# What do folks do with their homespun yarn?



## Medieval Reenactor (Sep 3, 2013)

After many false starts I finally got the muscle memory of drop spinning. I acquired some lovely Marino-silk roving and am looking forward to (after I do a whole bunch more practice on some plain roving I have - thank you Mousepotato) to spinning it. I don't know how to calculate how much yardage my roving will generate, but surely enough for socks after it is plied. Can one spin in a nylon filament into the ysrn? Or add it in the plying?


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## bethshangirl (Jan 23, 2013)

I saw something really cute done with small amounts of homespun ...
... not socks ... I know! but cute!


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## yaksue (Jan 13, 2015)

Where do you get the little frames you wrap the yarn on??? What a fun idea! These are adorable!!!!


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## deenashoemaker (Nov 9, 2014)

I knit all my spinnings. I don't mix anything with sock yarn, I reinforce heels and toes with eye of partrige stitch or k1p1, p reverse side. Or I also get woolly nylon on Amazon. Socks, typically last us four or five years.


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## bethshangirl (Jan 23, 2013)

yaksue said:


> Where do you get the little frames you wrap the yarn on??? What a fun idea! These are adorable!!!!


No idea! I would love some! Being a wire-worker, I would probably make some wire stands.
What a lovely way to display a lovely but small amount of homespun!


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## llamama1 (Jun 22, 2012)

If you want to add nylon to your yarn, add it while plying.


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## desireeross (Jun 2, 2013)

I knit up a lot of my hand spun into sweaters. I recently spun and knitted a sport weight sweater for my husband. I carded in nylon as well. Here is the process

https://www.knittingparadise.com/t-573603-1.html
https://www.knittingparadise.com/t-580159-1.html

I stopped spinning when ended up with 2206 yards and I had quite a bit of prepared fibre left as I wasn't going to need it

I tend to spin sweater quantities now and am going to sell the smaller quantities (300g) yarn I've spun and don't use.


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## spins2knit (Jul 29, 2013)

Knit! And will use some in weaving. I have made sweaters, shawls, mittens, cowls, scarves.

Love the trees!


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## Woodstockgranny (Feb 6, 2013)

deenashoemaker said:


> I knit all my spinnings. I don't mix anything with sock yarn, I reinforce heels and toes with eye of partrige stitch or k1p1, p reverse side. Or I also get woolly nylon on Amazon. Socks, typically last us four or five years.


I am very interested in this - do you mean wooly nylon thread? Do you add one strand or two? I'd love to know more about your heel technique as well. Thanks!


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## deenashoemaker (Nov 9, 2014)

Woodstockgranny said:


> I am very interested in this - do you mean wooly nylon thread? Do you add one strand or two? I'd love to know more about your heel technique as well. Thanks!


I just use single strand woolly nylon knitted along with the yarn. Mostly, try to match color, but sometimes not possible. It barely shows on heels and toes. Red Heart used to make heel and toe nylon yarn wrapped on small cards. We need to get on them to bring it back.


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## a fool for fiber (Nov 18, 2014)

I have bought nylon fiber to blend and spin into my other fibers for strength in projects like socks. It looks pretty much like wool fiber when you buy it that way.


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## deenashoemaker (Nov 9, 2014)

a fool for fiber said:


> I have bought nylon fiber to blend and spin into my other fibers for strength in projects like socks. It looks pretty much like wool fiber when you buy it that way.


Hobby Lobby sells a roving for knitting as is. I've spun it (spins easy) but it's 100% nylon. I'm gonna make my own nylon for socks.


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## MrsMurdog (Apr 16, 2013)

https://www.ravelry.com/discuss/spinning-knitters/3872117/1-25 This is a thread to a ravelry spin along for socks! Way more good information than you will be able to handle!

I purchased some cone nylon from somewhere. If you need to know PM me and I will hunt for the invoice. I have held it as a carry along for heels and toes on commercial sock yarn. I have also plied some with a little bit of sample fiber that came with a spindle purchase. I have not tried to knit with my home plied yet.

Here is another ravelry thread you may like.
https://www.ravelry.com/discuss/spinning-knitters/3870223/401-425#417


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## mousepotato (May 30, 2011)

Medieval Reenactor said:


> After many false starts I finally got the muscle memory of drop spinning. I acquired some lovely Marino-silk roving and am looking forward to (after I do a whole bunch more practice on some plain roving I have - thank you Mousepotato) to spinning it. I don't know how to calculate how much yardage my roving will generate, but surely enough for socks after it is plied. Can one spin in a nylon filament into the ysrn? Or add it in the plying?


