Posts from the ‘Handspinning’ category

A Handspun Dog Sweater

Pippa needed a new sweater and I had just the yarn for her, spun during the 2021 Tour de Fleece. The fiber is “All Bark and No Bite” Corriedale, spun into 8 oz., 352 yards of Aran weight chain ply from the full width of the top for big chunks of color.

This is some serious Rainbow Brite action. The sweater is one that I devised for her when we first got her 13 years ago. I start with the neck, then do two sets of paired increases to the leg openings. I knit back and forth for the section between her front legs, then switch and knit back and forth across the back. I then join the two sections behind the front leg openings and resume knitting in the round. A single line of paired decreases nips in for the tummy. I put approx. 1/3 of the stitches on a holder to shorten the underside, then decrease until just the back half or so stitches are left, then put on the ribbing all around the opening and around the leg holes. Works great!

The chunky, springy yarn made for a very soft and squishy sweater. She’s toasty warm on those minus degree days, with her sweater and baby carrot shoes.

I don’t have a pattern for your dog, but there are lots out there! There’s a dog sweater generator on Ravelry that looks promising, and a special wiener dog sweater, also Ravelry, too!

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Sample Along: Fractal and Drafted Together

Fractal- For this one, I split the fiber lengthwise and spun one single from the end of one piece. I split the other piece into four long pieces and spun them in a row, starting from the same end each time. I then plied the singles. This method ensures a yarn with both solid and barber-poled sections. It’s my favorite!
Drafted Together was difficult for me. For this one, I split the top into four full-length sections, took two, flipped one, then held them together while spinning. I did the same with the other two pieces, then plied the two singles together. I had to do a lot of predrafting, something I never do, to get these two pieces of fiber to stick together enough to draft. I wonder if the silkiness of the fiber worked against me. This one surprised me with its appearance!
Here are the four swatches all together. I like them all and can picture different uses for them. I think I need some Flipped socks, for starters.

It’s not too late to Sample Along! You can visit Jillian Moreno’s blog for info.

Sample Along: As It Comes and Flipped

On the left is As It Comes. This yarn was spun from top that was split lengthwise into 2 matching pieces, both spun from the same end onto two bobbins and plied.
The colors mostly match up.

On the right is Flipped. This yarn was spun from top that was split lengthwise into two matching pieces, but spun from opposite ends onto two bobbins and plied.
There’s a lot more barberpoling in this sample.
As It Comes in the skein.
Flipped in the skein and As It Comes being knit. My samples are fingering weight, approx. 125 yards per oz. The swatches are knit over 60 stitches.