I have always want to try knitting with handspun yarn. I see someone on the CS forum is selling it for $10 for 3 oz (+ or -)(20% Llama and 80% Brecknock Hill Welsh Cheviot wool). Is that a good price? I have no idea what handspun goes for. I just keep thinking...$20 for a pair of socks? I am trying to decide. Please help.

-- Karen (mountains_mama2@hotmail.com), March 31, 2002

Answers

Well, it is hard to say what is a good price. I don't usually sell my yarn, but I do sell the things that I make from it. I think that this is about average to slightly low, but I am not sure. I believe that it varies by region and by breed. This being a rather rare breed it would seem to be a reasonable price. So much time and work go into spinning that the return on time is very small. Factor in the cost of keeping sheep and it is even lower. Perhaps if you contact the spinner she would be willing to send you a small sample then you would know if you love it. Have you checked the price of good wool socks lately? Add to the price the quality of homegrown, handspun wool and the pleasure that you get in the creative process. For me, there is nothing like my own handspun wool and when I (rarely) use commercial yarn, I can't wait to get back to handspun. Oh, and my family and customers LOVE the socks and say they are much warmer and more comfortable than those of commercial yarn. They wear longer, too. I sell my socks for more than $20.00, but I charge for the knitting, too.

-- nancy (stoneground@catskill.net), April 01, 2002.

I just ordered 4 4oz skeins of wool yarn from www.sheepyvalley.com. It was 4.50 per skein for 2 ply 100% wool yarn from their own sheep. I believe they send it out to be spun. If you go to their website you can request a sample card. I did and it seems to be very nice yarn. I dont have a lot of experience with wool yarn but it seemed very soft. I havent gotten my yarn yet, however I ordered it only 4 days ago. They also have something called bulky fisherman which is soo nice, but are out of stock until they get their spring wool done. I need to learn how to knit socks now! :o)

-- Colleen in WI (bean@newnorth.net), April 01, 2002.

Another thing to think of is what you will be doing with that yarn--I can't bear to spend the time knitting socks that will wear out fast (well, faster than other knit items, anyway) and hardly be seen (except for bed socks!:), so I would save the really nice stuff for a hat or a scarf.

Also see if the seller can give you some indication of yardage, because one yard of bulky is going to weigh more than one yard of baby-weight.

-- GT (nospam@nospam.com), April 01, 2002.

The yardage on the wool I ordered from sheepyvalley states 2 ply=210 yards per 4 oz. skein. 3 ply=145 yards per 4 oz skein. I'm not sure if that is a good amount but I figured I would give it a try. My mother in law used to knit socks for my husband and father in law. They still have some that were knitted almost 20 years ago [the heels and toes have been replaced once] but my husbands are just about to the point of no return. She is going to teach me how to make them if she can remember how. It has been a few years since she made them.

-- Colleen in WI (Bean@newnorth.netf), April 01, 2002.

The yarn from sheepy valley is lovely. This is my friend Kate Henderson's site and Kate is a very sweet person. The skeins are true 4-oz skeins and the yardage count is very good. The difference is that it is not handspun. Kate is a spinner, but she is such a busy lady that she does not have time to spin yarn for sale. Her sheep were shorn about 2 weeks ago so watch for her new yarn. Her yarn colors are beautiful!!

-- nancy (stoneground@catskill.net), April 02, 2002.

Yes her colors are beautiful! I had a hard time picking which to buy. I also asked her to send me another order form because I have a feeling I will want more. :o) The bulky fisherman is heavenly-so soft and fluffy.

-- Colleen in WI (bean@newnorth.net), April 02, 2002.