Books

The Art & Craft of Spinning Yarn

Our annual tool issue turns the spotlight on spinning wheels. Discover the often-missed measurements that can help you choose the best wheel for your body. Learn how the Coast Salish peoples adapted traditional spindles into treadle spinners, influencing wheels that might be in your house today. Find out if 3D printing could be the solution for broken or missing parts on antique wheels. And tackle wheel adjustments for spinning a blend of cotton and cottonized hemp.

• Spin a strong, tweedy yarn and knit the ultimate shorty socks.
• Sew a custom denim cover for your handcards using a vintage Spin Off
• Explore machine knitting using handspun (and hear why you should give it a try).

Contents

• Spinning Comfortably: Choosing and Using the Best Wheel for Your Body, by Carson Demers
• The Ultimate Tweedy Sock Yarn for Active Feet, by Deborah Held
• The Salish Spinner: Innovation, Evolution, and Adaptation, by Liz Hammond-Kaarremaa
• Quebec Wheel Song, by Joanne Seiff
• Mechanics Made Easy: Making Friends with Your Spinning Wheel, by Elana Goodfellow
• 3D Printing & Antique Wheels: A Spinner Explores Replacement Parts, by Meagan Condon
• Machine Knitting with Handspun: Would the Luddites Approve? by Mary Renstrom
• Spinning Symbols: Three Embellished Tools with Stories to Tell, by Riley Kleve
• An Ode to Onion Skins: Modifying a Humble Dyestuff, by Madeline Keller-King
• The One Acre Exchange Blend: Spinning Cotton and Cottonized Hemp, by Kerry Bullock-Ozkan
• Toe-Up Tweed and the Sporty-Shortie Socks, by Deborah Held
• Handy Dandy Denim Card Cover, by Susan Bradshaw and Angela K. Schneider
• Autumn Forest Scarf: Silk Hankies and Undulating Twill, by Malynda Allen

Softcover
96 Pages
Published by Long Thread Media

The Art & Craft of Spinning Yarn

Spin Off explores the art and craft of making yarn. Each issue connects you to new and familiar voices in the handspinning community and is packed with information about fibers, tools, and traditions to inspire your creativity.

In this issue: From earthy shades to ultra-saturated hues, few things excite spinners more than color. Delve into color explorations beyond the dyepot. Spin and knit a Swedish heart-warmer shawl using natural sheep colors. And discover tips for minimizing dye fading in your personal textiles.

Features: 

• Create complex variegated colors using a blending board and diz.
• Refresh a garment from odd bits of yarn with this piece-dyeing technique.
• Use handspun yarn to stitch a bargello needlepoint spindle bag.

Softcover
96 Pages
Published by Long Thread Media

The Art & Craft of Spinning Yarn

Spin Off explores the art and craft of making yarn. Each issue connects you to new and familiar voices in the handspinning community and is packed with information about fibers, tools, and traditions to inspire your creativity.

In this issue: 

Join us for a deep dive into intentional texture, from smooth to slubby, silky to fuzzy. Explore ways to create, adapt, and use texture in your fibers, yarns, and finished textiles. Try creating handspun halo from four luxury fibers. Be inspired by 10 cabled-yarn variations. And learn how to avoid (or add!) slubs in your yarn.

• Use heavy, textural handspun interspersed with fine yarns to weave a sophisticated wrap.
  
• Combine yarns of different grists for gorgeous translucent knits.
  
• See how to turn cordage by hand using corn husks, flax, garlic leaves, and other plant material.
  

Softcover
96 Pages
Published by Long Thread Media

The Art & Craft of Spinning Yarn

Spin Off explores the art and craft of making yarn. Each issue connects you to new and familiar voices in the handspinning community and is packed with information about fibers, tools, and traditions to inspire your creativity.

The Art & Craft of Spinning Yarn

Spin Off explores the art and craft of making yarn. Each issue connects you to new and familiar voices in the handspinning community and is packed with information about fibers, tools, and traditions to inspire your creativity.

In this issue are Building Better Blends, Rare-Breed Tweed Card You Own, Stronger Socks Naturally, and so much more! Check out our current inventory of back issues as well. 

