Hand Spun

Hand Spun yarn and products are not the same as commercal yarn and commercial products. Each has its own unique look and style.

Most hand spun yarns are not the same throughout the skein. They are close in diameter but do have some thicker and thinner spots.

Commercial yarns are very symetrical. The variation in the diameter of hand made yarn helps to give your finished product a unique and personal look and feel.

When knitting with hand made yarns it is important to be able to adjust your pattern or be satisfied with the variation created by the uneven diameter of the yarn.

Most yarn patterns will tell you a specific size of knitting needle or crochet hook to use for the gauge of yarn being used. As most hand spun yarns are not a typical gauge you may need to adjust your gauge of needle or hook to get the end size you need.

You may also need to settle with having your project turn out a bit smaller or larger than what the original pattern was designed for. For items such as scarves or purses this may not be a big problem. I tend to lean on my sweater project being larger than what the pattern calls for.

I like to use my single ply yarns for lace items. This is a perfect match. I also use single ply for the warp when weaving as the holes on my heddle are small. For more information on this check the weaving section of this website.

Double ply yarns are best for most of your knitting or crocheting needs. Double ply is closest to commercial yarns. Commercial yarns are actually a plied yarn as well. This type yarn will work with most of your standard patterns.

You can expect to pay more for a hand made yarn versus a commercial yarn. These yarns are crafted by hand and there is a lot of work in making a skein of yarn. Carding, dyeing and spinning takes time. Commercial yarns are made very quickly on machines. This keeps the cost down.

The same goes for hand made products. It takes time and skill to create a hand made scarf, shawl, purse, socks, etc. Commercial products are also made by machines. It is a true art to create hand made items.

If you are looking to get away from the common place and work with hand made or wear hand made you will not be sorry. There is a pride that goes along with creating your own yarn and hand crafted items.

At our Alpaca farm and ranch store we take pride in our hand made yarn and items. Be sure to check out our yarn and items at www.prairiesunalpacas.com.

We do take special orders. If you are making a large project that will require several skeins of yarn it is best to order all the skeins you need at once. We do offer discounts for quantities of yarn. You will need to Contact Us for details.

Hand made projects from commercial yarns as well as hand spun are also avaiable. Our yarn is all natural as we typically do not use dyes. We are here to help you. Please contact us with your questions. Thank you.

Commercial Alpaca Products , Care and Cleaning , Alpaca Products , Weaving ,

Back To Top - Hand Spun