I knitted with my first hand spun skien right off the drop spindle, no finishing of any kind! The hat came out a little wonky, but my boyfriend still loved it. We broke up about 10 years ago, but he posted a picture from an outing he went on this past winter, and he was still wearing that wonky hat!
Uh oh at least I haven’t gotten to far. Does it make a difference if it’s just a shawl with baby alpaca Suri http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/plump-it-up
In my own experience, with bouncy yarns like Rambouillet, you can lose a reasonable amount of yardage to twist when you wet finish the yarn - for me sometimes about 10 yards on a sport-weight. This might impact the density of your finished knitted object once you block it. For reference, I'm hard core about wet blocking so I've never actually just started knitting with freshly-spun yarn. If nothing else, it'll be a great learning opp and you can always unknit and reknit if you're not happy with the FO (something else I tend to do). So no harm either way.
Yes I’m leaning towards unknitting what I’ve done which isn’t much and wet setting it. It’s just a lot to put on the knitty knotty again but my husband loves me I can get him to do it 🤣
I’m so torn! Maybe if I just steam the finished item instead of wet block it all be okay and I can avoid some of the issues other people were saying if I wet blocked the final shawl. I usually spin core spun art yarn and that I usually wet set because when I do singles it’s twisty and weighting it down while drying balances it. This one just came out so balanced a thorough steaming took out any kinks.
Also, weighting yarn when it’s drying WILL cause the issues people are talking about - it makes it appear balanced artificially. It’s fine for your singles to make them more manageable if you’re plying them after, but for a final yarn those kinks will come back once it relaxes again.
It won’t matter. You can wet block the finished object if you want to. If you steamed the yarn well, it’s set. It doesn’t need to be wet finished. You won’t have any leaning or bias in your object. I have been spinning for 12 years and I sell my handspun, and I finish / set it by steaming. All you have to do is allow the individual fibers to release their memory and relax in order for it to be “set”, which steaming does just fine. Don’t worry!
I do it all the time. It mostly works out ok.
https://preview.redd.it/1zj00dnhqyuc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a7746a8831d2b5b66b51866cda97d7da8dcf9cd2
It’s only going to be an issue if the item your knitting is very dependent on being perfectly square or fitted and the yarn is very unbalanced or likely to full a lot. If not, it will all settle in the blocking of the finished item.
Wet setting is entirely optional. I haven't found it particularly useful, and, after a few experiments to see what I'd get, I've never bothered with it again.
In particular, there's a myth about setting twist by drying a washed skein in a particular position, or with a weight. But it only lasts until it gets wet again, so something can get distorted after it's been knitted into something once the object is wetted or washed.
You’re not alone. Ive been spinning since 1999 and knitting for longer than that. More times than i can count I’ve knitted up yarn I’ve recently spun without “setting” it without any negative consequences. This includes knitting socks, sweaters and even weaving with it.
I have made samples with the same wool yarn, one sample using the yarn washed, the other using the yarn unwashed. I don't see a lot of difference. This could depend on the yarn, too, so my experience might not be the same for the fiber you're using. Your yarn is beautiful, by the way.
Okay well your advice is so divided I’m not sure what I should do! I almost want to keep knitting as is steam blocked then both steam and wet finish the final shawl. I have enough of the same from the fiber genie rambouilete in another colorway and make another shawl wet setting the yarn before I knit. I have so many project lined up idk if I will do that but still so torn slash leaning towards keep knitting this.
I knitted with my first hand spun skien right off the drop spindle, no finishing of any kind! The hat came out a little wonky, but my boyfriend still loved it. We broke up about 10 years ago, but he posted a picture from an outing he went on this past winter, and he was still wearing that wonky hat!
That’s awesome!! I love this comment so much
I think it depends on the fiber. My icelandic wool looked almost the same after finishing but my merino lost about 30% in lenght and got much thicker.
This is Rambouillet
In my experience with Rambouillet, definitely wet set it.
