Spinning and knitting local Alpaca Fiber to make a Spring Vest (Bifurca by Teti's Knitgarden)

[@laurendisney]

Not me finding out that knitting through the back loop isn't "standard" after knitting for over 20 years 🤣 I blame my Polish great-grandma who taught me. She also knit Continental, and discovering English knitting 15 years later absolutely baffled my brain.

[@MijnWolden]

Polish great-grandma checks out. In the Balkans they call this style "grandmom's knitting". I have no one to blame but myself, as my Flemish grandmom taught me English, but then I deviated towards crochet and then couldn't do the English movements anymore.

[@laurendisney]

@@MijnWolden I learned how to crochet from a different great-grandma before I learned to knit, so the way my great-grandma taught me made total sense to my brain. English just doesn't, but I plan to figure it out one day so I can teach my kids both knitting styles. Have to pass down the knowledge, since I'm the only one left in my family who knows how to knit and crochet!

[@She10b]

That turned out so cute. I love the natural variation in the alpaca. I lean towards being a project crocheter rather than a process one.

[@MijnWolden]

Thank you :D

[@jewelsinterests]

I am a project and process knitter because although I have been knitting for a while-it was never consistent. There were long, long periods that I did not touch it because I was a project knitter in the beginning and the process always felt like it took way, way too long. I'm a lot older now and it has shifted....I now feel like it's half about the journey to the end project and the "fun" is in the process and what can be learned along the way. Great vest and I feel like I need to go finish cleaning, spinning, and now knitting my own local raw alpaca I have on hand...😍😁😉😊

[@MijnWolden]

I feel like you should too ;)

[@resourcedragon]

The colour changes in the alpaca just take that vest to the next level. I'm surprised people don't want the natural alpaca colour. While managing the colour is an extra challenge for commercial mills, the colours themselves are absolutely beautiful. The mill that produced the Shetland fleece I mentioned recently also has a line of yarns where they deliberately dye coloured fleece, for a more shadowy effect.

[@MijnWolden]

The reasoning was that they want only white because coloured fleece cannot be dyed. Which is not a thing I would hear an individual spinner say, and is also just bullcrap I think?

[@ritad673]

WOW! JUST WOW!

[@leaf2576]

I love those colors! They make me think of peppermint hot chocolate around Christmastime.

[@MijnWolden]

Hmmmm hot chocolate

[@maverickspirit208]

The natural color changes of the alpaca is magical! Think perhaps that God was giving you a little surprise bonus blessing for this beautiful vest!

[@MijnWolden]

I like getting bonus suprise blessings :D

[@poptartthecat4038]

wow, this is a stunning pattern! I have a kilo of fawn alpaca AND deep red dyed merino, I might do this project too! thank you for the inspiration!!!

[@MijnWolden]

Have fun with it :D

[@dexaria]

I’m both a process and product knitter. I like trying new techniques and patterns but I also try only to make things that I know I will wear. I do the same with sewing. I love sewing coats and knitting hats but there’s only so many I need! But I will knit endless socks because you can never have too many fuzzy socks

[@MijnWolden]

Socks are indeed always useful :D

[@christman688]

I am a project crafter. Lately, I've been hopping between weaving, spinning, sewing, and knitting. I do enjoy the process as well. That vest is beautiful!

[@MijnWolden]

hopping between hobbys is the best :)

[@sabimidz]

I think the shoulders look absolutely perfect on you! And the west fits the brown dress so well 😍

[@MijnWolden]

Thank you :D

[@bagladysendtheferalspinner3761]

Llama that has been de-haired is also beautiful to spin and makes an amazing yarn. I also blend my llama and/or alpaca with about 25% wool so that the yarn has some bounce back. PS: I'm a project knitter. Process spinner.

[@MijnWolden]

I do want to blend some of the alpaca with either the zwartbles or the blue texel. I think the black/grey and the brown would make such a beautiful combo

[@loren9958]

This pattern has been on my list since it came out, but seeing it knit with variegated handspun is what I needed to finally get it going. Your finished vest looks gorgeous! Id also say im more of a process knitter than a project knitter, unless the project is small. In that case, I want it done quickly!

