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It's all here...the info you'd spend WEEKS trying to track down, and presented so even newbies can grasp it! $23.50 ppd

spin to knit Take your knitting to a new level with the addition of handmade yarn! Spinning is easy to learn, handspun yarn is hot, and with Spin to Knit everything you need to create fun, funky, one-of-a-kind designer yarn is right at your fingertips. Spin to Knit teaches you all the details about fibers, tools, and materials for getting started spinning, and offers a substantial selection of simple patterns for knitting with that fabulous yarn you've created all on your own. Don't want to spin a lot of yarn? No problem, you'll find lots of ideas for combining your precious handspun with commercial, mill-spun yarns or for accenting sweaters and accessories you already own. Discover why "lumpy bumpy" yarn is your friend: ways to unlump your yarn; how to control singles, twist, and play; and ways to incorporate color, beads, and novelties in your spinning. Paperback, 128 pages, 150 photos and 25 illustrations

The Alden Amos BIG BOOK OF HANDSPINNING $41.95 (Alden Amos)  bk604i  He'll make you laugh, he'll make you mad, he'll make you think. Wheel designer, maintainer of textile tradition, recepient and evaluator of traditional wisdom: Alden Amos lets no point go unexamined. He'll change your spinning for the better, whether you agree with him or not. He talks about fibers from the molecular and cultural level to finished, and offers decades of experience in making and handling yarn. The information is both broad and deep: How to efficiently handle fine yarns without getting snarled up; how to assemble and operate a "scouring train" for washing large quantities of wool; how to build a full range of spinning tools; and much, much more. Hundreds of delightful illustrations by Stephenie Gaustad , and footnotes on topics obscure and curious. Hardcover, 488 pgs.

ASHFORD BOOK OF CARDING: A Handspinners Guide to Fiber Preparation $26.50 (Jo Reeve) bk006L Here's a practical and inspirational guide to carding fleece, slivers and exotic fibers. This excellent resource covers: carding techniques using a flicker, handcards and the drum carder; fiber and color blending; color theory. Lots of color photos. 92 pgs.

ASHFORD BOOK OF SPINNING $27.50 (Anne Field) bk004L This instruction and project book is frequently the first book beginning spinners buy. It presents all the spinning basics, from selection and preparation of a fleece to instructions for spinning all kinds of yarn, spinning wheel operation, and trouble shooting. Further, it goes well beyond simply providing instructions for spinning. There are chapters on wool dyeing, felting, and patterns and instructions for making projects from handspun yarn. If you have an Ashford wheel, you really should have this book, although the information applies to all wheels.  160pgs.

Back in print!
COLOR IN SPINNING $28.50 (Deb Menz) A paperbound edition of this classic guide to color for handspinners is finally here! Menz draws on 20 years of experience teaching and experimenting with color techniques to offer a technically savvy yet accessible tutorial on working with color and fiber. Written expressly for the handspinner seeking new adventures in color, this comprehensive manual presents in-depth discussions and step-by-step photographed demonstrations of immersion dyeing, painting rovings, blending colors and fibers, and spinning and plying multicolored preparations. And for those spinners who are color challenged, a useful chapter on understanding color principles will give you the skills needed to easily work with color. Whether you're a novice or an expert, no spinner's library is complete without this book. Paperbound, 8-1/2 x 11", 240 pages, more than 300 color and black-and-white photographs, 55 iillustrations.

ColorWorks The Crafter's Guide to Color Succcessfully working with color is a skill anyone can learn. Deb Menz brings the principles of color theory down to a practical level and applies them to knitting, spinning, beadwork, weaving, surface design (including stenciling and rubber stampling), quilting, hand and machine embroidery, and paper collage. Color harmonies are worked up in each medium. More than 270 swatches demonstrate the elements you need to successfully work with color. See samples that illustrate color values, contrasting and complementary colors, warm and cool colors, undertones, how to use color relationships, and much more. A 32-page "Tool kit" includes a pull-out color wheel and a handy section of perforated hue cards that you can remove and use for planning, matching, and shopping for materials for your next project. Covered spiral binding. 152 pgs.

