Spinning Wool: Beyond the basics [Paperback]

Anne Field (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 12, 2002

Spinning has changed since its upsurge in popularity some 15 or 20 years ago. Spinners want to know more than how to spin an adequate yarn; they want to know how to extend the range of yarns they can produce, what is happening as they spin, and something about the raw materials they turn into yarn. Spinning wheel manufacturers are responding to the more inquiring spinner by making wheels that can spin a wider range of yarns. But spinning books have not fully catered to this need for more detailed information. And spinners still rely on farming manuals and books by wool-classers for knowledge about wool, because little has been written from a spinner s point of view. This book is intended for spinners who have mastered the basic spinning techniques explored in Anne Field's Ashford Book of Spinning. It builds on those basics to further extend spinning techniques, to teach spinners to analyze fleeces with their end purpose in mind, and to help them get the best out of their spinning wheels. The first two chapters cover wool in detail, with many examples of fleece types from all over the world. Next, the functions of bobbin and flyer wheels are discussed in detail, and how to make the most of each wheel type. In the yarn design section, spinners are taken step-by-step through the process of spinning yarns of a pre-determined size and twist count, with this knowledge related back to the properties of the chosen fleece. There are detailed explanations of different spinning methods. Yarn on its own cannot achieve much; it needs to be knitted or woven into garments, rugs or fabrics. The book includes woven and knitted projects that suggest suitable and uses for handspun yarn. Spinning Wool: Beyond the Basics is an essential addition to the library of all spinners who want to get the best out of their craft.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Is 15 years a long enough time period to warrant a revision-update of a classic how-to-spin-part-two book? Though sheep don�t change much in a decade and a half, equipment does, as do clothing styles and trends. So New Zealand weaver-spinner Field (The Ashford Book of Spinning, 1987) builds on her initial book, adding color photographs (especially important when differentiating between and among Romneys or Merinos or Lincolns), updating equipment types, and featuring 10 projects with flair enough for contemporary stitchers. What doesn�t change? The wealth of information packed into the narrative and sidebars, from an enumeration of the properties of wool and the advantages and disadvantages of sheep coats to clear notes about the appropriate uses of various fleeces. Best yet is Field�s sense of humor. Who could argue with �Analyzing a fleece is rather like following the clues in a detective novel?� Classification of New Zealand wools, wool analysis chart, drive ratio and twists per inches, and spinning to match the crimp are appended. --Barbara Jacobs --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

About the Author

Anne Field has been a weaver and spinner for more than 45 years whose work has been exhibited in many countries. She is an international teacher and the author of more than six books, including The Ashford Book of Spinning, Collapse Weave, Devore, and Spinning Wool: Beyond the Basics.

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 156 pages
• Publisher: Shoal Bay Press (December 12, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0908704275
• ISBN-13: 978-0908704279
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 7.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,575,068 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Get it, December 2, 2010

By 

M. Smith (Michigan) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Spinning Wool: Beyond the Basics (Paperback)

This is the book that first got me interested in all of the sheep breeds and how their wools differ from each other. I was a knitter who thought wool was wool was wool except for Merino. Then I took up spinning and read this book and I was off and running. I now collect wool from every sheep I can and spin the in as many ways as I can. This book was my jumping off point for my 10 year obsession. Out of print for a long time, now it's back. if this book isn't in your spinning library it needs to get there pronto even if you never have any intention of touching a raw fleece.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Yarn design is presented with step-by-step instructions and photos of the spinning process as a whole, January 20, 2011

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Spinning Wool: Beyond the Basics (Paperback)

Spinning Wool: Beyond the Basics appears in a fine revised guide to all spinners who want to move to the next level in their work. It's now in full color and goes beyond basics in teaching spinner how to analyze fleeces and get the most out of a spinning wheel. Yarn design is presented with step-by-step instructions and photos of the spinning process as a whole.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What a treasure, June 7, 2011

By 

Teresa Hubbard (Huddleston, VA, US) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Spinning Wool: Beyond the Basics (Paperback)

Spinning Wool Beyond the Basics is the best spinning reference I have ever seen. I am not a novice, but having this book when I first began to spin would have been a God send. Even now, I seem to learn something from nearly every page. If I could recommend one book to every spinner, no matter what the skill level, it would be Spinning Wool, Beyond the Basics. This book is worth much more than the cost.