[@MijnWolden]

Go for it! It's a great interesting but also rather quick knit :D

[@Schokoholix]

You are such a precious person! I discovered your videos about a few months ago and I am obsessed 😂 I love you Humor und the way you talk. I tried to spin a few years ago and I was ... Not good... But you inspired me to maybe make another move? On the other hand I have so many knitting projects... I don't know when I should spin... So much to do, so little time ... But please keep doing what you do! ❤ Greetings from Bavaria

[@MijnWolden]

Thank you! And if you feel like it, I do encourage you to give spinning another go. However this will only make your list of knitting projects longer 🤭

[@kalka1l]

I love the extra room in the shoulders, it leaves room for a poofy sleeve, whether in a complementing red or a contrasting pale cream.

[@MijnWolden]

but it goes over the shoulder poof! (I say, because I am wearing it with a poofy blouse right now.)

[@kalka1l]

@@MijnWolden nooooo! Pressing it up would make it look too sci-fi I think.

[@kellyrosloniec300]

This is so cute! I love it. This might be my favorite one ever!!

[@MijnWolden]

Awww thank you :D

[@k.anngelinem.1532]

I'm both, but I think I am more a process knitter than a project knitter. I make small things for boosts in motivation between long projects. Alpaca is also one of my favorite fibers to wear. It is so lovely😊

[@MijnWolden]

Right?! My mom almost only knits with alpaca, I understand her now

[@Twilightwitchery]

I am more of a product knitter, but I do enjoy the process too. But I like having and using the finished products which I think is super cool.

[@MijnWolden]

It is super cool 😁

[@DeniseODaniels]

your vest is beautiful. wow!!

[@MijnWolden]

Thank you!

[@Loreon71]

Such a gorgeous pattern!

[@MijnWolden]

It is!

[@charlot-temisery]

I am somewhat obsessed with how that alpaca yarn turned out in your vest. Also, definitely a process knitter. Unless it's socks.

[@MijnWolden]

socks are meant to be on your feet and not on your needles anyway ;)

[@petramanos]

I love how your alpaca yarn stripes like that! I can't believe they would just throw it out. I think yarns dyed over coloured wool look so much better than yarn dyed on white as well.

[@MijnWolden]

Right?!

[@maverickspirit208]

I wash my alpaca after I have spun it up into skeins. I often flick card it open outside if the weather is nice because of the massive dust, then run it though my drum carder unwashed (this is a total cringe for OCD folks). Since there is no greasy lanolin in alpaca, my drum carder stays relatively clean even after running dirty alpaca through the carding machine. Your project is fabulous! LOVE it!

[@MijnWolden]

yeah, I too do a lot of things to my drum carder OCD people will not like...

[@stephaniehannah2003]

Beautiful sweater.❤❤❤. And DEFINITELY a project knitter. I HAVE to eventually be finished with a project and have something to wear or for someone else to wear or there is just no point to endless stitching. So, no, I have never finished a blanket. And you styled your sweater beautifully.❤

[@MijnWolden]

I have finished some blankets, but then only crochet ones where every row was a different colour/stitch, so everytime you worked on it it did look like you made progress.

[@Andracrafts]

Your vest came out beautifully! I have that pattern on my list of things I want to make this year too.

[@MijnWolden]

I can recommend :D

[@ihesharema]

Beautiful vest ❤❤

[@MijnWolden]

Thank you :D

[@kalka1l]

5:20 That chain ply(?) is gorgeous! I want to try that for sure.

[@MijnWolden]

It's great if you want to keep your colours seperate in the finished yarn :D

[@retrocraftdreams]

How fun are those color changes! Such a happy accident. I love stuff like that! And, I think the shoulders actually kind of look like cute little cap sleeves. But I can sympathize with the sizing issue. My chest is about two sizes smaller than my hips, and I like long tops, so I've learned I have to taper all my patterns. I, too, am a project knitter. I want the thing! And I want the pride of knowing I MADE the thing. The moments I enjoy the process the most are actually when doing something like plain stockinette, when I can just knit without thinking, so it becomes more of a fidget.

[@MijnWolden]

Knitting is a fidget all the time haha

[@jeanmccullough7737]

Love how it turned out.

