Dear Kay,
The bifurcated Citron is now done.
When it got down to the final bit of yarn, I pulled out my postal scale and ascertained that one row weighed 2 grams, and I had 38 grams of yarn left. This was good news, because I’d landed just at the point when the final ruffle would make sense.
My sister-in-law Mary Neal feels there should be a ruffle tax. She’s pretty strongly anti-ruffle, and I get that. But a ruffle on the edge of this Citron seems a good solution, given that there’s a lot of ruching action already, and to end it in stockinette would create an accidental ruffle situation. I’ll pay the tax. It’s more like a rumple than a ruffle anyway.
I’ve thought a lot about this handspun yarn as I’ve made this. At one point I thought, Hey, it would be fun to spin some yarn. I can see the appeal. But I also find a fair amount of pleasure as a handspun consumer, a celebrater of handspun, a handspun fan. To everybody who spins yarn: Thank you!
Love,
Ann
Beautiful…glad you kept going 🙂
Following your last post about the Citron-in-progress, I wasn’t sure about it– but Me, too, I’m glad you stuck with it, I like the finished Citron very much.
So, how do you figure out how much one row weighs? Do you have to weigh the whole piece and divide by the number of rows? Which would mean, you k of, knowing the number of rows? Thank you!
Oh oh teacher I’ve got this one! Weigh the ball of yarn, knit a row, weigh again. (Or weigh the work in progress before and after.). Works best when the rows are pretty much the same length.
Beautiful! Love the edge.
Looks great! Spinning is good fun but it does cut into your knitting time. (Ask me how I know)
I think it turned out beautifully — just the right amount of ruffle!
If you ever find yourself in need of handspun again, I have quite a substantial stash of it and could be persuaded to part with some of it.
Handspun! How many times over the past few years have I thought of learning how to Spin! But then, I always imagine how spinning time would take away from my already diminished knitting time. Yet, I was always fascinated when my aunt Mary would speak of how, when in Greece, she watched both of her grandmothers spin wool. These were my great grandmothers. As I have understood it, they used drop spindles. I don’t know if the yarn was even or not; it never occurred to me to ask. Actually, until I read the comments the other day here in MDK, I always assumed that handspun yarn (or “homespun”, as I used to think of it) was supposed to be bumpy. I am glad to have been set straight on that idea. Maybe I will look into taking a spinning course some time in the fall, or would it be just as good to learn it on my own?
Strongly suggest taking a class – it is a bit like learning to ride a bicycle although you won’t get hurt if you make a mistake!
Thanks Dawn!
“…more like a rumple than a ruffle…” – Ha! What a great line.
It looks great! And I’m totally with you about not taking the spinning-your-own route. Some roads are best not taken – making hand spun means less time to knit!
Oh Handspun, you are one of a kind and this makes you precious. The inconsistencies in your spinning make you special, never knowing if there will be a nub here, some thick & thin there, a surprise every few feet that make you who you are. I love handspun and go to fairs for the sole purpose of finding that special skein.
Oh yeah! Your shawl is gorgeous! Enjoy wearing it.
The Citron is lovely, and I really like how the colors merge. Great eye!
Handspun: s rabbit hole I’ve not yet entered….
The Citron looks great. Love the rumple! There is enough of the second color that it looks intentional.
I used to think spinning meant less time for knitting and that was a bad thing. It is true that spinning me as less knitting time. But it brings with it other joys which make it all worthwhile. Highly recommended.
I so agree, Jenny !
Loving your Citron and glad you decided to keep on going with it. I agree that this pattern just calls for a ruffle.
Sometimes, I think it might be fun to try to spin but then I think that I really just like to knit with it. So for now, that is what I’m doing.
This looks great. And I love how handspan yarn gives something more character somehow.
That looks beautiful – as well as warm and snuggly.
Love it!!! It turned out so beautiful. The ruffle is just enough and not too much – can’t wait to see it modeled.
Ann,
Congratulations on the completion of your latest Citron! It’s Lovely! I especially like the stripe effect in the homespun. It adds interesting dimension to the ruching, complimenting the overall garment. I think it would be great with jeans and equally great in a simple basic black dress (or dressy pants and top), where the only color for the whole outfit (including shoes, bag, earrings) is provided by the Citron. It would be stunning on you.
As my Greek grandmother used to say, wear it in good health.
LoveDiane
It is perfect! Handspun is a great medium to add depth and uniqueness.
As per usual I agree with Mary Neal. She’s one smart cookie.
Love it! I was in the “keep going” camp and I think it’s a winner.
Can’t wait to see it modeled!
Lovely Ann, just lovely!
Mary Neal’s Fashion Guidelines are always reliable. Sometimes though, it’s worth it just to pay the extra tax. This is so pretty!
I think your Citron is lovely! The colours are wonderful together!
Hey, I really like how those colors work together. I had my doubts, but I’m delighted to be wrong (again). Re: spinning, the spousal unit bought me a spinning wheel for an anniversary gift a few years ago. I didn’t ask for it, but now that I’ve got it, I’ve really got to learn how to use it. I’ve got oodles of books & videos, but little time to actually bring fiber, wheel & books/videos together. Someday….
The Citron (bifurcated!) is lovely, and I when I imagine it finished with stockinette I believe the ruffle is the perfect ending.
I so love handspun yarn, but cannot imagine doing it myself. When I watch spinners I so admire, I do not “feel” it in my hands. And that seems to be how I decide which making to take up.
Congratulations on a beautiful solution.
I was a doubter but I am converted. Looks great–stripe, ruching, ruffle and all.
Love how this turned out!
maybe its just me and because I’m spinner, but i love the way this looks. Truly unique!
The colors are very pretty together. It DOES look intentional!
So pretty! And I like the ‘rumple’! I’m pretty anti-ruffle myself, at least on knits. That’s kind of weird – I’m about as girly-girl as you can get….
A few years ago, I took some spinning classes at my local guild. I was lucky enough to be able to borrow a wheel from the guild, and what I learned is that, even though it was interesting to learn, there is plenty of ready-made yarn out there, and I’m happy to knit (and horde!) it.
I love it.
I also love the bifurcated shawl and actually might think of it as gradiated (not sure that’s a word but close).
I love to spin because one part of knitting that I love is the feeling of the textures I am making. Spinning really gets to the tactile loving part of me. I haven’t knit with any of it because it did take me awhile to get the hang of it.
Love Citron.
I would be tickled pink to be a beta tester!