My First Handspun Blanket: A Beginner's Journey from Spinning to Weaving

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I went into spinning my first yarn with very modest expectations, and for good reason. I didn't think I'd be able to make anything useful from it, no matter how hard I tried. The yarn was wonderfully imperfect: underspun in some places and overspun in others, thick and thin, dense and airy. It reflected every lesson I was learning at the wheel.

Plying my singles was an essential step in making this project possible. Plying not only evens out the yarn but also makes it stronger and more durable. I learned everything I know about plying from the wonderful Craftsy class Ply to Knit: Spin the Yarn You Really Want Jillian Moreno. Her guidance helped me transform my first uneven singles into a workable, reliable weft yarn. Thank you, Jillian!

For the warp, I used Knit Picks' Wool of the Andes Worsted, which paired well with my 7.5 dpi heddle. The yarn was slightly sticky, but not enough to cause any real issues. It held up beautifully throughout the weaving process without fraying or breaking.

Once the weaving was complete, I finished the blanket by hemstitching both the beginning and the end while it was still on the loom. After taking it off, I twisted the fringe by hand, adding the final touch to a project that began as an experiment and became a labor of love.

Details on my first yarn are in the article My Spinning Story.

See this blanket on Ravelry.

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