[@MijnWolden]

Thank you!

[@caylarivera2804]

I am very much both a prosses and project driven knitter. I really like the process of some projects and just enjoy them so much while I'm working on them. But some others I find myself getting bored and just wanting to be done. I am most definitely more a process spinner tho, I really enjoy trying to spin new kinds of fiber. I just got some plant based fibers in the mail, cotton, flax and hemp, and I can't wait ro tear into them and turn them into yarn.

[@MijnWolden]

Oh yes, me too. I want to experience all the fibers!

[@ErdriedDeirdre]

I'd love to spin alpaca wool. It looks so soft.😮

[@MijnWolden]

It is very soft!

[@craftlete]

I love the alpaca yarn! Beautiful vest! And nice Douglas Adams reference :D I'm an "it varies" kind of knitter/crocheter/sewist. I like starting projects and having the finished project. Sometimes I like the process. Sometimes I have to drag myself through the process. Right now I'm working on a bigger knitting project which is beginning to overwhelm me and I have started to do the "take out little moments in the day" thing as well, to keep the momentum going until motivations strikes again. Which works surprisingly well, so fingers crossed I'll finish it :D

[@MijnWolden]

My fingers are crossed too!

[@natasja7384]

Yes, chain ply!!! Het vest staat je echt geweldig en de merino springt er ook mooi uit als contrastkleur. Ik ben een echte proces knitter, een werkje froggen vind ik geen probleem betekent alleen maar dat ik weer opnieuw kan breien. Ik wil gewoon lekke breien, projecten die afgebreid zijn blijven soms wat lang liggen omdat ik dan nog draadjes weg moet werken of een naadje dicht moet naaien. Maar ja, dat is geen breien dus dat blijft liggen.

[@MijnWolden]

Bij mij blijft het wegstoppen van draadjes eerder liggen omdat ik dan zo blij ben dat het af is en ik het gewoon wil dragen...

[@Bean_Box_Knitting]

Love this vest! And a thousand times more because it is handspun. ❤ Also, I would (if I made it), purposely want the sleeves to look like yours, rather than the original pattern. I like how it looks with a swishy skirt, even with short sleeves underneath. 😊 Here, project knitter with an engaging process as a necessity. I couldn't knit a stocking stitch jumper unless it were scrap yarn to keep me interested the whole time, for example. Which is the case for my current project: a scrappy Lento. 🧶 👀

[@MijnWolden]

yes, I get bored easily too. Either the yarn has to be pretty to look at, or the pattern has to be. But a plain stockinettte in yarn that doesn't spark joy in itself? pass.

[@seekingtoremain]

Lovely vest! You have likely seen it but if you haven’t Jillian Eve has a really great video about blending alpaca with different percentages of wool. I thought it was fascinating and it helped me decide how much wool to blend into some alpaca I’m spinning now 😊

[@MijnWolden]

I do have seen it, it was fascinating indeed!

[@miekemaertens8378]

Wauw 👏🏼👏🏼 het vest is heel erg mooi! In september leer ik spinnen, …droom ook al van zo’n prachtig project! Top! Je video’s zijn ook heel leuk! 👍🏼😃

[@MijnWolden]

Veel plezier ermee!

[@sabrinajudt5719]

Absolutely beautiful ❤

[@MijnWolden]

Thanks!

[@Naturetails417]

Lovely!❤😊

[@pommerainette375]

Excellent vidéo ! Thanks for your share! Personally, i discover that iam a process spinner/knitter…I love so much processing fibers, what ever technique I use ❤ but I also enjoy when I got the bull’s eye when a project fit my body and match with m’y initial thought 😂 Have a nice day!

[@MijnWolden]

Getting it spot on is a great feeling indeed :D

[@lookingup3678]

Wonderful job. As usual 😊

[@MijnWolden]

Thank you :)

[@alexvanderpol1]

That is a beautiful vest! I can only imagine how soft it is! I totally get how a plan for a whole bag of fleece can change. I finished one skein of a giant bag to make a hat for the farmer that gave me the fleece and I haven't touched it since 🙈

[@MijnWolden]

That is very recognizable...

