Tips For Using Handspun Novelty Yarns (by Jennifer Green)

It’s gorgeous, but what do I do with it? …OR… Tips for using those fabulous handspun novelty yarns

We have all drooled over the simply stunning, handspun, novelty yarns available by all kinds of talented spinners these days.  Coilspun, Beehives, Boucle, Tailspun, yarns with added sequins, ornaments, doodads and ribbons.  They capture your attention and light up your creativity!  But, what exactly, do you DO with these fabulous work of art?  Why you use them, of course!!

So many of us are in love with these yarns and absolutely at a loss when it comes time to decide what to make with them.  I’m here to tell you that not only are these yarns fun to work with, but they are meant to be made into treasured objects!  Here are some tips to get you started down the road to crafting with handspun art yarns.

The first thing to do is Keep It Simple.  Any project you decide to make out of these yarns will be best if you are showcasing the beauty of the yarn and not the tricks you are doing with your stitches. 

This is the time to pull out those fun and easy patterns that feature garter stitch, stockinette, simple rows of single or double crochet and simple elegant lines and shapes.  We want our eyes to be drawn to the intricacies of the yarn itself.  

The next important thing in working with these yarns is Keep It Loose.  This is not the time to bear down on your handwork and make those stitches tight.  Take a deep breath, relax and let the yarn lead you in the work.  If there is a cool doodad hanging from your yarn, take a moment to push it to the front of your work so that you can enjoy it. 

Make sure you aren’t pulling the yarn so tight that your beehives and coils are being pulled out of shape.  Give the yarn an opportunity to go the direction it wants and you will find some exciting things happen in your finished fabric. 

Take It Slow.  This is not the time for speed stitching!  You will need to slow down your needles and hooks so that you can use the yarns to their best advantage.  This is not to say that your knitting or crocheting will become painfully slow and boring. 

Quite the contrary.  You will find that you are enjoying the journey all the more because the yarn will entertain you in ways you never imagined along the way. 

By slowing down, you will have opportunities to manipulate the yarn and show off the special areas within your finished piece.

Here’s your chance to Make It Bold!  Most of these yarns are bulky and super bulky weights.  Here is your chance to pull out the really big needles and hooks and make a bold statement in rough, oversized stitches.  You will find these projects go faster than you think and that working in a large gauge gives you a new perspective on the actual creation of the stitches.  I am delighted by the process of the stitches forming and by the raw, almost industrial, feel you get in a project created with super large needles and hooks.  (Yes, I do giggle like a school girl while working on these types of projects!)

In case you needed a little push, I’m here to tell you to Take the Plunge!  Grab hold of one of those eye popping yarns and just jump right in.  Stop waiting for the perfect time, project or person.  This is one of those ‘just do it’ moments!

Above all else, Keep It Fun!  Once you get started working with these yarns, you will likely find that your crafting becomes something of a party.  Go along with it and have a great time.  If you loosen up and have fun with the process, it will show in your finished garment and everyone who sees it will be infected with the spirit!

Don’t you kill the bunny? (by Jennifer Green)

…and other angora questions

We just got back from our County Fair. It’s a week of fun and time spent with my children. It is a time for us to share what we’ve been working on, show off the livestock and home economics projects and to share some knowledge with people who haven’t had the opportunity to enjoy the lifestyle we have.

We answer many questions about the animals during the week. Some people want to know each animal’s name, what their breed is and what that animal’s job is. Sometimes, we have an opportunity to educate people about some of the myths and misconceptions that abound about livestock and how they are raised.

We fielded many questions about rabbits this year. In particular, we answered questions about the Angora rabbits my kids had on display. We are raising German Angora rabbits and the kids are head over heels in love with them, as am I. The German Angora rabbit is a fascinating animal. Bred to be one of the largest Angoras, the German’s job is to provide a quantity of quality wool with low maintenance and upkeep requirements. They are sweet and friendly, hardy, excellent mothers and the workhorse of their kind.

One of the questions we hear most often, and one that is very surprising when you first hear it, is, “Don’t you have to kill the rabbit to get the wool?” The first time the kids got asked that question, they were so astounded that they looked at each other and then at me for guidance. No, we do not have to kill the rabbits to harvest the fiber. Depending upon the breed of Angora, the fiber is harvested, on a schedule, by either shearing or plucking the rabbit.

German Angoras are shorn every 90 days. They can produce between 60 and 75 ounces of wool per year with some animals far overreaching that average. These rabbits do not typically shed their coats, and so must be shorn rather than plucked. We remove the coat on the rabbits for two reasons. One is to harvest the fiber for use in the creation of textiles and yarn. The second is for the rabbit’s health. As I mentioned, these rabbits don’t shed their coat on their own. It is up to us, who bred them for this purpose, to periodically remove the fiber.

In so doing we cool the rabbit down in warm weather, offer an opportunity for the rabbit to grow new fiber, remove the environment for pests to live and grow, and take the time to inspect each rabbit for injury or disease that might otherwise be hidden by all that fluff. Another benefit to removing the fiber is that the animal is less tempted to groom themselves. When an Angora rabbit is forced to groom their own coat, they wind up ingesting a certain amount of fiber. This wool tends to bind up in their digestive system and cause a serious, and often painfully fatal, condition called Wool Block.

Other breeds of Angora do shed their coats periodically and for those breeds, many raisers choose to pluck the wool. Plucking (also called rooing) is not painful or mean. It is gentle and quiet and the rabbits learn to enjoy the time with their people. They are, after all, the center of attention and who doesn’t love that? Generally, the handler will place the rabbit in their lap and will gently comb through the rabbit’s coat with their fingers looking for loose clumps of fiber. Any loose bits are simply taken off with the handler’s fingers. No pulling. No injury. Just a quiet time of grooming and loving on the rabbit.

Again, it is important for the rabbit to receive this attention to prevent them from ingesting this fiber. Removing the loose fiber cuts down on matting which can harbor pests and filth, thus helping the rabbit to maintain a healthy condition. It is time the raiser can use to inspect the rabbit for condition issues and time spent in bonding with these sweet and loving creatures.

We have found our time with the rabbits to be so rewarding and memorable. The kids have learned about responsibility, love, goals, rabbit care, record keeping, showmanship and sales. I have spent priceless moments with them in support and love that will be mine to treasure forever. We continue to look forward to sharing what we have learned with those who come to see us, whether it be at the farm or at the fair. We welcome the questions that come from excited visitors and now look forward to showing folks how wonderful and rewarding these creatures are. We are no longer shocked to be asked about killing the rabbits, but rather welcome the question as an opportunity to educate and share.