I spent a very long time thinking about what to make with my first handspun yarn from our very own sheep. It felt so monumental, I wanted it to be something meaningful. As the wheel spun, and my mind turned, I realized that the most monumental and meaningful thing I could make would be something of use, nothing too precious. Instead, something of use to the very hands that feed and care, love and nurture the sheep whose wool it was all spun with. When Steve - who so rarely, if ever, asks for handknits - mentioned a desire for some handwarmers recently, I knew that was the answer. Handwarmers for the farmer's hands. The hands who more often than not, do the morning chores both day and night. The hands who bring the hay, and break the ice on the water buckets, who shear the fleece and clip the hooves and go along with all the foolish plans his wife comes up with, like having sheep to begin with. Yes, yes...his hands were exactly where the first knit belonged. For all the work of this farmer - from gathering eggs to playing words with friends. Ahem. Warming for whenever.
I think I have just enough left of that to make my young shepherdess a matching pair. I think she'd like that.
(The pattern was an improvised one, but you can find the details on the Ravelry page.)
And now, my first fleece is completely spun and I'll have to wait patiently for shearing season for more (which will come soon enough). Until then, I have this to work with and to puzzle out what to make. Four hundred and fifty yards of worsted weight. While usefulness is good, I'm thinking this can be something of a more sentimental and pretty nature. A shawl (a Lark Rise-inspired shawl!), or a little toddler coat, or....oh, the choices!
