Knitting With My Handspun Yarn

Since I'm producing a fair amount of handspun yarn, I'm trying to knit it up when I can. Here are two projects I recently completed using my handspun.

First, a wildly-hued pair of fingerless mitts:





Susie's Reading Mitts by Janelle Masters

• Yarn: My handspun "Raisin Wannabe", 100% Shetland Wool (185 yards / 113 g per skein), 0.73 skeins
  
• Needle: US 3 (3.25 mm) double pointed needles
  
• Size: Smallest

Here's the yarn, before knitting (and the fiber it came from):




The mitts have a fun turned picot hem:




... and a little bit of garter stitch and lace for added interest:




The colors are definitely wild, but I love them in a simple accessory like this:





Happily for me, this was the kind of low-pressure photoshoot that Moana could get into:






Alas, this might have been pushing it a little...




Next, here's another handspun knitted item, that just happens to match Bug's eyes:






Percy Shawl by Sanne Kalkman

• Yarn: My handspun "Mermaid", Wool/Silk/Recycled Sari Silk/Angelina (727 yards / 74 g per skein), 0.91 skeins
  
• Needle: US 2.5 (3.0 mm) double pointed needles
  
• Size: 62 inches wide, 24 inches deep at center ( = 8 repeats of Chart A, 3 repeats of Chart B (starting with row 5 and ending with row 27, as the pattern directs), and 1 repeat of Chart C)

The yarn (and fiber):




I love how the different patterns come together in this shawl:

...Chart C
...Chart B
...Chart A

And in silhouette:

...Chart A
...Chart B
...Chart C

The whole thing:



OK, Bug, show us the proof...



Now that's just not fair! Give us a peak... please?



Pretty please, with yarn on top?



Ahhh... That's better!

Citron

Citron by Hilary Smith Callis, Knitty Winter 2009

• Yarn 1: My handspun "December Sunset", 50% Merino Wool, 50% Tencel (187 yards / 64 g per skein), 1 skein
  
• Yarn 2: My handspun "Graphite", Carbonized Bamboo (440 yards / 59 g per skein), ~0.75 skeins
  
• Needle: US 4 (3.5 mm) Knitpicks Options Needle

I decided to use two color-compatible yarns I've spun to make this shawl, as I didn't think I had enough of either (and I was right!). Although the multi-colored yarn is much thicker and a (Navajo-plied) 3-ply and the solid silvery yarn is a slenderer but significantly more variable thickness single-ply, I think it worked out pretty well :)

The fiber:



The yarn:



The shawl:



Some close ups:




And closer:



And, of course, here's Bug's Citron photo shoot!










Bug looks a little bit like a fuzzy flower, don't you think?



Happy (slightly early) Earth Day!