Features: 

• Beauty and the Beast: Herdwick Wool, a Heritage Mill & Luxury Cloth by Cath Snape
• Nature's Nylon: Natural Alternatives for Stronger Socks by Stephanie Johnson
• Fiber Blending and Hand Comfort by Carson Demers
• Optimizing Luxury: Getting the Most Mileage Out of Exotic Fiber by Lisa Mitchell
• Wool & Hemp: A "Primitive" Fiber Dream Team by Madeline Keller-King
• Structure: Choosing Fibers for Drumcarding by Emily Wohlscheid
• Wool Basics: What Is Grease? buy A. Sabine Schröder-Gravendyck
• Llama Fiber: A Realm of Possibilities by Dr. Annamarie Hatcher
• Llama Fiber: An Exploration in Spinning and Knitting by Barbara Kelly-Landry

Projects: 

• Alloy Socks by Stefanie Johnson
  
• Sturdy Mittens for Winter Walks by Madeline Keller-King
  
• Table Scraps: Clasped-Weft Table Runner by Tracy Livernois

Softcover
88 Pages
Published by Long Thread Media

Featuring the same adorable family of mice as in The Weaver's Surprise, Tom Knisely spins this tale of their adventures turning fleece to yarn. In this story, the weaver shears his sheep, dyes the wool, and then starts to spin and weave the yarn into a blanket. But that wool looks so soft and inviting to the little mice--surely their friend won't mind if they take a little for their beds?


Publisher: Stackpole Books
ISBN13: 9780811739146
Binding: Hardback
Pub Date: Nov 14, 2021

Jody Long introduces 8 new coastal designs for summer using his new yarn Flora, debuting for the 2022 spring/summer season. 

Designs Included: 

• Alyssa: 4-7 balls of Flora #001
• Bryony: 4-7 balls of Flora #008
• Cassia: 4-7 balls of Flora #002
• Cynthia: 2-4 balls each of Flora in colors #003, #005, #002, & #007. The 4 strands (1 of each color) are held together. 
• Holly: 6-9 balls of Flora #003
• Kamala: 7-11 balls of Flora #005
• Lotus: 4 balls of Flora #006
• Posey: 7-12 balls of Flora #004

Softcover
48 Pages
Copyright 2022 by Knitting Fever & Euro Yarns

 

Featuring 28 projects based on George Lucas’s epic film saga, Star Wars: Knitting the Galaxy is the ultimate guide to creating stunning projects inspired by Luke Skywalker, Darth Vader, Rey, and a whole host of droids, ships, and aliens from a galaxy far, far away. 

Bring the power of the Force to your needles with the first official Star Wars knitting pattern book. Featuring 28 knits pictured in gorgeous full-color photography, Star Wars: Knitting the Galaxy includes patterns for toys, apparel, and home decor inspired by your favorite movie moments, characters (both human and alien), droids, ships, and more. Projects range from simple patterns like the Ewok Hood (sized for both children and adults!) to more complex projects like the Darth Vader Pullover. It even includes patterns for knitted replicas of a few iconic costume pieces, such as Luke Skywalker’s cropped flight vest from Episode IV A New Hope and Rey’s vest and arm warmers from Episode VIII The Last Jedi. With projects for knitters at all levels and a variety of techniques to practice—including stranded colorwork, double-knitting, and lace knitting—Star Wars: Knitting the Galaxy is the perfect book for knitting fans across the galaxy.

Hardcover | 207 pages

In Stitch and String Lab for Kids, art teacher and winner of the Netflix bake-off show Nailed It! Cassie Stephens presents 40+ inventive projects that explore everything from simple sewing, embroidery, and weaving to string art, needle felting, and yarn crafts.

Stitch and String Lab for Kids leads children, step by step, through a huge range of sewing and fiber art projects. As they go, they will learn a variety of techniques, develop dexterity and coordination, and enjoy making a variety of creative projects. Kids will employ simple embroidery stitches to embellish a sun catcher, wall hangings, and an appliqué animal. Sewing projects include a drawstring bag, a sketchbook jacket, and custom plushies. Children will learn how to make custom looms to weave bookmarks, bracelets, and even a mini rag rug. They will also experiment with string art, needle felting, shibori dyeing, pompom animals, as well as finger knitting, yarn art, and cool wrapping projects.

Each project includes a materials list and illustrated steps, and the book is filled with useful tips, tricks, and shortcuts. Stitch samplers will teach the basics, and templates are included for plushies and stuffies. Kids are encouraged to make variations and personalize the projects to their own style and personality.

These 43 creative projects offer a broad and rich sampling of sewing, fabric, and fiber crafts—Stitch and String Lab for Kids is perfect for keeping kids busy with educational activities at home, learning techniques and experimenting at school, or having a ball at camps and parties. Parents, teachers, homeschoolers, and facilitators will appreciate the easy, illustrated instruction and the curriculum-friendly format, with projects that can be completed in any order.