$26.50 ppd

FIBRE FACTS $11.00 (Bette Hochberg) bk008C The little book is simply loaded with information on just about any fiber you can name! It will tell you what you can expect from each of them in just about any situation and how to best handle them. Lots of charts, drawings, descriptions. 66 pgs.

Back in print!
HAND WOOLCOMBING AND SPINNING: A Guide to Worsteds from the Spinning Wheel $31.75  (Peter Teal)  bk011u Here is a book for handspinners who aspire to a high standard of professional excellence in their work. The book rediscovers many of the old methods and applies modern technological principles to the forgotten trade of woolcombing. It 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. The serious student of spinning will find vital information on how much twist to give a yarn for a stated end use; how much oil to apply to raw, scoured fibre; how to assess the suitability of a spinning wheel for a specific type of yarn. The wool combs, jigs, pad, diz, spinning wheels, scales, etc., illustrated were all made by Teal in his workshop, powered by a 14-foot diameter water wheel. Color & b&w photos, line drawings, old woodcut reproductions. Hardcover, 187 pgs.

HANDS ON SPINNING $24.00  (Lee Raven)  bk-016I This book is written so that even the very beginner can understand it, yet contains indepth information to guide you as your skills grow. Covers fiber characteristics, preparation and spinning, choosing a wheel, and crafting the finished yarn into useful and attractive pieces. This book is on our "best seller" list! 112 pgs.

A HANDSPINDLE TREASURY: 20 Years of Spinning Wisdom from SpinOff Magazine $18.25 (SpinOff Magazine) bk811 SpinOff has compiled 20 years of the best and most useful knowledge on handspindles from past issues. Everything you need to know on handspindle use, techniques, and tricks. Color photos and line drawings. 88 pgs.

HANDSPINDLES $11.00 (Bette Hochberg) bk156G Go back in time to the many styles of handspindles and how they have been used by people through the ages and around the world. This is also an instruction manual which can be used to teach yourself or others to spin. Excellent drawings and old pictures. 66 pgs.

THE HANDSPINNER'S COMPANION $41.50 (Leigh Morris) bk809mj  Compiled much like an encyclopedia, this is an easy reference source when you have questions or want to find information fast. Chapters include: Analysis of yarns, from fiber to fabric -- Discussion and suggestions for a variety of fibers, including alpaca, angora, cashmere, cotton, flax, mohair, silk and wool -- Suggestions for hundreds of yarn variations -- Detailed instructions for novelty and textured yarns -- Simple construction methods for creating 3 and 4 ply yarns - - Detailed instructions for choosing and  using commercial dyes, with creative encouragement. Looking through this new book makes me want to leave the computer to do fibery things .. Quite a compliment to the author! Black and white drawings. 131 pgs.

HANDSPINNER'S HANDBOOK $11.00 (Bette Hochberg) bk007C Lots of basics in a little book! Spin wool, cotton, alpaca, mohair, cashmere, silk, flax, camel, angora, basketry fibers. Covers preparation, washing, blending, carding, setting twist. Dressing and spinning from a distaff. 66 pgs.

HANDSPUN TREASURES from RARE WOOLS: Collected Works from Save the Sheep Project $21.25  (edited by Deborah Robson) bk810 Bringing together the art of spinning and wools from rare breeds of sheep, this book catalogs the 29 touring pieces from the Save the Sheep Exhibit. It also includes photos and information on endangered breeds, plus photos of several dozen other pieces that illustrate points about the rare-breed fibers and what makes them indispensable for contemporary handspinning. Complete with basic spinning terms and concepts. 95 pgs.   

HIGH WHORLING: A spinner's guide to an old world skill $19.95 (Priscilla Gibson-Roberts) bk611pg) All about spinning with the high whorl handspindle, from fiber selection and preparation to detailed spinning technique. Includes hard to find info such as the hand-wrap plying technique, winding onto a nostepinne, plying from knitting needles, more. 135 pgs, hardcover.

