Spinning Books

The Ashford Book of Carding - $33.00
Jo Reeve. Tutorials: Flick carding; Hand carding; Drum carding; Fleece to sliver; Colour Blending; Fibre blending. Projects: Self-striping socks; Merino mittens; Triangular shawl; Merino and silk scarf. What more needs to be said? 92pp. Pb.

The Ashford Book of Spinning - $38.00
Anne Field. Although written specifically for the Ashford wheel, the material included here is so basic and so well presented that it would benefit any spinner. Further, it goes well beyond simply providing instructions for spinning. There are chapters on dyeing, felting, and instructions for making projects using handspun yarns. There are sweaters and scarves, mittens and booties, and more -- each illustrated in color. Illustrated. 160pp, Pb.

Creative Spinning - $32.00
Alison Daykin & Jane Deane. Needleworkers no longer have to settle for what’s available at the local yarn shop! The authors, who have decades of experience spinning, weaving, and dyeing, show how easy it can be to create personalized and gorgeous skeins of one-of-a-kind fibers. Designed for complete beginners, this attractive guide offers 30 beautiful projects that teach a repertoire of skills on both the hand spindle and spinning wheel. It starts with simple, basic combing, twisting, plying, and finishing, then goes on to offer a primer on working with fibers. All the chapters are organized by yarn type, including short wool and down, medium fine wool, long wool and lustre, hill and mountain, rare wool, animal hair, silk, and vegetable fiber. Pb.

The Handspinners Companion - $28.00
Leigh Morris. This new edition of a great Australian handspinning book presents a wealth of information and detail for the Australian spinner. Both beginners and experienced spinners alike will appreciate the background information and the detailed instructions for using a variety of fibres to create unique yarns. This is very much a "hans on" book, yet it brings together into one book the most comprehensive information ever gathered on hand knitting yarns, handspinning fibres and simple yarn design. 131pp. Pb.

Handspinner's Handbook - $15.00
Bette Hochberg. Here's a very clear, practical manual on spinning all types of fibers on a "flax" wheel. All aspects of spinning are considered and the "long draw" method emphasized, parts and care of the wheel are discussed, breeds of sheep, other natural animal and vegetable fibers, man-made fibers, carding, drum carding, blending fibers, plying, skeining, and stumbling blocks are covered. The presentation is easy to follow. Pb.

Hand Woolcombing and Spinning (Revised) - $39.00
Peter Teal. Here is a book for handspinners who aspire to a high standard of professional excellance in their work. The book rediscovers many of the old methods and explains how to make the tools, how to prepare, dye, and blend the fibre, and finally how to spin a worsted yarn of controlled quality and specification. Few books go into the process of woolcombing to such a practical detail. Extra chapter added on scotch tension versus double drive. 212pp. Hb.

The Intentional Spinner - $39.00
Judith McKenzie McCuin. Offering a blend of technical knowledge, history, and easy-to-use tips, this inspiring collection of spinning wisdom deftly explores the three fundamental areas of yarn production: understanding fibers, managing yarn structure, and making yarns that precisely meet the spinner's needs. The rich, historic traditions of plant and animal fibers are fascinatingly juxtaposed with recent advances in synthesized fiber and mankind’s use of fibers in the past, present, and future, while detailed, image-laden instructions for four intermediate projects demonstrate the range of possibilities, from sturdy, plied yarns to playful, novelty yarns. Spinners are also offered guidance on planning a project from start to finish, as well as how to care for and store completed projects. 160pp. Pb.

Learn To Spin - $4.00
A small basic instruction manual in the art of spinning, from the makers of the famous Ashford wheels. 12pp, Pb.

Merino: Spinning, Dyeing & Working with Merino & Superfine Wools - $26.00
Margaret Stove. Merino sheep have a reputation for being difficult to spin. Fortunately the author proceeded to figure out how to spin it so that the fine wool was useable. Her techniques set the spinner on the path to successful yarns. 109pp, Hb.

Productive Spindling - $24.00
Amelia Garripoli. Productive Spindling... a 21st century look at top whorl, bottom whorl and Turkish spindle methods to boost your techniques for efficiency – make productivity fun! Spindlers will find many useful tips for all kinds of fiber, on spindle choice, drafting, joins, plying and finishing. Productive Spindling is packed with photos to show technique, spindles, yarn, and finished items by the author and the worldwide spindling community. 50pp. Sb.

