Jacob Throw

Lace Afghan in Handspun Wool
by Jackie E-S

I handspun yarn from a Jacob sheep fleece and knitted this throw based on the Springtime Afternoon Tea Cloth in First Book of Modern Lace Knitting by Marianne Kinzel. I made this throw several years ago and it still remains one of my most satisfying achievements. This was the first project that I took from fleece to finished result.

I started with a Jacob sheep fleece that I casually sorted by color, carded lightly, then spun and plied from lightest to darkest. As you can see in the picture, the knitted throw begins in the center with the lightest tones, and transitions through the medium to the darkest browns around the perimeter. It was very enjoyable to spin the yarns, and then knit them in a progression of natural colors in this lace pattern. I even surprised myself with how well the this turned out, especially since I had only been spinning a few months and this was my first time to attempt the spinning process beginning with raw unwashed fleece. I guess some things are just meant to be, and I think this was one of those that had some creative energy and good luck guiding me!

The yarn is about 16 - 17 wraps per inch and I used size 8 US (5 mm) needles. I knitted according to the Kinzel pattern until I had completed Part B six times. Then I made an adaptation to the pattern for a less frilly ending that I felt would complement the heavier throw style. For those of you who have this pattern book, I ended with the sequence rows 27 - 32 and 83 - 190. Then, I crocheted off with fewer than the specified 9 chains in each group for a smoother edge. I did not block the throw heavily - just a soak in sudsy hot water, rinse in same temperature water and press out excess water, then stretch out flat and square to dry under the natural tension of the carpet I arranged it on. The overall finished size is 72" square.