HOW NIKKI SHARED HER COAT:  The story of a happy dog who kept her family warm $11.95 (Detta Juusola) This true story will entertain and educate dog lovers and spinners alike. Nikki, a Samoyed, sheds an abundance of soft fluffy fur, which her family saves. After months of carding, spinning and knitting, a lovely knitted afghan is completed. Nikki looks at it and smiles. She has shared her coat to keep her family warm. The children's story is followed by easy how-to-spin instructions, and a yarn sample lets you feel the softness of the yarn. Illustrated, 64 pgs.

HOW TO BE OWNED BY AN ANTIQUE SPINNING WHEEL:  A practical guide $21.25 (Peter H. Fowler) Mr. Fowler says, "This book is for someone who would like the experience of owning, or being owned by, an antique spinning machine. It's not how to spin, it's not a manual on how to do major repairs and restoration. It's an introduction to being one with a remote ancestress...." Lots of history, endless old photos of spinning wheels and the women who owned them, bits of information on how old wheels were made and how to keep yours in working order.This book will touch your heart ! Chapters include: A brief history of spinning, Spinning Machines, Caveat emptor, Old or very old, Identifying spindle wheels. Identifying flyer wheels, Repair and restoration, Making your wheel work, Accessories, Spinning in company, World Tour, Resources. Expanded 2nd edition. 96 pgs.

IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING: A Handspinner's Guide to Wool $26.50  (Nola & Jane Fournier) bk150I How do you choose the wool type best suited for your project? What are its properties besides the obvious ones, and how should you prepare your choice for your project? Here's your reference! Photos, specs, and suggestions for each wool type - finewool, longwool, downwool, and crossbred - enable you to make educated choices and produce predictable results. 240 pgs.  

KNITTING WITH DOG HAIR $14.50 (Crolius & Montgomery) bk278S A woof to warp guide for dog owners who want to make something soft and fuzzy from their pet's coat. You'll very likely find your dog, and the characteristics of his coat, in the entertaining list of breeds. Along with how-to instructions for collecting, carding, spinning, and knitting, you'll find a list of shops which carry the equipment and supplies you'll need. There's also a list of spinners for those who would rather hire someone than do their own spinning. 96 pgs.

LEARN TO SPIN $3.25 (Ashford) bk547cp This is the booklet that comes with Ashford spinning wheels. Photographs and written instructions take the beginner through carding and spinning. 12 pgs.

LEARN TO SPIN SILK on a Top Whorl Spindle $11.00 (Ruth MacGregor) bk625u  Have you dreamed of silken yarns, their moonlight shimmer cool and fresh in your imagination? Have you admired the glow of prepared silk fibers and felt your hands yearning to touch them? Have you wanted to learn to spin, but been put off by the thought of handling wool or fuzzy yarns? Yearn no more - The answer is here. This booklet will teach you to spin silk. From the first page to the last, the focus here is completely silken: what silk is, what it wants from you, and how to get what you want from it. 38 pgs.

PUTTING ON THE DOG $5.75 (Carol Kroll) This handbook gives the basics of how to spin as well as provides information on spinning the hair of man's best friend. 29 pgs.

SMALL UPRIGHT SPINNING WHEEL CONSTRUCTION MANUAL $8.95 (Schneider) bk228G Measured drawings, photographs and detailed step-by-step instructions guide you in building this charming and portable spinning wheel. Lathe is needed. 58 pgs.

SOCKS: A SpinOff Publication for Spinners and Knitters $13.50 bk548I Socks are a portable project that can be as easy or challenging as you choose. Socks are small, so you'll get them done! Here are 20 different handspun, handknit socks with notes on spinning, knitting techniques, and commercial yarn substitutions. How about merino/silk lace stockings? Or felted hot socks? Use leftover yarn, make a spiral rib, soften them up with angora....... and the list goes on. If you like making socks, you'll want this book. 56 pgs.

