The Spill crochet shawl is a crescent shape with a pattern worked in rows. It uses simple stitches: single crochet, double crochet, slip stitch. The pattern incorporates short rows on one side of the shawl so that the color shifts of the yarn (or stripes, if using multiple yarns) are off-center. Even though the design is simple, you can yield some dramatic… read more
Crochet your own eye-catching lace shawl with this free pattern. Spill is a shawl worked in rows in a gradient yarn, with short rows used to create a gradual, off-center color change. Crochet it with a long color-shifting yarn, or use a few different colors to create asymmetrical stripes. The finished shawl is a crescent shape that measures about 48”… read more
Life, the Universe, and Everything is an attractive and cozy handspun shawl. I stitched it using handspun yarn and a free, easy-to-follow pattern. The Crochet Shoulder Wrappers group on Ravelry is a very active, friendly, and energetic group of crafters. They have at least three crochet-alongs (CALs) every month, and anyone can participate. It’s a fun way to discover new designs and enjoy… read more
Sometimes, working with a soft but seemingly lackluster handspun yarn can surprise you. I spun a skein of single-ply yarn out of some fabulous merino combed top, but I wasn’t very excited about the results. It sat around for a couple of years while I pondered its fate. This winter, while looking for a quick and simple project to knock out… read more
Using my own handspun yarn has made some of my crochet projects even more enjoyable and rewarding. Single-ply lace weight This delicate scarf was made with baby suri alpaca yarn. Pattern: Alpine Frost Scarf Designer: Amy O’Neill Houck Source: Interweave Crochet Two-ply worsted weight This winter sweater for my thin-furred dog was made with merino wool yarn. I made… read more
Core spinning involves wrapping fibers around a strand of spun yarn. The fibers cover the strand of yarn, which becomes the “core” of the new yarn. You can use virtually anything for a core: another strand of handspun, thread, commercial yarn… Here I used a commercial fingering weight acrylic yarn that’s been sitting in my stash… read more
I’m so happy with my new Ashford traditional spinning wheel! New to me, that is. The beautiful wheel is older than I am. After referring to Ashford’s timeline for the traditional wheel (which is an interesting read in and of itself), I think it was made in 1975 or shortly after. Well-loved in its early life, it has… read more
Part 4 I feel like I’m making progress as a new spinner and things are going pretty well. I’m starting to move beyond the park-and-draft method of having to stop the spindle to catch up with the drafting. I’ve been trying to spin a little every day, as suggested for beginners to really get the rhythm down. I’m still… read more
Part 3 I’ve finished spinning my first 2-ply yarn. Spinning the dyed combed top with my light drop spindle, I got the singles as thin and uniform as I could. It’s still taking me some time to get the rhythm and consistency down. I spun two singles and wound them into balls. I love the way the singles turned out, and… read more
Part 2 I’ve finally embarked on my journey in handspinning yarn. Here it is: my first single! Becoming familiar with working with fibers and manipulating them into yarn has been a slow, but quite interesting, learning process. There are so many factors that affect the character of the spun yarn. Getting everything to come together as… read more
Part 1 I’ve been itching to try handspinning my own yarns. My fiber addiction finally got the best of me. For too long I’ve drooled over others’ handspun yarns. I’ve fondled wool fleeces, fantasized about color combinations. It was time to try it for myself. My man made me a small and simple drop spindle, a bottom… read more
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