So Called Scarf in Handspun Romney

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Cast On:

June 25 2008

Completed:

June 29 2008

Pattern:

My So Called Scarf by Allison Isaacs

http://imagiknit.com/?p=60

Yarn:

Shepherd's Mill Farm Romney Roving Handspun by Me

Colorway Purple with some Grey

8 oz. about 90.0 yards (not including the fringe that is some extra that is overtwisted & very lumpy from spinning it on spindle)

Purchased at Delaware Highland Games

Needles:

Knitpicks Options US 13 / 9.0 mm

I cast on 18 sts which is a lot less than the pattern calls for (30). On the other hand, the yarn I spun is thicker than the one they used. And if I cast on too many stitches, it would have been another short, wide neckwarmer! I already have done two of those with handspun. I would really rather not do a third.

When I started, I wasn't sure if I would continue or frog this. I was worried the yarn wasn't the right texture to show the pattern well. The Romney does have a lot of fibers sticking up. But I think it is working. It isn't as clear as others, but it still gives an interesting pattern to it.

It is very dense. There isn't a lot of movement to it. I debated ripping it out. Then again, I avoid frogging like the plague, so that didn't happen. *laugh*

I used the yarn I created with the spindle as fringe. It was really too thick and different in gauge to knit with. It added some length which is nice.

It measures around 4” wide, 35” long without the fringe. The fringe adds another 5” to each side, so 45” total.

The yarn is definitely overspun. It is pretty rough and I can still feel the lanolin in the wool. I won't put this next to my skin. But I am learning more with each fiber I spin and even more when I knit it into something. So I am enjoying the process.

Scarves in Handspun Yarns

Diagonal Scarf with Handspun

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Pattern:

Go Diagonal Scarf by Sophia Kessinger

http://yarnovermanhattan-free-patterns.blogspot.com/

Made for:

Me probably though could be a gift

Yarn:

Finn Handspun & Handyed

Around 55.0 yards

Colorway - Tropical Punch & Grape Kool Aid

Fiber was given to me with my wheel

Needles:

Knitpicks Options US 13 / 9.0 mm

The total measurement on this is only 5" wide, 23" long. So another neckwarmer! *chuckle*

I would have been happier if it had been longer. But otherwise it was good. It was a quick knit that was very simple and features the yarn pretty well.

This is my first batch of handspun where I plied two singles together. I wanted something that would feature the texture without overwhelming the yarn. This project was suggested on the Ravelry knitting with handspun group as being good with thick & thin yarns. It seems to be working very well.

It is super simple to knit and is going very quickly. Though as I feared there wasn't enough yarn to make a scarf. My second handspun neck warmer! *laugh* That is all I could make with the first handspun I made given there was no length to it. I wish this one was longer, but it wasn't.

I ended up going with 19 sts wide as I like scarves to have some thickness. I suspect I should have gone thinner. But I am not a fan of skinny scarves.

I am still not sure about the colors. They were dyed with Kool-Aid. I may overdye it with some more Kool-Aid. Though I might also spin some more fiber and add it to each end instead. Not sure yet.

So Called Scarf in Handspun Romney

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Pattern:

My So Called Scarf by Allison Isaacs

http://imagiknit.com/?p=60

Yarn:

Shepherd's Mill Farm Romney Roving Handspun by Me

Colorway Purple with some Grey

8 oz. about 90.0 yards (not including some extra that is overtwisted & very lumpy from spinning it on spindle)

Purchased at Delaware Highland Games

Needles:

Knitpicks Options US 13 / 9.0 mm

I cast on 18 sts which is a lot less than the pattern calls for. On the other hand, the yarn I spun is thick. And if I cast on too many stitches, it would have been another short, wide neck warmer! I already have done two of those with handspun. I would really rather not do a third.

I am not sure if this will keep going or get frogged. I am not sure the yarn is the right texture to show this well. I think the Romney might have too many fibers sticking up. So I may not look good. I will knit some more of it and see if I like it.

Spinning Romney

I got 8+ ounces of Romney fiber at the Scottish Highland Games in Delaware. I picked it up before I had a spinning wheel. I got it because Romney is very sticky. I was told Romney is good for spinning as a beginner.

The roving was very sticky. I am guessing it wasn't heavily washed. I mean, it was dyed so it has to have been washed some, right? But it still felt sorta gummy. Even after soaking the yarn with Eucalan while setting the twist, it is still a bit tacky. But not as bad as it was before soaking it, but I can still feel some tackiness.

The bulk of the yarn was spun on my Babe double treadle production wheel. It really is such a wonderful wheel. I am loving it more and more as I use it.

Here are some pics of the yarn:

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Here is a pick of the yarn I created using the a single I had spun with my a drop spindle I got from ebay.

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It is overtwisted and very irregular. I really suspect that if I use this at all, it will be as trim or edging. It is still twisting some even after I soaked it. But hey, it just tells me how far I have come, right?

The yarn is still very much a bulky yarn for most of it. There are some points when I was able to draft it much thinner (like the smaller ball). And that really does make a difference in the size. But overall I am getting about 6-7 wpi. So it is still a bulky yarn. However, I feel like I am making progress. And the more I spin, the better it is getting.

I am really glad I picked this up. I think it has taught me a good deal. And it was something like $12 for the 8+ oz. So it was ideal for learning.

I did a 2 strand ply again. I got some elastic so I was able to use my DIY lazy kate as tensioned. It worked pretty well. Though I want to get a slightly thinner elastic as I think that might work better. I also think some clips would help. There are pegs on the bottom of the Babe that are supposed to work as a lazy kate. But honestly, I do not see how they spin very well from there. So I am not using them. I am using a cardboard box, 2 knitting needles and point protectors. It works pretty well.

It is similar to this one:

http://craftycanines.typepad.com/stuck_on_socks/2005/03/diy_tensioned_l.html

The difference is that I am using a wooden box instead of a plastic bin.

Though this one has my Babe bobbins instead of the wooden ones:

http://purly-qs.blogspot.com/2007/10/diy-tensioned-lazy-kate.html

There is this one as well:

http://loomythoughts.blogspot.com/2007_04_01_archive.html

I am figuring I want to get some similar clips and then the cardboard to hold it in place. I think that will help with the tensioning.

I think I got about 90 yards of yarn (not counting the super twisted stuff from the spindle with is probably another 5 yards or so). That is pretty good I think.

Of course now comes the great debate on what to do with it. I fear I am going to have a dozen scarves by the end of this process! *laugh* Because it is so irregular, that seems to be what I keep ended up with. I can't really see much else other than maybe mittens or something. But I don't wear mittens. I only wear leather gloves. And it is sorta odd stuff. So I don't think anyone but me would wear mittens made with this stuff! *laugh*

I spun 2 oz. of Ashland Bay 70% Merino wool & 30% Silk roving into a single. It is in pewter which is greys & some other colors added into it. I got it at The Yarn Tree. I want to go back and get some more. It feels lovely and spins very well. Of course Paul likes the color. There is a surprise. *laugh*

I also dyed some sock yarn on Saturday. It is some superwash/bamboo/nylon yarn I picked up from Dharmafey of Cosmic Fibers. I dyed one batch for my friend Meredith who I promised socks. The other is for me. I will have to take pics and share them. I like the way both came out.

So it was a fiberlicious weekend for me. *chuckle*