There is something very profound and rewarding about designing, spinning and knitting a yarn. I have talked ad nauseam about the process to create this particular yarn, as well as shared immensely about the spinning and knitting process {and here}. It was quite the project for me to tackle at the end of the year and while I couldn’t be happier with the results, I very much appreciate the process it takes to create something from true beginning to end.
Very briefly, I created this yarn from fibre in my stash that I had been ‘saving’ for something epic. This state-of-mind that some of us makers have about ‘saving’ things we view as special or unique is something I have been attempting to overcome. While I appreciate that there will be things that come into my stash that hold a particular place in my heart, I don’t want that to hold me back from creating with those items.
After spinning the Hedgehog Fibres Merino, Alpaca, Silk & Sparkle blend, I really wanted to work with a wool/Alpaca blend again. I couldn’t get it out of my head so I dove into my stash and found some natural, undyed BFL and Alpaca. Weighing out each and calculating what it would take to make an 85% BFL/15% Alpaca blend on my drum carder, I proceeded to use all of the Alpaca I had in my stash to create roughly 6 – 1.5oz batts. This fibre prep was done in anticipation of Spinzilla 2015, and through out the week this was the spin I focused on until it was finished. In the end, I had roughly 920 yards of 2-ply semi-woolen spun DK weight yarn. It was soft, lofty and slightly fuzzy. After knitting this huge shawl in the yarn, I can honestly say I really loved the handle of this yarn. It has drape, softness and stitch definition.
Once the yarn was created, however, I felt paralysed or frozen when I started knitting with it. I cast on several projects and ripped each out. I contemplated knitting a sweater, a different shawl that remains in my queue, several smaller projects and even nothing at all! I finally stumbled on the Snoqualmie Valley Shawl, which was a mystery knit-along originally and the pattern is written as such, but I didn’t buy it or cast on immediately. I continued to waffle about the nature of the yarn, the intensity of the white was a bit of a hang-up for me, and I felt almost intimidated by it.
Pattern :: Stories from Snoqualmie Valley by Annie Rowden
Yarn :: undyed, natural BFL/Alpaca (85%/15%) handspun, semi-woolen 2-ply, DK
Needles :: 4.00mm 32” circular
Cosy and warm, the Alpaca offers drape. The BFL offers sheen and loft. Designing a yarn from ‘scratch’ is an amazing thing.
After a few weeks, I decided to take the plunge and buy Annie’s pattern. I knew I would knit it someday, so I figured why not? I read through the extensive information about the original yarn meant for this pattern and decided to cast on one night. Due to tiredness, I cast on many times, read the chart wrong, ripped and restarted more times than I care to admit, but I knew it was the right pattern for the yarn. Immediately, the stitches sang as I created the cables and worked across the cable and lace. I knew I’d chosen wisely.
For me, the wearability of a shawl is the make or break of whether the pattern was successful. I am happy to report that even though this oversized shawl is huge, it is completely wearable. The cable and lace chart repeats many, many times, which I thought would become tedious and frustrating but instead, I enjoyed it. That challenging nature of the patterning kept my interest but with the breaks and rest rows, it never became a burden.
Originally, my plan was to dye this in natural Logwood but I have completely abandoned that. I love it the way it is and I am so super proud of how this turned out.
I had a wee helper to photograph this but because it was –3 degrees outside, she got a little cold and wanted to cuddle.
What was your creative highlight of 2015? I’d love to hear about it! Any big plans for 2016?