I have created a good luck yarn for 2016, something lovely to start the new year with, something with very happy and rich colours – here it is, my new handspun merino thick and thin yarn “Hogmanay”, a very soft and yummy yarn, perfect for quick knit projects including giant knitting or crocheting, felting projects, embellishing, dolls hair and beautiful ready made dreads:
For a dense knit (e.g. for baby hats) you can start with needle size 10mm (US15), and for a giant knit or crochet project I personally use needle size 20mm (US 40) and crochet hook size T or U (22+25mm/US44+50).
I just recently finished a wonderful boho crochet scarf, very lush and very soft indeed. I used my handspun merino (20 micron) thick and thin yarn (I also call it slub yarn) and a crochet hook size U. It contains several colours from my 24 colour range, 160yds (145m) of yarn, that´s about 280g (9.9oz), including the fringes:
The yarn size is the same as for all my thick and thin yarns.
Giant knitting and giant crocheting is great fun, whether you use very large yarn or thick unspun wool roving. It creates the warmest garments and a project can be finished in no time. However, some people may find using unspun thick roving too hard on their hands and joints, as I too had to experience when I started a giant knit project with wool roving. My wrists began to ache after only a few rows (yep, I am not getting any younger…) of using broomstick size needles and moving and shifting the heavy rows along, even though I had rested my hands and most of the roving yarn in my lap while knitting – I switched to a 40mm crochet hook so I would just have to move one stitch at a time but that did not keep my wrists from aching, the whole lot was getting too heavy. I was very frustrated and had to give up on the thick roving strand project. However, I was determined to create something lovely and snug with my roving, quick knit…well, in this case quick crochet style, so I went and divided the unspun wool into 4 strands to get them to a more comfortable yarn size, yet still thick enough for my large needles and hook. And it worked for me so much better! So here it is, my small scale giant crochet scarf, crocheted with a crochet hook size 25mm (US U), using 250g (8.9oz) of 20 micron super soft merino wool roving in orange, baby pink and raspberry pink:
Splitting the roving twice lengthwise into 4 thinner strands is very easy. As the roving is an unspun thick strand of fibre it has natural slight splits through the commercial carding and combing process. Just follow these splits, and the wool separates into smaller strands almost on its own. When the split comes nearer the roving end I don´t separate the wool all the way through but leave about 10cm (4 inches) unsplitted so I can crochet the roving in a continuous strand without any knots . The giant crochet scarf is also displayed in my online exhibition, where I have added more details. Feel free to have a look. :o)
Everyone have a very happy, healthy and creative year 2016!!
All The Pretty Fibers 