Creative Spinning

by Alison Daykin, Jane Deane

Needleworkers no longer have to settle for what’s available at the local yarn shop! Alison Daykin and Jane Deane, 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.

Genres: Knitting, Crafts, Nonfiction

112 pages, Paperback

First published October 15, 2007

Reviews

[Lori Gautier · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book isn't for brand new beginners, as it gives just a short overview of basic techniques and fibers. This is a next step type book for after you've learned a few basics. The yarn "recipes" are inspiring and the photography is gorgeous! This book is a most welcome addition to my small library of spinning references.

[Amberwench · Rating 4 out of 5]

Through descriptions of fibers and spin styles! Includes sample 'recipes' of color fiber, and spin for the fiber artist's inspiration.
Good for: any one who's tried spinning and wants to step up their skill level.

[Tonileg · Rating 3 out of 5]

The natural next step in my knitting and yarn addiction is spinning.
So before binging on huge spinning machine, I decided in a moment of reason (which is all too rare) that perhaps it would be a good idea to start with a simple hand spinning with some store bought roving and this explication guide.
There is a short explication on how to hand spin (twenty-something pages) and then 9 projects to try in different materials, like wool, silk and vegetable fibers with beautiful pictures.
I have yet to get started on this new skill, but atleast I have everything I need when I finally get motivated.
112 pages and bought new from Amazon
3 stars

[Anu Williamson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Barely mentions drop spindle and makes it seem like you can only spin on a wheel. But the photography is beautiful and for every spun skein there is a picture of fleece used and yarn knitted. I am actually contemplating getting the book just to look at the beautiful photos.

[Suzanne Singman · Rating 2 out of 5]

this was sorta fun. The pictures were great. You can't learn to spin from this book, but if you want to learn to combine different fibers and create different types of yarn it might work. Very light reading. I need something with more meat so I can learn.

[Megan Berryman · Rating 4 out of 5]

While it doesn't have a ton of details on spinning, it does give some useful tips (Like adjusting the tension on your brake as the bobbin fills) and the photos are very beautiful.

[Satu · Rating 2 out of 5]

Quite unimpressive book. There's only very basic instructions and if I didn't know those things I doubt these would help much. The only thing I liked was the drawings.