THE BEAUTY OF HANDSPUN YARNS

 

Yarns spun with Polwarth, Silk and Alpaca, plied with a fine boucle then dyed

These skeins of Merino, Silk and Alpaca were spun, then plied and hand painted

Here area  variety of handspun yarns, mostly using Wool or Merino and Alpaca, Silk etc

Ball of Hand dyed handspun Singles yarns ready to make Fingerless Gloves

These yarns are similar to those above and would make a lovely Fade Shawl

You have seen this beautiful handspun yarn, but hesitate to buy it because you are not sure how to use it ... how will it knit up, what size needles etc?

Handspun yarns are one of a kind, all the colours of the rainbow. They have variety, are colourful, thick and thin, art yarns, fine, thick, variety of fibres (Alpaca, Silk, Mohair, Soyabean fibre, Cotton), singles, 2 ply, 3 ply, etc

Handspun yarn has life.  It can be uneven and sometimes even a bit unpredictable. It doesn't look or behave like commercially produced yarn. It can be smooth or textured. Every skein is unique because it has been made by hand - it has it's own individual quirks and story to tell.  It is made with love because the person making it loves what they are doing.  They take a long time to make

You just can’t find the same amazing texture or handle from commercially spun yarn. So much of the character of the particular fiber really stands out in handspun because of the gentle handling when processing the wool and spinning it

They are wonderful to work with and mostly are made from natural products.  they make your knitting, crochet and weaving unique.  Using handspun yarns is a great experience.

Some tips for using handspun yarns:

Use a larger size needle than you would expect

Knit a swatch to see how your yarn looks

There will be some variation in the yarn as it is hand made

Check the yarn for twist - is it tightly twisted or very loosely twisted.  A tighter twist will give better wear whereas a loose twist yarn will be best used for a scarf or shawl

Hand wash swatch and see the yarn bloom.  Do the same with your finished project

Test for prickle - some yarns are made with strong wools and are only suitable for outerwear or bags and slippers

Begin with a small project so that you get the feel of using your unique yarn