Hand Spinning Books

With this compact portable reference in hand, crafters can quickly and easily look up any of 100 different sheep breeds, the characteristics of their fleece, and the kinds of projects for which their fleece is best suited. Each breed profile includes a photograph of the animal and information about its origin and conservation status, as well as the weight, staple length, fiber diameter, and natural colors of its fleece. This is a great primer for beginners, and a handy guide for anyone who loves working with fleece.

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 the Spinner's Toolbox Accessories You'll Love; Nostepinne Wind 3 Ways, On the Bias Spin + Weave a Pin-Loom Scarf; and so much more! Check out our current inventory of back issues as well. 

Features: 

• Unwinding the Nostepinne by Heavenly Bresser
  
• Color Tools: A Spinner Exploes by Ellen Mckean
  
• Hand-Ginning Cotton: A Practical Guide by Melvenea Hodges
  
• Spinning in Color for Pin-Loom Weaving by Madeline Keller-King 
  
• The Mighty Magnet: A Supported Spindle Aid by Helen Barbara Mawdsley
• Slow Prep: Making the Most of Hog Island Fleece by Holly Callahan-Kasmala
• Spinning and the Sarakatsani by Mimi Seyferth
• Wool and Wood: Natural Storage Bobbins by A. Sabine Schröder-Gravendyck
• Lazy Kates: Beginner Basics by Amy Tyler
• Coming Full Circle: A Golden Anniversary by Susan C. Druding
• Yes, Antique Spinning Wheels Do Talk by Betsy Burnham Alspach

Projects: 

• Stormy Seas Scarf by Devin Helmet and John Mullarkey
• Stranded Gradient Fingerless Mitts by Risë Burgie

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

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.

Discover the colorful joys of hand dyeing your own yarn and fleece. It’s easy, fun, and can be done right in your own kitchen! Self-taught dyer Gail Callahan shows you a variety of simple techniques to turn plain, outdated, or leftover yarn into vibrant “new” fibers using ovens, crockpots, frying pans, and other standard kitchen equipment. Detailed advice on color theory, self-striping, “grocery store” dyes, and handmade multicolor skeins make successful dyeing a cinch, even for complete beginners.

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

This one-of-a-kind encyclopedia shines a spotlight on more than 200 animals and their wondrous fleece. Profiling a worldwide array of fiber-producers that includes northern Africa’s dromedary camel, the Navajo churro, and the Tasmanian merino, Carol Ekarius and Deborah Robson include photographs of each animal’s fleece at every stage of the handcrafting process, from raw to cleaned, spun, and woven. The Fleece & Fiber Sourcebook is an artist’s handbook, travel guide, and spinning enthusiast’s ultimate reference source all in one.

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.
  

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 characteristics of fleece — its structure, grease content, and fiber diameter — vary widely depending on the breed of sheep the fleece comes from. In this comprehensive guide, Beth Smith profiles 21 types of fleece, from bouncy and pliant to lacy and lightweight. A sheep-by-sheep reference describes the best way to wash and spin each fleece into rich, soft yarn. You’ll soon be confidently choosing the right fleece, spinning it to perfection, and enjoying the perfect yarn for your next fiber creation.