The Handspinner's Companion [Paperback]

Leigh Morris (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 10, 2005

The Handspinner's Companion is very much a "hands on" book, yet it brings together into one book the most comprehensive information ever gathered on hand knitting yarns, handspinning fibres and simple yarn design. Both beginners and experienced spinners alike will appreciate the background information and detailed instructions for using a variety of fibres to create unique yarns.

Product Details

• Paperback: 132 pages
• Publisher: Penfolk Publishing (May 10, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1875894500
• ISBN-13: 978-1875894505
• Product Dimensions: 10.5 x 7.9 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #564,791 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent reference on fiber, yarn and dyeing, January 26, 2012

By 

pae (Montara, CA USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Handspinner's Companion (Paperback)

This book, published in Australia, contains a wealth of essential Information for spinners and is useful for knitters who want to understand yarn as well. Topics covered include an analysis and characteristics of yarns intended for knitters; properties, characteristics, grading, analysis, selection and preparation of fleeces and fiber from common fiber animals; yarn design and spinning methods; washing raw fiber and yarns; knitting with specific yarns; blending of fibers and characteristics to consider; plying methods for various numbers of plies, colors, special effects and variations; and color and dyeing principles and methods for fiber and yarn. Specific fibers discussed include alpaca, angora, cashmere, cashgora, cotton, flax, mohair, silk and wool. It even details exactly how to fasten line flax to a distaff for spinning. Illustrations are line art, and tables summarize comparison data.

All the material is very clearly and concisely presented, mainly in outline form, making it easy to read and reference, unique in books of this type. There is a six page Table of Contents, making the content very easy to find. The book has one glitch in the printing: the lower case "w" in the italic subhead font did not print, but left a blank space wherever it should be. Once the reader realizes that the missing character is a "w" it becomes less distracting.

Thie Handspinner's Companion is a book that would be well used in any spinner's library, a go-to resource to be referenced time and again, full of practical information, and ageless. I highly recommend it!