Welcome to I’ll Knit (& Spin!) If I want To! I asked y’all to send in some of your questions (from everything from fiber arts, to designing and on!) so I could put together a little video for y’all every Friday doing my best to answer your questions!
1. I have made six shift cowls - it's by far my favorite pattern! I have one problem in every one though.... The two edges for the seam at the back of the neck always end up different lengths. I've had differences of up to 3/4 inch. The shorter edge is the one by the cast on corner - it's much tighter. I can make up for the difference when I seam and it's at the back of the neck so not a huge deal, but I'd like to be perfect! Is there something I can do when I make my seventh shift cowl to get these edges to be more even?
2. Im currently knitting away on my Brume sweater collar, and have questions about collar modifications! Usually I have a strong preference for crewneck due to neck sensitivity, but you made a great case for this collar being open enough to not bother sensitive necks, so Im interested in trying it. But, Ive also heard taller collars can be less flattering on people with rounder faces like myself. So I have nerves. Anyway! If I knit it and decide after a while that it isnt working on me, is it possible to reknit it shorter, or will that not look right in this design? Sometimes style of neck is important relative to the construction and weight of sweaters, but other times not so much, right? How do you tell?? Thanks!!
3. Do you have tips for yarn management with the rad plaid cowl? My three skeins are getting super twisted - well, if I'm being honest I have four skeins because I added a string of sequin yarn so that's adding to my issues. I love the project but the suri keeps getting wound really tightly around the other colors. Now the project is getting less portable because I need to keep the suri and MC out so I can keep them untangled every row. Help!
4. After months of seeing your spindle spins, I was inspired and finally bought my first supported spindle at Maryland Sheep and Wool. Yay! I have started spinning and am so excited about the process. So far when my cop is “full” I am just winding it into a ball on my thumb and starting again. I know everyone does things a little different, and even the resources I’ve read or watched all day different things, so I’m curious—how do you spin on your supported spindles? Do you use a leader start? Make your own? How do you start and build up your cop? When do you know when your spindle is “full”? I’ve also see you use little bobbins to put spun singles on. Can you tell us more about that process and how you do it? Whew! I guess basically I want an episode just on your spindle spinning process 😂 thanks for the inspiration, I’m loving it!
5. Just popping in to say that I love the Declutter/Destash challenge idea, and would 100% be down for it! I'm also curious to hear what items/crafty things you tend to hoard (in a good or not so good way lol)? For me it's scraps of yarn for just in case, it's so hard to let go of the odds and ends from special skeins!