[@rchhtt5210]

LOVE it. This pattern is one of two patterns that I am so excited to knit next year. Ironically I just purchased some Alpaca roving from a local farm and wasn’t sure what to use it for.

[@MijnWolden]

This is your sign to combine the pattern and the roving :D

[@juliasmee4009]

Love your content and sense of humour! Thank you for everything you do! You inspired me to approach my local farmer to ask if I could purchase his sheep's wool and he told me 'no he will give it to me because it's thrown away otherwise' 😢 It's absolutely gorgeous fibre and now I'm slowly spinning my way through 8 chocolate brown Valais blacknose fleeces. 🥰 Please let me know if I can send you some. Thanks again 🥰

[@MijnWolden]

I'm not a fan of Valois blacknose, I know someone myself who has that fiber... And I had to let her down last year haha. (It could be her particular sheep that don't have the greatest fleece maybe). Oh! and if farmers don't want money, they mostly are interested in something made from their sheep (ask me how I know)

[@jenniferbrighty5120]

Hi Jente, I hope you're OK and that your ankle is better xx ❣️❣️❣️❣️ I love the Vest, the colours compliment each other perfectly. I also like the shoulders of it, especially with you Knitting it a few rows shorter than the pattern says. I'm not sure what sort of Spinner or Knitter I am, I love the process of both.🎡🧶 Happy Spinning and Knitting Fibre Friend 🎡🧶🐑🥰 Take care and stay safe Lots of love and Big Hugs Jen xxxx ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️🫂🫂🫂🫂🐕

[@MijnWolden]

Thank you Jen, have fun enjoying the process of both! :D

[@jenniferbrighty5120]

@@MijnWolden Hi Jente, I hope you're OK xx ❣️❣️❣️❣️ You're very welcome 🥰🥰 Thankyou so much for the Heart ♥ Sending Heart ♥ back to you ❤️💞 I am enjoying the process both and having a lot if fun 🎡🧶🌟 Thankyou so much for sharing your video podcasts, your expertise, and the inspiration for which you're very much appreciated .✨️🌟🔆🥰 Happy Spinning Fibre Friend 🎡🐑🥰 Take care and stay safe Lots of love and Big Hugs Jen xxxx ❤️❤️❤️❤️🫂🫂🫂🫂🫂🐕

[@jenniferbrighty5120]

@@MijnWolden Hi Jente, I hope you're having a Wonderful Day xx ❣️❣️❣️ Thankyou so much for the Heart ♥ Sending Heart ♥ back to you ❤️💞 Hope you and Dries have a Wonderful Weekend 🌟✨️🔆🌞 Happy Spinning and Knitting Fibre Friend 🎡🧶🐑🥰 Take care, love and Big Hugs Jen xxxx ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️🫂🫂🫂🫂🫂🫂🐕🐑

[@alexvanderpol1]

Oh boy am I a project knitter/crocheter. I love making a project and of course I enjoy the knitting too. But when it comes to spinning I am definitely a process spinner! I enjoy it so much I don't really care what I'll do with the yarn in the end. I have so much handspun yarn that I don't have a project for yet. I always say to myself I should really get onto that, but then I don't have time to spin 😩

[@MijnWolden]

Not me having a big basket of handspun in the background of all my videos too haha. But I think I'm even more like that with dyeing. I just like the experiment. And then I have all that dyed floof without a plan for spinning it.

[@reannejarvis9464]

Beautiful result. I love the wide armholes. Free unimpeded arm movement. 🇦🇺🎸⚡️🤘🏾🤘🏼💋💜

[@MijnWolden]

Yes, all the weird arm movements are possible :D

[@Knittingand]

I remember you saying you find the commercial merino rather lifeless to spin (I agree!) If you give it a gentle wash in warm water it can revive the crimp. I usually card it with other fibres as well and it’s much more fun to spin.

[@MijnWolden]

I have carded with some other fiber in a different video, and indeed, it makes all the difference!

[@linr8260]

Very cute!

[@MijnWolden]

Thank you!

[@Tinas_Workshop]

It came out BEAUTIFUL! I recently did a video on some alpaca too and hardly made a dent in the one bag. So much fiber, so little time.

