For months now, I've been going on about how I want to make a garment out of my own handspun, breed-specific wool. And here it is! To bring Wovember to a close, I've finally finished this vest made from local Jacob wool. 

I designed the vest to be a v-neck as I can't stand clothes that feel tight around my neck, and included a subtle cable just to keep things entertaining. 

When I got to knitting this vest, I realized that the colors weren't separated all that well - a combination of the preparation before it came to me and my own novice spinning skills. Some bits were much darker or lighter than others, especially the lighter colors.

I was going for a gradual color shift - darker on bottom and lighter on top - and ended up with a mishmash that in no way achieved what I was going for. So there was a lot of ripping out, re-sorting colors, and re-knitting.

What excites me most about this vest are the pockets. It's my first foray into knitting pockets, and I couldn't be happier about it. I used a lifeline in my knitting where I wanted the pockets to start and end, then picked up from the lifeline at the bottom, knit up to the end, and sewed down the top edge and the side edge of the pockets. 

This vest also features a zipper, which I'd never inserted into a knitted garment before, either. Overall it was quite simple, and I'm so pleased with the result. 

The vest is entirely my own design, and I'm working on a few modifications to it before I write up the pattern. Do let me know if you're interested in test knitting once the pattern is ready!

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I've already made a swatch with my handspun Corriedale, but I also had some millspun yarn from the very same farm. As you can see, the two yarns are quite different - the one on the left in the photographs is my handspun, and it is fuzzier and full of air. On the left is the millspun - more dense but smoother. Below are my notes on the millspun yarn and the swatch I made from it.

Breed: Corriedale

Wool Category: Medium-fine

Source: Notlwonk Springs

Form: 3-ply yarn

Preparation: Worsted spun, 3-ply

Weight: Fingering/Sport weight

Color: Light oatmeal

Initial thoughts on use: Socks, weaving. This yarn isn’t very stretchy, and it is very strong, so it would make great warp yarn. I would also love to have a knit sweater out of this yarn. It’s the perfect weight for a lightweight cardigan.

Swatch details: 32 stitches, worked in stockinette stitch with a garter stitch border. Worked on size 4US/3.5 mm needles.

Notes on Knitting: Enjoyable to knit. I made a pair of socks with these at a tighter gauge (size 1 needles), which was a bit on the tight side, though it resulted in a pair of socks that will wear very well. Working at a looser gauge was definitely welcome.

Notes on washing, blocking, and wearing: Washed by soaking in cool water with Eucalan, then rinsed. Blocked by squeezing out water gently, laid flat on towel to dry. Once dry, rubbed swatch vigorously against itself 50 times - very little evidence of pilling or wear.

Dimensions of washed, blocked swatch: 5.5 inches wide by 5.5 inches high. These were also the dimensions unwashed and unblocked, though washing did help smooth everything out.

Notes on feel of washed, blocked, worn swatch: Fabric is very soft to the touch and has very little "prickle" when held next to the neck. It is very lightweight and has a slight drape to it.

Notes on perceived longevity of this wool: This wool seems like it will hold up very well to moderate to heavy wear.

Thoughts on use and applications: I already love the socks I made from this yarn – they are wonderfully warm but not too thick to wear with some of my shoes, which is a problem I sometimes have. I’d love to have a cardigan out of this yarn – something simple, soft, and warm.

Overall impression: Though this yarn is made from the same wool as my handspun Corriedale, it could not be more different. It has much better stitch definition, a bit more drape, and is less springy than my handspun. Both are wonderful yarns that I enjoy but have very different applications. It was so interesting to do this swatch to compare just how different the result can be when wool is prepared in different ways!

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Wovember is in full swing, and it's hard to believe it's almost halfway over. Time flies! There are lots of amazing wooly tidbits floating around the web. Here are just some of them:

Support: Farm Yarns is a breed-specific yarn project on Kickstarter. If breed specific wool is something you're into, this is definitely a project to support

Read: The Fibershed blog is full of insightful posts on local fiber. Not just limited to wool, it explores dyes, organic cotton farming, and other fiber-related artistic endeavors. 

Watch: From near my old stomping grounds, an uplifting story of prisoners knitting hats for the homeless. American prisoners need more productive creative outlets like this.

Follow: @herdyshepherd1 on Twitter for amazing photographs of his sheep and farm (and definitely pick up his books if you haven't already)

Knit: Twist Collective's winter issue came out this week, and it's full of gorgeous eye candy and interesting articles, as always. And of course, there's Brooklyn Tweed's new publication, Capsule, full of gorgeous must-knit designs.
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​Continuing with all the wooly goodness that is in print these days, I want to share Tolt’s new book with you. Farm to Needle: Stories of Wool is an exploration of American wool producers, processors, dyers, and designers.
 
Each section of the book highlights a different theme, along with an individual company. At the end of each chapter is a knitting pattern designed for the wool highlighted in the chapter, along with a profile on the pattern designer.
 
It’s hard to say what’s more exciting – the stories of wool or the patterns. All are beautiful and well thought out. And of course, the photographs are stunning.
 
You can’t miss the story of all the care that goes into Twirl yarns, or the Mysig cardigan, which has quickly jumped to the top of my must-knit list. There’s also the Anna Vest, Karen Templer’s modern take on a World War II era men’s vest pattern.
 
If you haven’t heard of Farm to Needle yet, that’s probably because it was just released earlier this month. It’s an incredible collection of stories and patterns, and I can already tell it’s going to be a longtime favorite of many.

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I originally wrote this post from a hotel room when we were  unexpectedly waylaid at the end of our trip. When I got back home, it was gone. So while this isn't the original post I had intended, it's as close as I can remember.

The celebration that is Wovember is incredible - so incredible, I'm honestly having trouble keeping up. I think I'm going to have to savor the Wovember stories over the next month or so. 

But what couldn't wait were these two books - The Shepherd's Life and The Illustrated Herdwick Shepherd by James Rebanks, also known as @herdyshepherd1 on Twitter. 

The Shepherd's Life weaves history, life, and the seasons together to give a captivating glimpse of what it's like to be a shepherd in England's Lake District. I was particularly struck by how Rebanks's childhood teachers dismissed agriculture and animal husbandry as something belonging to the past and no longer relevant. But Rebanks shows just how important traditional ways of life are, and just how knowledgeable shepherds are about the land, the environment, and their sheep. 

The Illustrated Herdwick Shepherd is a continuation of the story, but with many more pictures, all in full color. This book also has lots more of Rebanks's signature humor. I particularly loved the bits about border collies - since I'm the proud mom of a border collie, I might be a bit biased. 

If you've enjoyed Wovember in the slightest, both of these books are required reading. The Illustrated Herdwick Shepherd isn't widely available in the U.S. yet - my copy came all the way from the UK - but it's well worth the wait.

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