The popular Lab for Kids series features a growing list of books that share hands-on activities and projects on a wide host of topics, including art, astronomy, clay, geology, math, and even how to create your own circus—all authored by established experts in their fields. Each lab contains a complete materials list, clear step-by-step photographs of the process, as well as finished samples. The labs can be used as singular projects or as part of a yearlong curriculum of experiential learning. The activities are open-ended, designed to be explored over and over, often with different results. Geared toward being taught or guided by adults, they are enriching for a range of ages and skill levels. Gain firsthand knowledge on your favorite topic with Lab for Kids.

Paperback | 143 pages

Creating unique textile art using vintage cloth and embroidery to tell a story and preserve memories

Vintage cloth, found objects, embroidery, layered cloth and hand-stitching are all artfully combined by Tilly Rose to create unique textile artworks that tell a story, record a special event, or preserve, display and celebrate a memory of a special person or place. Tilly describes how to create these textile artworks using scraps of fabric, thread, lace, ribbon, buttons, beads, photographs and other found items that readers either already own or have sourced from elsewhere.

The projects take various forms, including cloth journals, lavender hearts, hoop art, framed collages, wall hangings and miniature quilts, and involve a variety of easy techniques that are explained through step-by-step demos at the start of the book. These include layering and collage, hand embroidery, creating your own fabrics, transferring your designs to cloth, stamping on cloth, appliqué, embellishing, patchwork, quilting, free motion embroidery and photo transfer.

Create a textile artwork using fabric and items from your wedding, a child’s first birthday, a Christening or your honeymoon, or even family heilooms that can be cherished in a new way. The whole focus of the book is on inspiration and experimentation – encouraging the reader to be creative, collecting and sourcing materials of special significance and incorporating them into textile artworks that become treasured keepsakes.

15 colourful cactuses and other pot plants to make for your home.

15 delightful patterns to make a wide variety of flowering and other crocheted succulents in pots.

If you love to crochet and decorate your home with lovely projects, this is the book for you! Make 15 different crocheted succulents that can decorate your windowsill, table, shelf or anywhere else in your home. These delightful amigurumi plants are inspired by real succulent species, and there are both small and large projects. All you need is some yarn, a hook and some pots! With a short techniques section to get you started, you can make a whole display in no time

Great to make as gifts for friends and family.

Author: Sarah Abbondio
Imprint: Search Press
Format: Hardcover
Total Page Count: 48
ISBN: 9781782219019

A softcover featuring designs using Jody Long's Coastline yarn. Summer Breeze includes 8 designs for women. 

Summer Garden: A book featuring knitting designs using Jody Long's yarn, My Little Sunshine. 

Designs Included: 

1. Carnation Shawl
   
2. Freesia Cardigan
3. Hyacinth Cardigan
4. Lilium Beret
5. Lily Dress
6. Orchid Pullover
7. Poppy Scarf
8. Rose Pullover
9. Tulip Poncho

Whether you're already a fan of the sweet knitted wonders designed by Norwegian moms Hanne and Torunn or you're a newcomer, you're in for a beautiful, Scandinavian-style treat. Here are 40 new patterns for soft and easy garments for children, all focused on the fun, active days of summer! Using fine merino wool yarn and cotton blends makes them not too warm but just right. And not an itch in sight. For newborns to age 10, the projects are a mix of quick-to-knit and more challenging; each includes a convenient difficulty-level rank. Wonderful creations like these will add Scandinavian magic to your summer: be ready for the party in a sweet Olivia Onesie knitted in a cotton blend yarn. Kangaroo Pants knit up fast on large needles and are equally cute on a newborn or a four-year-old. The David Sweater-Jacket is perfect for summer, and like all the heirloom-quality designs it can be passed down from brother to sister. Billie Shorts are delightful to wear and also to make—garter-stitch shorts, knitted sideways. The Dinosaur Cap or the Blueberry Girl’s Summer Kerchief are perfect to fend off summer breezes. And Lace Tights let you knit up a simple lace pattern plus try a new cast-on method for fine lacy edgings.

Size: 9.0in x 9.0in | Pages:168 | 200 color & b/w images
Binding: Hardback
ISBN: 9780764366062

This accessible beginner’s guide covers everything you need to know to start knitting, featuring clear, step-by-step, photo-illustrated instructions.

Want to learn how to knit but are not sure how to start? With Super Easy Knitting for Beginners, adapted from Carri Hammet’s best-selling Knitting 101, you will feel confident in your skills quickly and eliminate frustrating mistakes and missteps.

Learn what you need, how to read patterns, how to select yarn, and how to troubleshoot problems and turn yarn into charming knitted accessories and clothing. Building skills through fun projects, you will find success quickly and easily while gaining confidence to try another project.