[@MijnWolden]

so much fiber, so little time indeed!

[@LualaDy]

answering machine here: I am something like you, I do it for the project, but still enjoy the process. However I do not take my knitting/crochet anywhere with me. One reason is the position, how I have to be in a special way to not hurt my back. But i think the most important for me is that when I'm needling, I'm in the zone, and if I take that with me, I will just miss everything around me. This is also why I don't use my phone when outside. It is burried somewhere in the bag on silent, and will only use it if I need to contact someone or check something. Also, when travelling, I feel like I should be 100% with the person I'm travelling with, not half listening to them while doing something else. (not saying that's what you do, just talking ab me ^^)

[@MijnWolden]

Sometimes my husband and I both need quiet alone time, and then I knit and he reads/does a crossword puzzle :D

[@sannevanbeers]

Zo mooi!!! 😍

[@MijnWolden]

Dankje!

[@saraht855]

Saw this video was out then had to cook and eat dinner before I could watch it. The tension! I too have alpaca that I was going to spin all of (2 years in now; I have spun some). I also spin it in the grease (dust?) and my flier is dirty af ❤ I just prefer washing yarn to washing fibre 🤷‍♀️ Also that vest came out so nice! I love how the surprise self striping of the handspun shows off the unusual construction. Beautiful pattern wonderfully executed 😊

[@MijnWolden]

I sometimes watch videos while cooking dinner (not always a great advice, unless you like burned dinner)

[@saraht855]

@@MijnWolden I do sometimes with video essay type content but I want to stare wondrously at fiber and knitwear so those videos require my full attention (minus what I am using for knitting)

[@MijnWolden]

@@saraht855 Ah yes, it is often times video essays for me too :)

[@countbaldwiniv]

Paaaah paparapapaaapaaaah ❤

[@MijnWolden]

paparapaprapapaparapapapa

[@Suzco123]

Hi Jente. Oh wow the variations of colour and detail in your vest are so beautiful. Thoroughly enjoyed your spin and fibre prep. That alpaca floof is gorgeous. I always love seeing fibre prep.. I don't know why but it just relaxes me. I'm a process crocheter. I have to crochet every day, it calms me, its very meditative, it makes me happy, I love the process but I also love that feeling when I find a pattern, work through all the stages and get to the end result, which are currently lacy sun tops. I then have to keep going through the process because it was so much fun... which is why I now have 6 lacy sun tops a 7th on the hook and an 8th planned 🤷🙄😂 I usually have to reign myself in and go spin floof... sooo does that mean I'm also a project crocheter because I use and wear and love all my end results ? 🤔

[@MijnWolden]

My grandmom used to make herself lacy suntops all the time :D

[@cherylcarlson3315]

I was shouting combing isn't enough! I double soak triple rinse alpaca floof then comb out VM and still the finish soak looks dirty. Of course cats are obsessed with floof and in winter want to sleep in the knitting. I hate having to stop and drop spin more when color varies year to year on same animal,frogged a complete sweater as looked like banded caterpillar, I also pet my pieces which I think way warmer than wool. May I suggest fingerless mitts and some bed socks? Such luxury!!

[@MijnWolden]

banded caterpillar is an interesting way of describing :D

[@bagladysendtheferalspinner3761]

I bought this pattern from Teti but haven't knitted it up. I have spun the yarn for the colour-work part but I haven't quite decided on what I want to spin for the main colour. Yours turned out so beautifully!

[@MijnWolden]

When you do start knitting: have fun!

[@RicaKramer]

I am a i don't like labels knitter. Progress or product who cares as long as we enjoy it. I love your alpaca ut looks so great. Unbelievable people would throw this away. I have the same shoulder boop issue. Cardigans that fit my bust fall of my shoulders. Have a great day

[@MijnWolden]

The reasoning is that coloured floof can't be dyed anymore, so it is less valuable... complete and utter bullcrap of course

[@RicaKramer]

@@MijnWolden yeah and if the natural color is so beautiful already who cares. I have a cone of alpaca in a similar shade and started a cardigan with it

[@genier7829]

I loved the pattern when it was published, but yours is even better. I think the color variation is key as it emphasizes the interesting shape.

