I did my go-to coaster crochet pattern for the Tencel swatch using a F hook. The crochet handles the unevenness of the yarn much better than knitting.
The openness of the lace stitch also is complementary to the uneven yarn. I think if I had done an even crochet stitch, such as a single crochet every row, it wouldn’t have looked as nice. That is a good thing to know: lace or sculptural crochet is a good choice for imperfect yarn.
I knit my hand spun Tencel yarn with size 4 Prym needles. I like to do a stockinette stitch with garter stitch border to help it lay flat since stockinette alone likes to curl.
My knitting tension is even, the wonkiness of this swatch comes from the uneven spin of the yarn. Tencel was a tricky fiber for me to spin. It is shiny and lustrous, but likes to clump and doesn’t draft evenly. The finished swatch is soft and has a lovely sheen, but I’m distracted by the strange pooling of uneven yarn.
My chain plied Tencel yarn sat on my niddy noddy for (ah hm) awhile. I am deliberately not counting the number of in progress projects I have right now. I finally rolled it up into a center pull ball, and it is very shiny, but more uneven than my usual spins. I think I have said it before, but Tencel will not be on my spin-again list.
Sophie would like me to know that it is time for dinner.
She would really like to go out in the front yard, where she will await her vittles and sit in her sunny spot. I don’t actually feed her at the table. But climbing up there does get my attention when the head bumps of my leg fail to send the message.
These necklace pins are from September 2010. I like dual purpose pieces, and these pins that are also a necklace focal are some of the best I’ve made. I crafted the pins from sterling silver wire and Swarovski crystal beads; one represents a Bluebonnet and the other Queen Anne’s Lace wild flowers.
Critters and Craft 