Review: The Spinner’s Book of Yarn Design, Techniques for Creating 80 Yarns

The Spinner’s Book of Yarn Design, Techniques for Creating 80 Yarns by Sarah Anderson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

As you know, I don’t often give 5 stars… but this one deserved it and then some!

What a read! I absolutely loved every minute of it! Soooooo much information! So much new stuff I hadn’t known yet. So many things I already knew, but it never hurts to have it all in one place together!

I LOVED THE BOOK!

I think even non-spinners could get a lot of use out of this book, as it really explains fiber and it’s manipulation. Knitters and crocheters, that might not really want to spin their own yarn (although I have no idea why one wouldn’t) will still learn so much about the yarns available to them and how to use them to their full potential!

This is definitely a book any fiber enthusiast should give a try. Spinner, crocheter, knitter, it does not matter. You will fall in love with the wonderfully easily understandable instructions.
Nothing was forgotten or shortened! Everything from the way fiber behaves (drape, crimp etc.) through carding, to the best methode of spinning with projects in mind!
The information given in such an engaging manner and the tutorials/pictures help a great deal to really make the information accessible and easily understandable even to someone that has never spun before!

Well written and (specially if you are a fiber enthusiast) captivating book and personable! I missed my bus-stop, because I was too engrossed in reading it! :)

I wish there were more “user guides”, instruction books like this one!

Thank you so much, Mrs. Anderson, for all this work you did! It is fabulous and greatly appreciate by this fiber-holic!

 

Gunnister Man Pouch Done :)

It’s done! Not “quite” like the original, but I like to think that the original Designer of the pouch would have used what he/she had to finish it, like I did.

I used the yak yarn for the top and when it ran out I went on with the camel. The green is a bit of superwash merino and the medium brown is plain wool. I know the fibres are not really traditional either, but it’s all hand spun and plied on a spindle. I rather think it turned out cute! :)
Hope Christiane likes it as well! Off to spin more yarn for one of these little pouches for me! I think it would be SUCH a cute project pouch for a sock project, no?

The designer of the pattern, Chris Laning,  (pattern chart for free here) is really, really sweet! I emailed her to find out how many yards this pouch needs, but she did not know, neither do I btw, because I forgot to measure! Sorry… I will measure the nest one! I promise! Go ahead and let her know if you are making one of those! Also: Make one of those! They are such fun to knit and so fast done and a great way to use up little bits of handspun yarn and make great little presents, or gift bags!

Handmade friends

I couldn’t help myself. I had to start it. I cast on today for the Gunnister Man Pouch.(pattern for free right here)

I’m sitting here working on it. It’s going to be a little gift of friendship for Xiane.

See those pretty, delicate needles? I have three sets in different sizes. My friend Molly makes them!

I am making it out of hand spun yarn. I spun this yarn myself.  On a spindle, that was handmade by my friend, Xiane. (She also sent the yak fluff I am using for the main body of the bag) Then I plied it on another spindle, that I traded for with another fibre friend of mine, Alice Scholze. The baby camel-fibre, that I am using for the pattern in the little pouch I got as a gift a few years back from a spinning friend in Austria. (the lighter coloured ball in the picture. On the lower picture you can see it still on the spindle) And now I am knitting this handpsun yarn on needles my friend Molly the Metal Smith hand forged in her smithy.

The spindle I spun the yarn on, from Xiane

I must be the most fortunate fibre artist in the world. I have wonderful tools, made by wonderful friends. . I work here, in my little house, feeling so wonderfully connected to you guys and very blessed right now.

Over there, in my stash, sits some more fibre, that Darylann sent me. Just out of the blue. It is waiting patiently to be made into yarn on my handmade spindles and then knitted up on my handmade needles into another one of these pouches.

Is there anything better in this world, then friends?

I want to thank you all. For being here with me. Although you are all over the United States and miles from here physically, I feel surrounded by your love and talent every time I sit down to work!

A fibery kind of day!

I went to see my friend Marge today! It’s always such fun to see her. We usually paint at her studio, but not today. My husband helped her hook up her TV and things.

She gave me a few cookie tins and one of them was full of Kapok fibre! YAYYY! It’s a short staple plant fibre. It comes from the Kapok tree seeds or from the tree itself. (link to learn-y stuff)

It’s SO soft and SO warm!!!! It can’t be spun by itself, since the fibres don’t like to stick together.. maybe blended with something….It smells a bit like camphor! :)  We shall see, if it doesn’t want to spin, then I will fill something with it. It’s hypo-allergenic and biodegradable and knowing my friend it’s organic as well! :)

Look! Doesn't it already look so soft???

Check out how much of it I got! O.O

When I came home, there was a package waiting in front of my house. Squeeeeeeee! A package! :) And it was FOR ME!

Alice  from California Custom Crafts told me she was going to send me some yarn for charity, but

first off I didn’t expect it to come so soon

and second off I didn’t expect it to be so wonderful! Sock yarn! (except the yellow of course! that is something else and will be another hat probably) So pretty colours! Lots of warm people this winter! I have to step up my game to work through all this! :)

Beautiful! I am thinking I will make tiny socks from these! :) for babies that need it!

In the package was also a skein of yarn for me :) YAYYY warm feet for me as well!

And the spindle I am trading with her for! (For my collection) I haven’t sent out my part of the trade, because we wanted to see how her new spinner would work out and then either trade for fibre or yarn…

SPINDLE! :)

and some pretty stitchmarkers! In a pretty little bag!

stitch markers and tiny little hand-shaped charms that say "hand made" :)

DO I HAVE THE BEST FRIENDS EVER, OR WHAT?

Oh what an exciting day! :)

I’m snoopy-dance happy! :) just had to share with all of you! 

New spindle

I have some more news, but wanted to give it it’s own space, not put it in with the daisy salve…

I got a new spindle! From Xiane at Three Ravens! She is going to have a Feature coming up in a bit…. at first I thought I wait until then with telling you all, but I just can’t.

I love this little spindle so much! It spins like a dream! It’s a support/bead spindle and it looks amazing! She also sent me some YAK fibre with it, so I could try it out the minute I got it out of the packaging! And guess what? That is EXACTLY what I did…

I think I let the pictures speak for themselves! I got 62 yards of wonderfully, soft, luxurious laceweight Yak yarn out of the fiber she sent! THANKS XIANE!!!

If you ever wanted a bead spindle: Go get it a Xiane’s! I swear you won’t regret it. I am waiting for her to make more, so I can get another one.

I want one with a bronze bead on it…Yep, She got me single-handedly back into collecting them. I thought I was over it when I lost my collection, but I guess once hooked, you can’t get away…

Ok now. Here are pictures!

Here it is, next to my yard niddy noddy!

this is the wonderful yarn this spindle is capable of spinning! LOVE!!!!

It glitters in the sun!

See? IT'S ALL SPARKLY!!!!

and this little guy was out, so I snapped a picture of him :D (you see him in the first photo)

I did get it with some cotton in mind that I got in an auction on Listia. so off with me, back to spinning! :)