Teach Yourself VISUALLY Handspinning

by MacKenzie McCuin, Judith

• ISBN13: 9780470098455
• ISBN10: 0470098457
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2007-04-23
• Publisher: Visual

Summary

With its soothing, meditative effect, handspinning is a relaxing hobby, and the beautiful yarns you create are an even better reward. This visual guide shows you the basics, beginning with the tools and fibers, and takes you through spinning, plying, making novelty yarns, using exotic fibers, dyeing, and more. Whether you use an inexpensive hand spindle or splurge on a spinning wheel, stick with wool or try alpaca, cashmere, or cotton, you'll learn how to create fun, original, one-of-a-kind yarns that you can knit or weave into truly unique, handmade, and all-natural creations. Concise two-page lessons show you all the steps to a skill and are ideal for quick review The skill demonstrated is defined and described Detailed color photos demonstrate each step Step-by-step instructions accompany each photo Helpful tips provide additional guidance

Author Biography

JUDITH MACKENZIE McCUIN is a nationally known master weaver, spinner, and fiber artist. She teaches handspinning, weaving, knitting, and dyeing around the country, and has led textile tours in Europe and Asia. Her articles are regularly featured in Spin-Off magazine.

Table of Contents

Why Spin? Why We Spun Then

Why We Spin Now

Spinning Tools

Hand Spindles

Spinning Wheels

Spinning Wheel Accessories

Maintain Your Wheel

Processing Tools

Spinning Fibers

Types of Fibers

Protein Fibers

Cellulose Fibers

Specialty Fibers

Start a Stash

Prepare the Fiber

Start Spinning

A Spinner's Hands

Spin on a Hand Spindle

Spin on a Wheel

Troubleshooting

Types of Spinning

Worsted Spinning

Woolen Spinning

Spin a Slub Yarn

Draft a Bouclé Yarn

Finish Your Yarn

Ply Your Yarn

Why Ply?Prepare to Ply

Make a Two-Ply

Make a Three-Ply

Troubleshooting

Make a Cabled Yarn

What Is a Cabled Yarn?Why Cable?Cable with a Hand Spindle

Cable with a Spinning Wheel

Different Types of Cables

Troubleshooting

Spin Novelty Yarns

What Is a Novelty Yarn?Color Variations

Textured Yarns

Boucl's

Garnetted Yarns

Encased Yarns

Spin Exotic Fibers

Alpaca and Llama

Angora Rabbit

Bast Fibers: Flax, Hemp, and Ramie

Cotton

Down Fibers: Camel, Dog Hair, and Cashmere

Goat Fibers: Mohair and Pygora (Type A)

Silk: Cultivated, Tussah, and Novelties

Wild Fibers: Bison and Qiviut

Spin with Color

Introduction to Dyes

Set Up a Dye Space

Prepare the Fiber for Dyeing

Color in the Dye Pot

Novelty Dye Techniques

Spin for Color

Spin Carded Color

Use Your Handspun

Knit with Handspun

Weave with Handspun

The Spinning Community

Spinning Reference Materials

Glossary of Handspinning Terms

Index

Table of Contents provided by Publisher. All Rights Reserved.