I'm so proud of this shawl. Its beautiful thats for sure, but the thing about this shawl is that it is totally all my doing. I spun the yarn. I knit the shawl. I even 'unvented' (to quote EZ) the pattern. I have this 'thing' about knitting with my handspun. Its like no pattern is good enough. No recipient is worthy of it. So, all my handspun just sits in drawers waiting. I've mentioned my reluctance to knit with handpun before. I realize that I have to get past it, or really, I should stop spinning. For some reason, I have no problem with gifting the handspun yarn. But, it has to be given to someone who I know will appreciate it. I once gave a skein of 100% alpaca to my mother. She started a project and frogged it. Started another and frogged it again. My poor handspun didn't hold up too well to repeated frogging. I don't think my mother will ever get another skein of it. I actually took that skein back.
I knit this shawl for a swap partner - another knitter from Newfoundland. On ravelry, the forum that I participate in most is the Newfoundland and Labrador Knitters and Crocheters. I enjoy the discussions in this forum and even got to meet some group members last month when Amy and I went to St. John's for her tonsillectomy. A swap was organized on the board earlier this summer. I was the only knitter from outside the St. John's area included in the swap. After meeting Leah in person, I knew that this shawl was well suited to her - and that she was definitely worthy of an item knit from handspun. Pictured here is her total swap package. A ball of Zauberball Crazy, a spindle (by Kev) and roving, handmade soap, shawl and shawl/hair stick and a scone kit - all packaged up in a breast cancer bag.
Leah was pleased with her package and said it was like getting a gift from 'someone who knew her soul'. What a great compliment. It makes me want to knit with my handspun some more.
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