All New Homespun Handknit from Amy Clarke Moore

Homespun yarn has it’s own character. The textures, colors, and blends all combine to create something unique. No two yarns are alike. Their textures are unmatched.

Amy Clarke Moore, Editor of Spin-Off Magazine brings us this book, with 25 small (most use only a few hundred yards of handspun) projects to be knit with your own (or if you’re lucky enough to be the recipient of) homespun yarn. While not a spinning technique book, it’s chock full of 25 patterns like hats, shawls, jackets, scarves, soakers, bags, mitts, and my favorite, an Andean Alpaca Poncho for your favorite youngster. The yarn is unique, the projects are unique. Each project includes the information needed to create the best yarn for the project, or to even substitute the right commercial yarn.

All New Handspun Handknit discusses spinning a wide variety of fibers with a certain project in mind and knitting with handspun. In addition to basic yarn information (yards per pound, gauge, wraps per inch), each project includes details on the techniques used to create each yarn.

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The felted slipper craze that began last year doesn’t seem like it’s fading away. The Sailor Slippers, often striped knit and felted slippers made with super bulky yarn, because the project of the moment late last year (check out more knit slipper options in this post all about sailor slippers) and they’re still consistently popular with knitters.

Which makes sense because they are fun and fast to knit, and seeing them go from this giant thing to something that actually fits a foot feels a little magical.

I have always loved felting (in fact my first book was about felting knitting) and it’s always fun for me to see people rediscover this technique.

If you’ve knit enough plain slippers to fit all the feet you know, maybe it’s time to stitch up some tabi style slippers instead.

Maymade Knits has designed these cute tabi ballerina slippers, made with bulky yarn and felted. They’re worked flat at first and then in rounds, and are available in 10 EU sizes (the Internet tells me add 31 to your American shoe size to get your EU size). The designer says the slippers are meant to have a close fit and you should choose a size a little smaller than your foot for the ideal fit.

The pattern includes a video tutorial along with the written pattern.

You can grab this pattern on Ravelry. The same designer has her own version of the striped felted slipper as well, called Sarah’s Striped Slippers. These are worked in super bulky yarn and have a contrasting foot and a striped body. These are knit flat and seamed and there are 7 size options available. Check that pattern out here if you’re looking for a more traditional slipper shape. They also look roomier so you can wear them with socks if you like.

[Photo: Maymade Knits]

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