by Susan the Blue Lake Knitter on November 11, 2010 at 5:33pm

I've knit several items from my own homespun yarns. The first attempt was some white (natural) corriedale that I used as a lace edging on an apron for a guild project - NOW THAT was like knitting with twine. Very over spun and hard to handle.

The second thing I did was my Landscape Shawl, using BFL/BL/Silk blend which I also carded myself. It turned out pretty good, and wasn't nearly as hard to knit with.
Third is my Autumn Leaves Vest - still on the needles, pre-empted by Christmas knitting - possibly sometime this winter it will be finished - just in time for next fall.
Just last week I finished my Chinook Scarf using handspun/hand dyed baby alpace. I also finished my Wisp shawl with the Reds Leicester Longwool. So I can say that I've done a good bit of knitting with my own yarn.

Permalink Reply by Peggy Stuart on November 11, 2010 at 6:15pm

I didn't mention the Landscape Shawls. I did two. One with dyed Coopworth that ended up DK weight:

And the baby alpaca fingering weight:

I was just looking at the leftover baby alpaca, and it's very uneven. This pattern is very forgiving. A good choice for knitting with irregular hand spun.

Permalink Reply by cherylbwaters on November 11, 2010 at 6:13pm

The only thing I've knit so far was the scarf I did for my sister's birthday. After the holidays I will get back to more spinning and knitting with my very own yarn.