Handspun Flower Basket
Lately I've been thinking that if I am going to spin, I'd better find a use for the yarn. Otherwise, all I am doing is building my stash -- which is something I'm trying not to do so much of right now (not that there is anything wrong with building up stash -- I'm just trying to keep mine in a manageable state for me). After finishing the cochineal/madder dyed Corriedale I decided that I just needed to do something with it that I would enjoy and want to wear.
I've always wanted to make the Flower Basket shawl that was published in IK a couple of years ago. But I never quite had the right yarn. I knew my handspun Corriedale yarn wouldn't have the same drape as the alpaca recommended but I thought it would create a comfy, cozy shawl that I could wear over a turtleneck -- my standard winter uniform.
In the picture you can see the beginnings of the shawl. Its taking me a long time to make much progress, because I seem to have difficulty getting the right number of yarn overs in the very first row of the repeat. So there has been much tinking. Even so, I like the results. I'm hoping that I'm going to have enough extra yarn to put in an extra repeat to give the shawl a little extra size, since I don't think it's going to block out quite as much as the laceweight the original pattern uses given the sproingyness of the Corriedale.
I'll tell you something else: it's an awful lot of fun to knit with my own handspun yarn. Enough so that I'm already trying to figure out what I'm going to do with that blue yarn I posted about yesterday.
It is an absolutely special kind of satisfaction to knit with your handspun. I did spin years ago, but left it since, well, there is after all not time to do everything. But I knitted several pairs of mittens with handspun, and my mother do still have the pair spun with a blend of wool an our afghan hound's fur.
You sometimes see the most fancy kind of handspun yarn. I can admire them, but what to do with them is usually beyond my fantasy.
Congratulations your FBS is very pretty im also knitting it in mohair!!!!
I'm so very impressed when people can spin their own yarn and then knit with it. It looks fabulous.
It's coming out beautifully!!!
Ooh that looks really pretty
Started hand spinning myself only a month or so ago. I am currently spinning a beautiful merino roving on blended blues with hints of green and tiny amounts of silk in it. It is coming out at a very fine lace weight I think I will ply it before I use it. One day it will be a shawl, just don't know which one yet:-)
I think the hidden danger of spinning is that I have found it's my favorite. I like it more than knitting and weaving, those have become second hobbies to support the first.
FBS is looking great. I am jealous, I didn't mark my repeats and ended up so cockeyed I gave up, but gave it to the toddler who is obsessed with scarves to wear or wrap her babies up in.
Hooray for knitting with your own yarn! You're an inspiration.
I'd like to make another FBS, though this time NOT in my handspun.
That is going to be so beautiful. Just think how you'll feel wearing it!
It's like you've completed the circle. Spun the yarn and knit the shawl. I'm impressed!
Beautiful!
That is going to be beautiful!
I have been working on the Flower Basket shawl for 8 months. Granted, I knit other things, and am not the speediest knitter, but GOODNESS. It is taking for-ev-uh.
what ever happened to "Hang on Sloopy"?
Oh, that's going to be just lovely. :-)
The shawl is so pretty. Your hand spun is a perfect choice.
It must be incredibly satisfying to knit with your own handspun. The yarn is lovely and the shawl is coming out great.
I love the color of the yarn, that shawl will look great with that.