SPIN IT: Making Yarn from Scratch $13.50 (Lee Raven) This little book will teach you all you want to know about handspindles and how to use them to make your very own yarn. Designed to appeal to the beginning spinner, tips and hints are provided that illustrate how easy, enjoyable, and relaxing spinning can be. Handspindles are the simple tools that help you to turn wool into yarn: from a potato on a stick to beautiful handcrafted wood spindles and new-age titanium spindles with CD whorls. Included are complete instructions for five simple, appealing projects: a woven scarf, a knitted bunny bag, a spiral-knit baby hat, knitted fingerless mittens, and a crocheted felted brimmed hat. Once you begin spinning on a handspindle, you won't want to stop - - it's soothing, portable, and mesmerizing. Paperback, 32 pgs, 20 color photos, 40 color illustrations.

SPINDLE SPINNING from Novice to Expert $15.25 (Connie Delaney) Leads you, with the humor and skill of a patient teacher, from your first day to fine silk thread. Shows you the best nethods for all types of spindles - top whorl to Navajo - even how to make your own! Includes wool preparation, detailed and illustrated instructions for basic skills, plus more advanced techniques for plying, winding on, wrist distaffs, skein-making, and improving speed. 80 pgs.

SPIN-OFF MAGAZINE $8.95 (back issues through 2004: $7.95) This is the magazine for spinners! It's like having a support group, plus a teacher, in your spinning basket. Confused or tangled? SpinOff has columns and articles for beginners. Spinning fine or exotic yarns or looking for new challenges? SpinOff offers ideas, approaches and special projects. We stock all currently available issues. Published quarterly.

SPIN, SPAN, SPUN $11.00 (Betty Hochberg) bk009c Fact and folklore. Historical, biblical, fictional, mythological and biological references to spinners, spinning, wool, cotton, flax, spinning wheels and spinning. 66 pgs.

SPIN YARN ON A SPINDLE $3.50 each 10/$20.00 (Detta Juusola) bk002w How to spin wool or dog hair into yarn with the simplest of equipment. With only a pair of dog slicker brushes, a chopstick, and a potato, you can spin yarn! Instructions from How Nikki Shared Her Coat are bound into this booklet which is ideal for introducing your Scout or 4H group to spinning. 8 pgs.

THE SPINNER'S COMPANION $21.25 (Bobbie Irwin) A quick reference for spinners! Use this book as a resource and a guide - it's the tool to turn to when you have questions about spinning. What is a nostepinne? How do you ret flax? What is the usual micron count of Meriono? How do you prevent silverfish from infesting your wool stash? What do you do when you can't find the end of the fine yarn on your bobbin? How do you degum silk? How do you use Russian paddle combs. What fibers are stronger when wet? Plus - - wool characteristics, Bradford count and micron count charts, how to wash wool, how to reel silk, how to find spinning chat rooms on the internet, and much more. It's all here, in a study spiral-bound form to travel in your spinning bag! 111 pgs.

SPINNING DESIGNER YARNS   $18.50 (Diane Varney)  Few things are as satisfying as creating the perfect yarn for a special project. Spinning Designer Yarns leads spinners into the world of super-soft luxury fibers, textured effects, and the dyepot's miracles. Learn to apply dye to fibers in new and exciting ways, predict how novelty yarns will look in finished fabrics, blend fibers for color and texture effect, - - and your weaving, knitting, and crocheting. Corespun, boucle, snarl, knotted, and tufted yarns will become part of your spinning repertoire, and you'll rediscover the excitement of spinning all over again. 96 pgs.