Wooly Nylon is available to knit in, but the faux cashmere out there is nylon that you could either card into the roving, or spin separately and ply with. I believe it dyes well.


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## Medieval Reenactor (Sep 3, 2013)

MrsMurdog said:


> https://www.ravelry.com/discuss/spinning-knitters/3872117/1-25 This is a thread to a ravelry spin along for socks! Way more good information than you will be able to handle!
> ...
> Here is another ravelry thread you may like.
> https://www.ravelry.com/discuss/spinning-knitters/3870223/401-425#417


Thanks for the links. It's going to take me awhile to digest all this. The nylon on a cone sounds intreaguing. And probably a lot cheaper than those little cards of wooly nylon I bought at JoAnn's to reinforce a mend.


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## spinninggill (Apr 9, 2011)

The silk is very strong, so if you spin with a high twist, it should be fine for socks without adding nylon, unless you want to. Or you could blend it with some mohair (which is 'Nature's Nylon'). I would prefer to blend rather than ply together, although you can do both.


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## Medieval Reenactor (Sep 3, 2013)

mousepotato said:


> Wooly Nylon is available to knit in, but the faux cashmere out there is nylon that you could either card into the roving, or spin separately and ply with. I believe it dyes well.


Thanks for the tip. Is faux cashmere easy to obtain? I've never carded wool, only combed it. I'm finding carded wool in the roving I got a pain to draft as the fibers want to go in all directions! I'm trying to predraft my practice roving. I wish people would sell combed roving!


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## Bummy (Sep 6, 2013)

deenashoemaker said:


> I just use single strand woolly nylon knitted along with the yarn. Mostly, try to match color, but sometimes not possible. It barely shows on heels and toes. Red Heart used to make heel and toe nylon yarn wrapped on small cards. We need to get on them to bring it back.


Do you use the wooly nylon on the whole sock or just toes and heels?
Thanks


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## deenashoemaker (Nov 9, 2014)

Bummy said:


> Do you use the wooly nylon on the whole sock or just toes and heels?
> Thanks


If the socks are for me, I only reinforce the heel ( I've never worn a toe out). But, for anyone else, heel and toe.


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## mousepotato (May 30, 2011)

Medieval Reenactor said:


> Thanks for the tip. Is faux cashmere easy to obtain? I've never carded wool, only combed it. I'm finding carded wool in the roving I got a pain to draft as the fibers want to go in all directions! I'm trying to predraft my practice roving. I wish people would sell combed roving!


Combed roving is called "top" which is what you should be looking for in the description. I think Webs has the faux cashmere. If not, someone is likely to have it at CT S&W next month.


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## Medieval Reenactor (Sep 3, 2013)

mousepotato said:


> Combed roving is called "top" which is what you should be looking for in the description. I think Webs has the faux cashmere. If not, someone is likely to have it at CT S&W next month.


Our Medieval group will be doing fiber demos alll day at the CT Sheep & Wool Festival next month, so I'll look for it. (Everybody who csn getbthere stop by and say hi). DW has me on a WEBS diet ????Is top easy to find?


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## mousepotato (May 30, 2011)

Medieval Reenactor said:


> Our Medieval group will be doing fiber demos alll day at the CT Sheep & Wool Festival next month, so I'll look for it. (Everybody who csn getbthere stop by and say hi). DW has me on a WEBS diet ????Is top easy to find?


 You know, an occasional indulgence won't kill her. She's had you on that diet almost as long as the resident grandchild has had me on my yarn diet. She may have given up. I should think it wouldn't be too hard to find. Let me see if I cN find some other vendors.

Looks like the best price for it is at the Woolery, a half pond is $10.


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## mama879 (Jan 27, 2011)

Check my etsy shop out...
https://www.etsy.com/shop/FiberFrolicsboutique


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## Reba1 (Feb 5, 2012)

Those little trees are cute! I am also a machine knitter, so I have a lot of empty cones. Some taper all the way up. I may just have to make a couple of these with some of my homespun. 

As for what I make with my homespun: a collection of my homespun. :sm02: Mine isn't consistent enough yet to use for wearables. I have woven fabric that I sewed into a tote and felted (that hid a lot of imperfections!). I've also wove and felted some hot pads/potholders.


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