As difficult as handspinning and knitting might seem to be at times, it still never fails to help me unwind from pressures at work. It’s the one thing that I have total control over, can do on my own schedule and decide the level of quality of the finished product.
It’s been a totally hectic week at the office. Instead of screaming, I knit.
The upper front is finished after having to redo the upper left side. On my first attempt I used a second ball of yarn but found that it felt a bit harsh as I knitted it because I hadn’t bothered to properly finish the skein after spinning. The yarn became much softer after letting it soak in very hot water for about fifteen minutes and then letting it dry.
Japanese short-rows came in very handy when working the sloping shoulders.
Purlwise 
your sweater is looking gorgeous! you must be very proud of yourself 🙂
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It’s wonderful to see you knitting with such beautifully spun yarn. Hopefully with practice I’ll be able to develop consistency in my spinning and confidence that I can knit with it!
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Thanks Vanessa, it’s taken me a long time to get to this point but all the practice was well worth it.
Felicia – I practice spinning this merino for about a year before I had enough confidence to start the sweater. Just keep it up and I’m sure you’re yarn will get better over time.
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Looking good!!!!!
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WOW,
I’m seriously impressed. Not just beautiful colors and patterns, but also HANDSPUN!? I can’t believe it! So beautiful!
Keep up the great work!
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Julia – thanks. Just to clarify, this sweater was designed by Sarah Swett and is from Spin Off Magazine, Fall 2001. If you like this design, check out the tapestries on her website.
http://users.moscow.com/swett/index.html
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Dear Sarah:
I’ve always wanted to go to Shetland and thanks to you I feel I’ve just traveled there through the knitter’s eyes that I, too, would have! Weaver, crocheter, quilter’s and general needlewoman’s eyes.
THANK YOU!
Ever been to Nova Scotia? The east coast of Cape Breton there looks so much like your landscape photos.
I live in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, hail originally from Georgia where my grannies taught me my arts, and lived many years high in the Rockies in Telluride, Colorado where I ran a gallery/studio selling my work and other folks’ as well.
Nice to have met you via the net . . . I learned of you while exploring others who use natural dyestuffs for their yarns, which I am elbow-deep in this week. Earthues.com listed you as a favorite link.
Sincerely,
Denise Garner
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