SPINNING IN THE OLD WAY: How (and why) to make your own yarn with a high-whorl handspindle  $16.50 (Priscilla Gibson-Roberts)  Loose fibers become yarn because of twist, which holds them together. A bunch of loose fibers will fall apart if you pull on their ends. Just by adding twist, you can create yarn that is sturdy enough to be knitted or woven into fabric. What's remarkable is that you can spin perfect yarn with simple, inexpensive tools. All you need is a high-whorl handspindle, unspun fiber, a few yards of leftover knitting yarn, and the gentle guidance of master spinner Priscilla Gibson-Roberts. "Spinning in the Old Way" will teach you everything you need to know about this ancient and inspiring craft. Clear descriptions, easy reading, and line drawings cover: In praise of the high-whorl spindle; getting started; spindles and supplimentary tools; fibers and fiber preparation; spinning technques; singles, plies, and cables; finishing your yarn; suppliers; suggested reading. 176 pgs.

SPINNING LLAMA & ALPACA $15.25 (Chris Switzer) Along with real samples of the fiber for you to touch and see, this most informative book has sections on fiber identification and characteristics, cleaning and collecting, shearing, wool preparation, blending, dyeing, spinning, projects, marketing, wool storage.  Second Edition 50 pgs.

SPINNING WHEELS AND ACCESSORIES: A Schiffer Book for Collectors, with price guide $62.50 (David Pennington & Michael Taylor) Collectors of spinning wheels, antique dealers, and lovers of textile tools will be excited that Pennington and Taylor are back with another great book about spinning wheels, including over 350 color photos to go with their painstaking research. Their emphasis remains the American spinning wheel from 1775-1900, and they have substantial sections on fancy European wheels as well and the various accessories that textile tool collectors crave. Special sections on Shaker wheels, patent wheels, famous makers, as well as extensive coverage of chair wheels, Irish castle wheels, double flyer wheels, and an appendix with over 1000 makers and their marks are highlights that collectors and dealers will treasure. The pieces shown in this book are all from private collections, so it gives the buyer access to pieces never seen before, including some European fancies that have sold for over $25,000. Hardcover, 224 pgs.

The Twisted Sisters Sock Workbook Dyeing, Painting, Spinning, Designing, Knitting (Lynne Vogel)  The title gives a big clue: this book is about sisterhood, sharing, crafting, giving, laughing. It's also about spinning yarn and making socks - glorious, zany, wildly colorful yarn for perfect-fitting socks. The Twisted Sisters Sock Workbook has it all - techniques, patterns, invaluable tips - for creating authentic, perfect, made-to-order footwear. Even socks for new babies or socks with ten toes. 96 pgs. $20.50

WEAVING, SPINNING AND DYEING BOOK $46.95 (Rachel Brown) bk161G This book is big and full of information on spinning and weaving with clear step-by-step directions and illustrations. Virtually every kind of loom, from inexpensive primitive looms to more conventional treadle looms, is explained, some with building instructions. You'll learn about:
Weaving methods and tools. Designing and finishing techniques. Spinning, from choosing a fleece through cleaning, carding, spinning on handspindles and wheels. Dyeing, with natural and synthetic dyes. Design and color. More than 50 weaving projects. Pricing your work and selling it. Sources of suppliers for everything in the book! 366 pgs.

THE WHOLE CRAFT OF SPINNING $8.25 (Carol Kroll) bk002D The title says it all! This inexpensive book is packed with information and clear drawings. A good beginners book. 48 pgs.

THE FOLLOWING BOOKS ARE OUT OF PRINT; no copies available
Angora: A Handbook for Spinners (Erica Lynne)
A Book of Spinning Wheels (Joan Whittaker Cummings)  
The Care and Feeding of Spinning Wheels  (Karen Pauli)
Cashmere: A Complete Guide from Fibre to Fashion (Sue Meech)
Handspinning (Eliza Leadbeater)
Linen: Handspinning and Weaving  (Patricia Baines)
Mabel Ross' books
Merino - Handspinning, Dyeing and Working with Merino and Superfine Wools (Margaret Stove)  
Spinning and Spinning Wheels (Leadbeater)
Spinning Wheels: Spinners and Spinning (Patricia Baines)
Spinning Wool Beyond the Basics (Anne Field)