In my tiny corner of the globe, most spinners use their hand spun yarns for knitting, weaving, or crocheting, with knitting being by far the most popular usage. As spinners, we have the advantage of being able to create interesting yarns - we can spin for texture, we can dye the fibers the colors we want, we can combine color & texture, or we can spin “plain vanilla” yarns if that is our desire. It’s our choice. Yet, spinners often find that their yarns do not conform to standard yarn sizing and that the yarns they have worked so hard to create do not behave the same way as a commercial yarn might.

In knitting, one thread is used to form a series of interlocking loops to create a fabric. Color work, such as intarsia or Fair Isle still uses only one strand of yarn at any given time to form the loops. This is called mono-element construction.

When you knit, you are also manipulating the yarn. Any manipulation of the yarn changes the character of the yarn to some degree. In other words, the motion of your hands while knitting have an effect on the yarn. This effect is seen in the twist of the yarn.

How hand movements affect the twist in the yarn, assuming Z twist singles plied using S twist:
1. If the yarn is carried in the left hand (Continental): The ply twist tightens
2. If the yarn is carried in the right hand (British): The ply twist relaxes & loosens.

So, if you carry the yarn in your right hand and it’s coming unplied as you knit, there are two options for correcting the problem: 1) change to Continental style knitting or 2) add more plying twist to your yarn when you ply your singles.

The solution for Continental style knitting causing the yarn to become over twisted is just the reverse: Change to British style knitting or plan ahead and use less plying twist when you spin.

Another solution to this problem would be to change spinning directions. There is no law that singles must be spun Z or that yarns must be plied S.

If the singles are spun S and plied Z, then:
1. If the yarn is carried in the left hand (Continental): The ply twist relaxes and loosens.
2. If the yarn is carried in the right hand (British): The ply twist tightens.

Knowing how your hand motions affect the use of your yarns allow you to compensate for the changes knitting makes in that yarn while you are spinning it.

To approximate the size of knitting needles you will need for your hand spun, simply pull a loop of your yarn up through one of the holes in a knitting needle gauge. Stick a needle corresponding to the size of the hole in the gauge through the loop and down through the back of the gauge, and holding the loop to that size, slide the needle out. Then look at the stitch. Does it appear crowded in the hole or does it look loose and sloppy? If it appears crowded, try a larger sized needle, if it looks too loose, go to a smaller size needle. It should look just like you want the stitches in your knitting to look. Once you have an approximate size needle, the next step is to sample. Start with the size needle that seems best from testing the yarn with the needle gauge and try one or two size larger and one or two size smaller. Then pick the size that makes the fabric you want.