Ever since I knit my first handspun sweater, my Jacob's Windows sweater, I have been wanting to knit it again in a longer version. At that time, I only had part of a gray Jacob lamb fleece -- not enough for a whole sweater. Working with the amount I had, I supplemented with other handspuns in my stash to finish the sweater. That sweater and pattern was featured in The Twisted Sisters Knit Sweater book (p. 68-74). I have always loved the idea of using a natural colored fleece/yarn as a backdrop for designs in colorful handspun yarns.
Since those first days, my spinning has improved greatly so I wanted to revisit this sweater. With this project in mind, I sought out a gray CVM fleece at the Taos Wool Festival in October 2008. I bought a beautiful variegated gray fleece from Dawn and Mike DeFreese of Windy Hill Farms of Casper, WY. Once home, I washed, carded and spun the fleece. Finally, in late 2009, I cast on and because things just happen, it has taken me until yesterday to finally finish. I can't be more pleased with the results.
This time around, I made the body of the sweater somewhat longer and then I added a 6.5" shawl collar. My alterations to the original pattern were easily made using Lynne Vogel's "Fitter List" and schematic in her Twisted Sisters Knit Sweater book. This is a soft and comfy kimono type sweater with the fronts crossing over and buttoning.
The chartreuse green yarn is an alpaca/merino/silk yarn that I spun and then dyed in a workshop with Darlene Hayes at Golden Gate Fiber Institute, using mullein and then indigo.
The gold/yellow yarn is also alpaca/merino/silk and was dyed using coreopsis flower tops from my garden.
I spun the white yarn from a cormo wool/silk roving I purchased at the NY Sheep and Wool Festival from Barbara Parry of Foxfire Fibers.
The other varigated yarns were spun from my handpainted rovings and are merino, cashmere, and blueface leicester wool. This sweater should keep me quite warm and cozy out on Point Bonita at Golden Gate Fiber Institute in a couple of weeks.
4 comments:
This is gorgeous!
and you are going to wear it at the Taos wool festival?
Hope it isn't too hot -- I was there a couple of years ago and IT WAS SOOOOOOOO HOT!!!
But wearing your own hand spun yarn sweater, actually, that would be so cool!
Oh my goodness!! It's absolutely stunning -- and what a fabulous idea. I'm going to have to search out that book so I can try this with some of the not-quite-enough-for-a-sweater fiber I have on hand.
OMG - stunning. Amazing. VERY VERY pretty and what lovely colors.
This looks lovely, but really hard to do.
But lovely, thank you.
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