[@MijnWolden]

yeah, it just changes in all the right places :D

[@hawthorngrove3629]

I'm a process spinner and a project knitter. Although I rarely wear my knits.

[@MijnWolden]

wearing my knits is my entire personality :)

[@hawthorngrove3629]

Mine never seem to fit right but I recently made a vest that I've worn

[@redaleta]

Definitely a process knitter.

[@MijnWolden]

I love that you're so determined in your answer :)

[@BeQueerMakeStuff]

Positively glorious! My toxic trait is that I am not a knitter (or a crocheter!) at all hahah. I do weave, though. I've enjoyed trying to spot how many hair styles you wear, too!

[@MijnWolden]

Not quite nearly enough hair styles imo, I've been a bit inspirationless so it's quick to just braid it then 😅

[@sunflowers2838]

Stunning vest. It looks great on you

[@MijnWolden]

Thank you!

[@etienne6916]

I'm deffinatly a project knitter xD sometimes I choose the patterns by how long it's going to take me xD

[@MijnWolden]

Not you knitting socks all the time ;)

[@etienne6916]

You cant prove that! :0 hahahahahahahah xD

[@MijnWolden]

@@etienne6916 There is absolutely no online record of that ;)

[@etienne6916]

none whatsoever! xD

[@MijnWolden]

@@etienne6916 None where I might have directed everyone to in my latest community post at least ;)

[@TarotLadyLissa]

I absolutely love that vest! I have the opposite problem with my bust. Im plus size, but my bust is not! Haha

[@MijnWolden]

If only there was a way to trade some haha

[@TarotLadyLissa]

@@MijnWolden me too! lol

[@raevynwoods9403]

Your vest turned out so pretty! I didn't think I liked the Bifurca pattern but I guess I do now! I also really like the red last row, I think it ties everything really nicely together. I'm currently spinning alpaca (with a bit of wool mixed in), and even though I washed it beforehand it's still very dirty. My fingers are always brown after spinning :P

[@MijnWolden]

Yes, brown fingers were my experience too :p

[@bethholness5153]

You could throw some sleeves on it. But I think it looks great as it is, well done.

[@MijnWolden]

There is a version of this pattern with sleeves, but it just doesn't look as good to me

[@TheMayLight]

Turned out looking very beautiful! 😊 I have my eye on that Vest pattern, too. But i haven't decided yet if i attempt to spin the yarn for it myself or just buy something nice. 'will see. ... I'm a process knitter i think. But i approach may projects as if i were a project knitter and that might be the reason i get frustrated when it's taking me longer than anticipated. Or maybe i'm a little bit of both. I knit eastern crossed btw, if i recall correctly, but for me it's just the way my grandma taught me.

[@MijnWolden]

Yes, eastern uncrossed is called "grandma's style" in a lot of eastern european countries anyway :D

[@TheMayLight]

@@MijnWolden mh yeah i know, i'm not sure about what i called my style ... i need to look it up again, Roxanne Richardson had it in one of her videos. I don't knit eastern 'un'-crossed, my knit and purl stiches (in a ribbing for example) lean in opposite directions. Update: Ah yes, i'm sorry, i seem to be knitting combination style

[@Kenji1234Animelover]

I'm a process knitter I think. But also impatient. 😅 I like the seratonin from completing a task so I'll want to be done with say the front already.

[@MijnWolden]

Impatient process knitter, that's a great combination :D

[@1st1anarkissed]

I frog that part of each project/piece every time and consider it part of the process. Instead of spending time planning and sampling and mathing, I accept restarting. In a large job like a sweater I will make a sample which becomes a patch pocket.

[@MijnWolden]

In this particular project I was a bit scared for the frogging because of the very flooffy yarn, but it turned out alright in the end :)

[@cosmicgeologist]

im a process knitter which means im always knitting yet never actually complete anything because i keep finding fun new ideas lol

[@MijnWolden]

Cast-onitis? :)

[@cosmicgeologist]

@@MijnWolden unfortunately

[@wilda.9826]

I'm a crocheter not a knitter but I think I'm kinda in-between. I have a hard time finding projects I want to do and when I find them I will either crochet nonstop for a week to get it done or I will get 1/4 of the way and then it ends up in the wip basket never to be seen again bc I found something new I want to try

[@MijnWolden]

This is very relatable

[@TJtheBee]

May I ask how the alpaca has held up so far? I always worry about it stretching out.