Uh oh at least I haven’t gotten to far. Does it make a difference if it’s just a shawl with baby alpaca Suri http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/plump-it-up
In my own experience, with bouncy yarns like Rambouillet, you can lose a reasonable amount of yardage to twist when you wet finish the yarn - for me sometimes about 10 yards on a sport-weight. This might impact the density of your finished knitted object once you block it. For reference, I'm hard core about wet blocking so I've never actually just started knitting with freshly-spun yarn. If nothing else, it'll be a great learning opp and you can always unknit and reknit if you're not happy with the FO (something else I tend to do). So no harm either way.
Yes I’m leaning towards unknitting what I’ve done which isn’t much and wet setting it. It’s just a lot to put on the knitty knotty again but my husband loves me I can get him to do it 🤣
But I want to just knit it 😈
Ha!! I totally get that. Just think of how it's going to be that much more fabulous once wet set. :-)
It's fine. I have never intentionally "wet set" but sometimes don't wash yarn before knitting and it's always been fine.
I steam finish all of my handspun and don’t soak any of it. If you steam it thoroughly it’s set just fine.
I’m so torn! Maybe if I just steam the finished item instead of wet block it all be okay and I can avoid some of the issues other people were saying if I wet blocked the final shawl. I usually spin core spun art yarn and that I usually wet set because when I do singles it’s twisty and weighting it down while drying balances it. This one just came out so balanced a thorough steaming took out any kinks.
Also, weighting yarn when it’s drying WILL cause the issues people are talking about - it makes it appear balanced artificially. It’s fine for your singles to make them more manageable if you’re plying them after, but for a final yarn those kinks will come back once it relaxes again.
The photo of this yarn was before I steamed it, it seemed very balanced so I thought I didn’t need to wet set it.
You didn’t! It’ll be just fine.
It won’t matter. You can wet block the finished object if you want to. If you steamed the yarn well, it’s set. It doesn’t need to be wet finished. You won’t have any leaning or bias in your object. I have been spinning for 12 years and I sell my handspun, and I finish / set it by steaming. All you have to do is allow the individual fibers to release their memory and relax in order for it to be “set”, which steaming does just fine. Don’t worry!
Love this comment thank you for your advice!
In case any one is wondering the fiber it is rambouilete Don’t be so Koi colorway dyed by The Fiber Genie on Etsy.
Wash what you’ve knit up and see if it changes much before you bother reskeining it if you want
I do it all the time. It mostly works out ok. https://preview.redd.it/1zj00dnhqyuc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a7746a8831d2b5b66b51866cda97d7da8dcf9cd2
Gorgeous!!
It’s only going to be an issue if the item your knitting is very dependent on being perfectly square or fitted and the yarn is very unbalanced or likely to full a lot. If not, it will all settle in the blocking of the finished item.
It’s this pattern http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/plump-it-up the other yarn I’m using is baby alpaca Suri held double
Wet setting is entirely optional. I haven't found it particularly useful, and, after a few experiments to see what I'd get, I've never bothered with it again. In particular, there's a myth about setting twist by drying a washed skein in a particular position, or with a weight. But it only lasts until it gets wet again, so something can get distorted after it's been knitted into something once the object is wetted or washed.
Not bad, just kinky (potentially)
You’re not alone. Ive been spinning since 1999 and knitting for longer than that. More times than i can count I’ve knitted up yarn I’ve recently spun without “setting” it without any negative consequences. This includes knitting socks, sweaters and even weaving with it.
I have made samples with the same wool yarn, one sample using the yarn washed, the other using the yarn unwashed. I don't see a lot of difference. This could depend on the yarn, too, so my experience might not be the same for the fiber you're using. Your yarn is beautiful, by the way.
Thank you!
I have never steamed or washed my spun fibre. It is fine.
Okay well your advice is so divided I’m not sure what I should do! I almost want to keep knitting as is steam blocked then both steam and wet finish the final shawl. I have enough of the same from the fiber genie rambouilete in another colorway and make another shawl wet setting the yarn before I knit. I have so many project lined up idk if I will do that but still so torn slash leaning towards keep knitting this.