Customer Reviews

Fiber Gathering: Knit, Crochet, Spin, and Dye More than 25 Projects Inspired by America's Festivals

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I really love this book, because it has wonderful photos of sheep and people and booths taken at the nation's major fiber festivals (e.g., Maryland Sheep and Wool), many great projects (for example, the Evergreen lace shawl, which I plan to knit), and lots of useful information (like how to wash a fleece, or start your own fiber gathering).

A preview of most of the projects is available on Ravelry (for the link, see Joanne's 3/2/09 blog post below on What I Did This Weekend). Be warned, the preview will make you want to buy the book!

Fiber Gathering is a beautifully written snapshot of the phenomena known as the fiber festival in the United States. The reader is taken on a tour of 11 of America's greatest fiber festivals. Organized by region, it's an insightful look at what makes each of these festivals unique and cause for celebration.

Sensory images leap from the written descriptions. Ms. Seiff sets the scene so well that I felt I had traveled along to enjoy the unique vendor offerings, taste the food, listen to the performers, and smell the wool.

I think what makes this book unique is the fact that not only did the author actually visit and experience each festival first hand (many for the first time), she is a passionate fiber enthusiast and it comes through joyously in her written words. Jeff Marcus, her husband, accompanied her to the festivals and contributes a compelling photographic record of the journey.

Sidebar articles appear in each chapter detailing the processes and techniques often demonstrated at fiber festivals.

The book also contains more than 25 actual projects ranging from simple fingerless gloves to an intricate shawl. The cover appears to focus on these projects (which are all wonderful) but I believe the festival overviews are the essence and true delight of the book.

The rich tradition of regional fiber festivals is highlighted in her collection of narratives. She captures the spirit of why we gather and the layers of enjoyment one gets from attending such a festival: buying unique, one-of-a-kind materials, visiting with friends, and immersing oneself in the creative energy that only a gathering of fiber enthusiasts can create.

I'm so impressed with the quality of this book and the story it tells. It captures and documents the state of the fiber festival in the first decade of the 21st century. I can't help but imagine fiber enthusiasts 50 or 100 years from now pouring over the pages and marveling at the rich history we currently live.

I have loved fiber (knitting and crochet) for a long time but have recently taken up handspinning as well. I am almost entirely self-taught, so good books are priceless for continuing my education. Fiber Gathering definitely fits the bill! This book provides everything I would expect from a pattern book, including beautiful but useful pictures for viewing the product and clear directions for making one for myself. It also includes directions for projects that can take fiber art to the next level...how to dye fiber and basic spinning instructions, for example. And to top it off, the basic premise of the book, combined with artfully arranged photos and a thoughtful narrative, provides ample inspiration for approaching fiber art from different directions, both geographically and culturally. I recently attended my first fiber festival, a small regional event, and took my copy of Fiber Gathering with me to read in the car. It provided the knowledge (and courage) needed to purchase and process my very first raw fleece. I will surely use this book as reference and for inspiration for years.

Joanne Seiff has produced a very readable, colorful and knowledgeable introduction to the basics of fiber art from sheep shearing, to processing fleeces, to yarn dying, to how to start spinning your own yarn. This book inspired me to learn to spin. Spinning is not difficult, it saves money and it is as relaxing as knitting.

I love this book. As an avid traveler and a fiber fanatic, I enjoyed every bit of this book. The author takes you on a tour of fiber festivals around America, and provides a sampling of projects to make with the materials available at each festival. I wish I could visit all of the events featured in this book, but that's just impossible. I am glad to have this book to give me a taste of what's going on around the US. The projects have a down-home feeling that I found very appealing. Instead of trendy, high-fashion garments, the book is full of comfortable, relaxed, yet still fashionable pieces. There are home dec projects as well. Even if you don't intend to make any of the projects yourself, you will find inspiration for your own creations in these pages. A wonderful addition to any fiber-enthusiast's library.

Fiber Gathering is a wonderful fiber resource. It provides knowledge of the major fiber festivals across the country, accompanied by beautiful photography. The book is half travel guide and half fiber projects, blending together so that you get the very most out of your purchase. There are instructions for spinning yarn and dyeing yarn, laid out so that even a beginner can understand.

And the variety of projects aren't limited to one fiber art. Some projects are designed to be used with hand spun yarn. There is a beautiful crocheted mock cable sweater, along with a rug hooking project! Fiber is utilized to its fullest potential in this book, and is a terrific resource for any spinner, knitter, or crocheter! (And there's even a yummy recipe in the book!)

This book is wonderful, I highly recommend it to everyone. Joanne Seiff has achieved a masterpiece in compiling and writing this book, and I look forward to seeing more of her work.

At 64, I have begun to knit to focus my thoughts and relax. FIBER GATHERING is just what I needed to be introduced to the celebrations, American traditions, and common values of the wider community of knitters. Joanne Seiff writes with warmth and humor and is an excellent teacher.

Joanne does a wonderful job of capturing the heart of several fiber festivals across the country. Each chapter features knitting patterns which range from beginner to advanced. I highly recommend her book.

Beautifully photographed, with great projects, this book makes me want to book my tickets right now to every fiber festival in the US!

This book was a plesant surprise. It covers a number of fiber arts that I am interested in including the various Wool and Sheep festivals. I have wanted to go to the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival for several years. Now I am more determined to go than ever. This is a wonderful book for anyone with a wide range of interest including people new to fiber arts and are not sure where they want to do.