Shannon Okey, "Spin to Knit: The Knitter's Guide to Making Yarn"

Knitters who want new worlds to conquer can reach for this guide to handspinning their own designer yarns. A rundown on equipment introduces the drop spindle, supported spindle, niddy-noddy, McMorran balance, and yarn meter, while the following sections include choosing wool and other fibers, presenting knitting patterns suitable for handspun yarn, and in-depth profiles of real urban spinners.

For crafters who want to experiment with spinning but don't want to sacrifice too much of their knitting time, there are lots of ideas for jazzing up a thrift-store cardigan with handspun trim or knitting a boatneck pullover in a combination of commercial and handspun yarns. Methods for incorporating beads and threads into yarn and a technique for dyeing yarn in the dishwasher are also featured.

From the Back Cover
Take your knitting to a new level with handmade yarn!

With Spin to Knit, you'll learn all the details about fibers, tools, and materials for spinning, and find a substantial selection of simple patterns to knit with that fabulous yarn you've created all on your own.

Don't want to spin a lot of yarn? No problem, you'll find lots of ideas for combining your precious handspun with commercial, mill-spun yarns or for accenting sweaters you already own.

Discover why "lumpy bumpy" yarn is your friend; ways to unlump your yarn; how to control singles, twist, and ply; and ways to incorporate color, beads, and novelties in your spinning.

It's easy—everything you need to create fun, one-of-a-kind designer yarn is right at your fingertips.

Contents

Introduction
 Equipment Overview
 Swift and Ball Winder
 WPI Gauge
 Niddy-noddy
 Yarn Meter
 McMorran Balance
 A Case for Nøstepinne

1 Fiber 101 for Knitters
 Spinning Fiber Types
 Fiber Breed Characteristics
 Fiber Formats
 Sheep to Shawl: Or "What Do I Do with This Bag of Fleece?"
 Carding
  Using Handcards
  Using a Drum Carder

2 Spindles
 Drop Spindles
 Supported Spindles
 Make Your Own CD Spindle
 How to Choose a Spindle
 Make Your Own Spindle Lazy Kate

3 Wheels
 Flyers
 Wheel Types

4 Getting Started
 Before You Spin
 The Basic Mechanics of Spindles and Wheels
  Start Spindling!
  Wheel Spinning
 Common Problems
 Tips and Tricks
 Twisty Dilemmas
 Ply Me a River
  Center-pull Ball
  Andean Plying
  Navajo Plying
  Make Your Own Wrist Distaff
 Finishing Yarn—or "My Niddy-noddy is Full, Now What?"
 "M-O-T-H" and Other Four-letter Words

5 Handspun from a Knitter's Perspective
 Energized Singles
 Taking Your Lumps
 Playing with Plying

6 Color and Other Embellishments
 Color
  Dishwasher Dyeing
 Beads
 Other Objects

7 What to Do with All That Yarn
 Introduction
  Yarn Weight
  Stitch Patterns
 Garter Scarf 1
 Garter Scarf 2
 Faux Fair Isle Raglans
 Profile: Symeon North
 Pippi Socks
 Profile: Angela Ho
 Pythagoras Headband
 Laurabelle Swedish Heart Shrug
 A Yarn Tale: Spinning Notes from Kristen Welsh
 Profile: Holly Klump
 Betsey Bag
 May Day Hat
 Profile: Birkeland Brothers Wool
 Broken Cable Keyhole Scarf
 Power Station Hat
 Profile: Laura Jefferson and Sarah Dunham
 Felted Mammoth Tea Cozy
 Beauty School Dropout Pullover
 Profile: Catherine Goodwin
 Profile: Hatchtown Spindles
 Mojave Socks
 Profile: Elaine Evans
 Orangina Scarf
 Copper Moose Shawl
 Profile: Crystal Canning
 Grow Hat
 Profile: Lexi Boeger
 Star Wristlets
 Profile: Jonathan and Sheila Bosworth
 Firecracker Hat
 Chillicothe
 Profile: Lynne Vogel
 Mind's Eye Hat
 Profile: Sandy Sitzman

Glossary
Resources
Index

Tags: Crafts, Knitting

Matthew Stein, "When Tech...& Planetary Survival"