[@MijnWolden]

Up until now it's still in a perfect shape, but then again it's only a couple of months since knitting

[@rashna671]

im largely a process knitter but....lets not pretend im choosing patterns based on how complex they are lol, Im still gonna wear it at the end and i want it to be something i will wear. That said I have no qualms ripping out a whole freshly finished sweater and reknitting it I have done that a couple of times because i wanted to change the fit but also enjoyed knitting it enough to do it again. I keep getting colored wool thinking ohhh this will be such a nice base for a moody dye job! by the end im like. but what if. I didnt dye it...

[@MijnWolden]

ripping out an entire sweater? oh no no no... I've only made piece with ripping out parts recently haha

[@violetofthevalley]

Oh boy… this is giving me flashbacks to when I thought it was a good idea to spin 4oz of unwashed alpaca. It was not a good idea! 😢

[@MijnWolden]

Alpacas are deceitful little creatures. You think they look clean? Think again...

[@eddavanleemputten9232]

Mmmmm process or project knitter? I’d say 50-50 of either. If I don’t see the point of a project, in terms of aesthetics, wearability, fit etc, I know I won’t finish it. But if I don’t enjoy the process, no matter how beautifully it’ll fit, how gorgeous the finished piece is, I know I won’t finish it either. It’ll either languish for months in the quarantine pile before getting frogged or it’ll get frogged immediately. The yarn ‘ll get to languish some more before being used. Let’s call me a picky persnickity chaos goblin knitter. The fibre has to feel good while spinning, or feel good when buying. It has to knit nicely. No stroppy yarns! The colours have to look pretty to me. The chosen pattern has to be enjoyable to knit. I have to know I’ll get a lot of wear out of the finished piece or, at least, tremendously enjoy wearing it when I do choose to wear it (or when it’s a gift, the new owner had to). The finished piece has to look good. About spinning, knitting and wearing alpaca: oh yes! It’s a wonderful fibre! The batch I’m working on is a gorgeous chocolate brown. Not milk chocolate, dark chocolate. “Fondantchocoladebruin”. Or maybe the colour of strong coffee that you shine alight through. Absolutely stunning. 💖

[@MijnWolden]

I have some fondant alpaca too, that was the third alpaca fleece I got last year. But yes, I agree on the feeling, colour of the yarn and the wearability/hapiness inducing quality of the piece I'm making. I won't just knit for a fad or trend, I only knit when I know I can make multiple outfits with it.

[@eddavanleemputten9232]

@@MijnWolden - I’m so bad I won’t even consider knitting something for someone else if I don’t think I could enjoy making/wearing it. A friend once asked me if I would finish a project for her. It was in the stickiest, grippiest, baby-puke yarn. One look at it made me go “Sorry. No.” I’d have been able to stomach the colour for her sake. But that yarn made me itch all over and I knew every stitch would make me fight. Frogging back would have been a nightmare. No. Nuh-uh. Nope. Bought a few skeins of much more agreeable, upset-stomach-shade and frankly, I was glad when it was done. “Why do your things always feel so good?” Because my neurospicy ass is fraught with issues. One of them being absolutely unwilling to torture myself. LOL

[@bethgadsbycreates]

I actually think the oversized shoulders look intentional, they kinda look like pauldrons! (I think that's how you spell that??) I would say I'm a mixture of process and project knitter. If *either* the idea of the finished product *or* the feeling of actually knitting it don't feel good to me, I'm not going to be excited about it and I'm likely to let the project fall by the wayside!

[@MijnWolden]

The excitement is indeed key :D

[@annapierce2604]

Am I first?!

[@annapierce2604]

I love how your vest turned out! IMO cropped is the way to go 😁

[@MijnWolden]

You are! Congratulations :)

[@amykathleen2]

Can I ask why your inner voices are wolves?

[@MijnWolden]

Because Epica has a song about that, and I didn't think twice after that?