Super Easy Knitting for Beginners includes:

• Knitting basics
• How to get started
• Tools and materials
• Right-handed and left-handed knitting
• Basic knitting stitches
• How to read a knitting pattern
• Knitting tips and tricks
• Troubleshooting mistakes
• Fun beginner-level projects, including scarves, baby blanket, felted bag, shawl, and more

This is the most comprehensive beginner’s book available, yet it won’t overwhelm you with details and instruction you don’t need or want, so you can start enjoying your knitting hobby immediately.

Category: Go To Subject Area Arts, Crafts & Hobbies, Go To Subject Area Health & Spirituality
Subject area: Go To Category Body, Mind & Spirit, Go To Category Crafts & Hobbies
Format: Format Trade Paperback 144 Pages
ISBN: ISBN 9780760379875
Size: 7.50 in x 9.25 in / 190.50 mm x 234.95 mm
Published: Published Date August 2nd, 2022
Imprint: Browse By Imprint New Shoe Press

Worked with bulky yarn and larger hooks, these stuffed animals hook up fast, and all of the patterns are easy enough for even a beginner crocheter. You'll love the new friends you crochet, from a soft, fluffy llama or sheep to a frisky puppy, platypus, dinosaur, teddy bear, raccoon, turtle, and more. Once you make one, you'll see how easy and fun they are to crochet, and you'll want to make all 20 supersized amigurumi!


Publisher: Stackpole Books
ISBN13: 9780811771009
Binding: Paperback / softback

Sweet Knits for Baby is suitable for all levels of knitters and offers a modern collection packed with garments and accessories. The patterns have a wide range of techniques including cables, lace, intarsia, and so much more. All projects feature clear instructions and colour photos. Projects include blankets, cardigans, sweaters and accessories all sized from 0 - 3 years.

All designs in the book feature Jody Long's luxurious Ciao yarn!

New baby on the way? What better time than to crochet a beautiful matching gift set for the precious little one with these 6 gorgeous baby blankets and matching accessories.

A new baby is guaranteed to get parents and grandparents reaching for their crochet hooks. Even those who may not have crocheted anything for years are suddenly inspired to create numerous handmade items for their new child or grandchild.
Sue Rawlinson of Sweet Pea Crochet has designed 6 beautiful, coordinated bundles for every occasion, from bringing the baby home to that all-important first outing.

Each bundle includes a baby blanket plus 2 or 3 other gifts such as a soft bunny to cuddle, a pretty garland to hang, snuggly mittens, a baby bear comforter and matching cushions.

With 20 projects in total, you are spoilt for choice, and each gift set is worked in coordinated colorways and styles.

Along with illustrated crochet techniques, there are also suggestions for gifting and finishing touches such as crocheted ties to keep your blanket folded when you give it as a gift. The blanket ties can be embellished with mini pompoms, crochet hearts or crochet flowers. 

Many of the smaller projects such as cozy beanie hats can be finished in an evening, so they are satisfying to make and even more satisfying to give away.

With pastel shades, simple designs and soft textures, parents, grandparents and friends will be reaching for their crochet hooks to make gorgeous handmade items for their bundle of joy.

16 Beautiful Projects For Your Home

Everyone has at least one long-forgotten ball of string lurking at the back of a drawer. Take a Ball of String shows us how to transform this everyday mundane item into an array of exciting makes. The pleasingly tactile nature of string makes it perfect for creating some crafty treasures. From rustic garden twine to soft cotton braid, these eye-catching projects will inspire you to get knitting, crocheting, coiling and knotting. The 16 projects fall into four main sections: Kitchen, Bathroom, Porch and Study. All the basic techniques and know-how are explained, with clear step-by-step instructions and pictures.

Projects include:
The Kitchen: Coasters, Dish scrubs, Kitchen cloths, Pot holders
The Office: Circular rug, Desk trays, Lampshade, Tablet cover
The Porch: Coin purse, Door stop, Jam-jar candleholders, Market bag
The Bathroom: Bath mat, Wash mitt, First-aid purse, Storage boxes

Publishing: Autumn 15
Pub month: September
ISBN-13: 9781861087935
Author: Jemima Schlee
Binding: Paperback
No. of pages: 128
Photos: Includes 296 photographs
Dimensions: 230 x 190 mm
Colour : Full colour throughout

Perfect color every time, now in travel-size! Create color combinations on the go with this easy to use reference tool. With 12 colors and 5 essential color-plans, selecting color has never been easier.

Publisher: C&T Publishing
ISBN13: 9781644030615
Binding: General merchandise
Page Count: pp. Pages
Discount Code: S01
Pub Date: Jun 24, 2021

It’s an indisputable fact: Everything is cuter in miniature. And while it’s true that knitted toys are cute to begin with, they’re even more adorable when they’re tiny.