The Secrets of Silk 1: From the Myths & Legends to the Middle Ages - $47.00
Priscilla Lowry. From the earliest days of prehistory silk has been highly valued. Here the secrests are slowly revealed. Stories of mayham and espionage, love and valour, corruption and beauty, the Silk Road, Marco Polo, and the eventual arrival of silk in Europe. The story of silk includes spinning and handling this exquisite fibre. 168pp. Pb.

The Secrets of Silk 2: From Textiles to Fashion - $47.00
Priscilla Lowry. This second book continues the story of silk in the West, and includes Byzantium, silk in Europe, the influence of the Huguenots, gold, dyes, knitting, lace, buttons and bows, silk in the home, and fashion. The practical section deals with knitting with silk. 198pp. Pb.

Silkworms - $10.00
Sylvia A Johnson. A detailed journey through the lifecycle of the silkworm. Although it is written with the younger reader in mind, the quality of the large clear photographs, and the detail into which it goes, is a boon to anyone who wishes to raise silkworms. Pb.

Spin Control - $32.00
Amy King. Spin Control teaches spinners to control their handspun and make the yarns of their dreams. From soft, bulky singles to durable cabled yarns with terrific stitch definition; and from tweedy yarns with rich texture and color to serviceable 3-ply that holds up to heavy use, the sky is the limit with this thorough guide. 128pp. Pb.

Spin It! Making Yarn from Scratch - $16.00
Lee Raven. All the secrets to making perfect homemade yarn with portable handspindles of every shape, size, and colour - from potatoes on sticks to beautifully handcrafted wooden spindles to new age titanium spindles with CD whorls. Spin It includes instructions for how to begin spinning and for five projects: knitted fingerless mittens, bunny bag, and baby hat, a felted crocheted hat, and a woven scarf. 32pp, Pb.

Spin Span Spun: Fact & Folklore for Spinners and Weavers - $15.00
Bett Hochberg. This delightful book is accurately reflected by its subtitle. It contains page after page of historical, biblical, fictional, mythological, and biological references to spinners, spinning, wool, cotton, flax, spinning wheels and spinning. While the book will not make you a better spinner, it will give you a lot of enjoyable reading. 66pp. Pb.

Spinning For Softness and Speed - $25.00
Paula Simmons. Paula is well known professional handspinner, author and shepherd. This classic book of hers has now been reprinted and is the result of a lifetime of spinning, and teaching others to spin. On her teaching journeys, she discovered that many people encountered the same problems, and has addressed them beautifully in this quintessential volume on spinning. Packed with photographs, helpful hints and tips it has helped thousands of spinners improve on the softness and speed of their work. 91pp. Pb.

Spinning in the Old Way - $24.00
Priscilla A. Gibson-Roberts. Loose fibers become yarn because of a twist, which holds them together. Just by adding twist you can create yarn that is sturdy enough to be knitted or woven into fabric. All you need is a high whorl spindle, unspun fiber, a few yards of leftover knitting yarn, and the guidance of a master spinner and knitter Priscilla Gibson-Roberts. 160pp. Pb.

Start Spinning- $37.00
Maggie Casey. Everything you need to know to make great yarn. You can buy yarn anywhere, but spinners know that the best yarn is the kind you make for yourself. Start Spinning takes you from loose fiber to yarn made on a spindle and spinning wheel, with friendly advice and a sure hand at every step. Developed over two decades of teaching beginners, Maggie Casey's techniques and tidbits will have you creating delightful yarns to knit, weave, crochet and admire. Pb.

Turning Wool Into A Cottage Industry - $42.00
Paula Simmons. The complete, no-nonsense, up-to-date information source for anyone operating a wool business at home. Includes merchandising tips and descriptions of 18 successful entrepreneurs. Paula Simmons is a respected authority on sheep raising and is also a lecturer and conducts workshops in the United States and Canada on raising sheep and spinning wool for a living. Together with her husband, Ross, Paula has been raising and sheering sheep, and spinning and weaving wool for over 20 years on their farm in Washington. 272pp. Pb.

Alpaca Rovings - Fawn 24micron - $10.00 per 100grams
This beautifully clean, commercially prepared alpaca fibre is available in 100g bags. It was tested to be 23.8 microns. Easy to spin, and a beautiful colour.

Ashford Yarn Gauge - $5.00
Find out how thick you spun yarn is by using one of these nifty gadgets. A growing number of knitting patterns specify wraps per inch as the yarn thickness. Both wraps per inch and wraps per centimeter can be discovered.

Flick Carder - $18.00
Also know as a flicker brush, this small hand carder is all that is needed for the simple opening of locks in a fleece for immediate spinning.

Thread Hook - $2.00
Indispensible for drawing the yarn through the spinning wheel orifice. Includes a tape for hanging it from your wheel.