Shear Spirit: Ten Fiber Farms, Twenty Patterns, and Miles of Yarn

by Joan Tapper, Gale Zucker (Photographer)

An artisan who captures Maine’s summer air in her sun-and-sea-dyed yarns. A weaver and a poet whose Buddhist stupa sits near the barns of their Massachusetts farm. Two scientists turned sheep farmers whose flock grazes in the shadows of Montana’s Bridger Mountains. A Navajo sheep herder and craftsman in the Black Mesa region of Arizona whose endangered breed of sheep were rescued from extinction. These are just a few of the captivating portraits of America’s fiber farms and ranches featured in Shear Spirit .

Part coffee-table book, part inspirational work, and part pattern guide, Shear Spirit connects knitters to the yarn-producing community in a new and intimate way. Filled with stunning photographs, fascinating essays, and heartwarming profiles, this book follows the writer and photographer to 10 fiber farms and ranches across America-from the Willamette Valley of Oregon to the coast of Maine-capturing the essence of the people, places, and animals that, together, create yarn. Twenty projects featuring yarns from the farms surveyed will inspire knitters everywhere.

A visual journey to America’s fiber farms and ranches plus a rich inside look at the challenging but rewarding lives of the people who have devoted their lives to harvesting and spinning fleece into yarn, Shear Spirit takes fiber enthusiasts of all ages and interests right to the source of their common passion.

Genres: Knitting, Nonfiction, Crafts

160 pages, Hardcover

First published April 15, 2008

Reviews

[Deb Van Iderstine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great pictures of fiber farms and farmers paired with their stories. I found the accompanying patterns of less interest, as they were generally not size-inclusive for those I might consider making.

[Janelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book and alternated between reading it voraciously and trying to save it so it wouldn't be over too quickly. It profiles 10 fiber farms around the U.S. and includes at least one pattern that showcases the yarn produced by that farm. The photography is gorgeous - this is one I'll leave out on the coffee table for a while.

The book is about fiber, but it's even more about fiber PEOPLE, and it makes me want to be one. I know I'm not cut out to be a farmer, but maybe I could buddy up with an animal person and be the yarn person who figured out what to do with the fiber once it's off the animal? Hey, who's up for the venture?

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Part coffee-table book, part inspirational work, and part pattern guide, Shear Spirit connects knitters to the yarn-producing community across America. This book follows the writer and photographer to 10 fiber farms and ranches across America - from the Willamette Valley of Oregon to the coast of Maine - taking a rich inside look at the challenging but rewarding lives of the people who have devoted their lives to harvesting and spinning fleece into yarn. Twenty projects featuring yarns from the farms surveyed will inspire knitters everywhere. Filled with stunning photographs, fascinating essays, and heartwarming profiles.

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the profiles of the farms and their owners, thanks to Cindy and Rich who gave me this beautiful book. The photography is gorgeous. So much luscious yarn, so little time. This is the dilemma of my life - read or play with yarn.

I just looked through this book again today - two lambs were born this week on our farm. One is chocolate brown; since her mother is Nutmeg I've named her Cinnamon. The black lamb is a male but it has the "hand of God" marking on the top of his head, as the Navajo call it. What a lovely promise of spring in the midst of tiresome Michigan snow.

[Cayenne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is like reading a National Geographic of fiber animal farms in the US. Beautiful photos and wonderful stories about people living sustainably, raising livestock and selling fiber. My favorite was the farm in Maine. She uses seawater for her dye pots instead of toxic metal-based salts and ends up with gorgeous colors. There are some lovely knitting and felting patterns included as well.

[Lari · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful book. Lots of pictures of fiber animals and fiber workshops. The patterns are good too. I found one farm that is just a few miles from husband Vern's sister's house in Western PA. I'll have to look it up next time we are out there.

[Emily AndersMillKnits · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Stories of the Different Farms are inspiring and eye opening. I am not to enthralled with the patterns. But this book has inspired me to contact these farms personally and get my yarn and roving from them, cutting out any middle man.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the photography in this book and really enjoyed learning about the different fiber farms. I want to do a tour and visit them all! I also found 3 or 4 patterns that I plan to knit in the near future. All in all a great book if you're interested in fiber, fiber animals, farms, etc.

[Flower Edmiston · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute book giving weaver, knitters, and some spinners, and idea of where their fiber comes from. Over all, more flash and dressy show than practical knowledge, but I'm not quite sure it was supposed to be a book of practical knowledge.

[Alexandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

My yarn pusher showed me this book yesterday and I bought it on the spot. Sheep farming is the LIFE!

[Lisa Cannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Totally made me want to go buy a farm somewhere and raise sheep.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really attractive book, very interesting stories

[Jocele · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an inspiring book.

[Tracy Ward · Rating 5 out of 5]

all things sheep, goats, fiber and spinning!

[Ann Muth · Rating 5 out of 5]

great patterns and photography. I fun look at where fiber originates

[marissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great stories of small fiber farms doing things in new ways. Beautiful photographs and inspiring patterns.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting look at small-scale sheep farmers/yarn and fiber producers all over the US. The photography is wonderful. Some nice patterns, too.

[Mckinley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Farms with accompany patterns.

[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fantastic look at 10 different fiber farms - each producing a unique product. All of which I was completely unaware, especially the discovery of a farm right in my back yard.

[Tara · Rating 5 out of 5]

So beautiful and inspiring! A birthday gift for myself!

[jamie · Rating 5 out of 5]

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[Kaylan]

Great patterns and stories, good addition to anyone's fiber collection.