In Teeny-Tiny Mochimochi, designer Anna Hrachovec presents more than 40 patterns for her quirkiest and most endearing knitted Tinys — three-dimensional animals, objects, toys, and people. Tinys make cool gifts for any occasion, and are some of the fastest, easiest projects you’ll ever knit. They can be turned into pins, magnets, Christmas ornaments—anything that could use some scale-model silliness. So pick up your sock yarn and size 1 needles and get started—you’re certain to make even a grouch giggle like a schoolgirl!

Published by Potter Craft
Aug 16, 2011 | 144 Pages | 8-5/8 x 8-5/8 | ISBN 9780823026920

This long-awaited guide serves as a tool to explain the general principles of natural dyeing, and to help dyers to become more accomplished at their craft through an increased understanding of the process. Photos of more than 450 samples demonstrate the results of actual dye tests, and detailed information covers every aspect of natural dyeing including theory, fibers, mordants, dyes, printing, organic indigo vats, finishing, and the evaluation of dye fastness. Special techniques of printing and discharging indigo are featured as well. The book is intended for dyers and printers who wish to more completely understand the “why” and the “how,” while ensuring safe and sustainable practices. Written by a textile engineer and chemist (Boutrup) and a textile artist and practitioner (Ellis), its detailed and tested recipes for every process, including charts and comparisons, make it the ideal resource for dyers with all levels of experience.

Discover a new source of inspiration for your crochet hook…the beautiful work of today's modern makers!

Follow popular crochet blanket designer Rachele Carmona through her unique collection of crochet blankets inspired by the work of popular independent artists. The Art of Crochet Blankets will help you create your own colorful crochet blankets as unique works of art for your home! Inside this one-of-a-kind crochet blanket guide you'll find:

• Details on how to translate art to hook with 18 bold and unique crochet afghan patterns influenced by the works of their feature artist.
• Modern quilts, fabric designs, tapestry weaving, digital art, and more become the source of one-of-a-kind projects for a more artful home.
• Biographies and beautiful photos profiling 6 inspiring modern makers–Tula Pink, April Rhodes, Maryanne Moodie, Fransisco Valle, Maud Vantours, and Caitline Dowe-Sandes.

Discover the inspiration that lies beyond the world of crochet with The Art of Crochet Blankets.

Paperback, 143 pages.

by Marie Suarez

Punch needle embroidery is similar to rug hooking, and involves punching threads into fabric using a tool to form raised, decorative loops. It is a technique that is easy to grasp in very little time. A traditional technique that came out of the US in the 19th century, punch needle has been revitalized and is appealing to many textile enthusiasts as it's not only simple to pick up but incredibly fun!

With internationally renowned, expert embroiderer Marie Suarez, learn and discover the delights of punch needle embroidery in this gorgeous practical book. Starting with the key materials and equipment you'll need, as well as the basic punch-needle stitches and techniques, go straight into making 20 creative and original projects including flower-adorned pillows, pretty wall hangings and stylish bags!

All the projects are accompanied by beautiful photographs, diagrams to help you work out what to stitch first, and templates for you to trace off for quick-and-easy needle punching.

Size: 10.25" x 8.25"                                                                                                      Pages: 96                                                                                                                    Format: Paperback                                                                                                        ISBN: 9781782219026

Put aside those preconceptions of dusty, medieval tapestries hanging on castle walls! Tapestry weaving has a whole new look, and fiber enthusiasts of all levels are eager to try their hand at creating images with yarn. Rebecca Mezoff, a renowned teacher of contemporary tapestry weaving, shares her techniques in this in-depth guide to every aspect of the process, from developing a color palette to selecting yarn, warping the loom, and weaving the image. Crafters can choose from inexpensive tabletop and hand-held looms to larger floor looms. Detailed step-by-step photos and inspiring examples from a range of weaver-artists make this a one-stop resource for tapestry weaving how-to.

Page Count 320 pages
Publisher Storey
ISBN-13 9781635861358

An inspirational book on what is an often underestimated technique.

Publisher: The Crowood Press
ISBN13: 9781785009242
Binding: Hardback
Page Count: pp. Pages
Discount Code: S01
Pub Date: Oct 7, 2021

Whether you’re mastering crocheting with beads or choosing supplies for your very first necklace, Karen Morris has the answers to all your questions. Concise, straightforward, and packed with illustrations, this handy little book is full of tips and techniques that will take your craft to the next level. With insightful advice on everything from thread storage to fragile glass beads, The Beading Answer Book will help you solve your most vexing beading dilemmas.