| Spin Dye Stitch How to Create and Use Your Own Yarns |
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| Written by Barbara Rottman | |||
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Title: Spin Dye Stitch How to Create and Use Your Own Yarn
Knitters have widely embraced working with hand dyed and handspun yarns. Fascinated by these beautiful yarns, many knitters are expanding their interests to include spinning and dyeing. In one compact volume, Jennifer Claydon introduces the arts of spinning and dyeing in such an “I can do that” style just right for beginners. Instructions for 10 clever projects provide inspiration for using your handcrafted yarns. This book provides clear instructions, lots of photos and step-by-step instructions to guide beginners through what might be otherwise confusing processes. Jennifer’s straightforward presentation makes spinning and dyeing seem simple, but the artisanal results are far from “made at my kitchen table”. For beginners, this book provides a solid introduction and enough detail to complete skillful first projects. With success and more skill, budding spinners can refer to the resources that Jennifer recommends to continue to grow in their craft.
What Yarns does it Feature? This book is intended to help the adventurous knitter create their own yarn, either by spinning from raw fiber and dyeing it, by dyeing commercial yarn or even over-dyeing a yarn in your stash.
What’s Inside? Spin Dye Stitch is a general survey in creating and using yarns. This book gives an overview of common approaches to these crafts, with encouragement to try them on your own. Novices are introduced to the drop spindle, traditional wheel or modern wheel methods of spinning. Guidance is given for dyeing fiber, roving and yarn on the stove, in the microwave or in a crock pot. There are 10 contemporary patterns for using handspun yarns in simple projects. You’ll find a hat, scarf, wristlets, sampler blanket, plus woven, felted and needle-felted projects. The patterns feature instructions for new techniques like simple weaving, drop stitch weaving, couching and needle felting. For further inspiration, there’s a gallery of handspun yarns photographed alongside the unspun fibers. Throughout, Jennifer inserts notes, “fixes” and tips to eliminate confusion and undo problems that might occur in learning a new craft.
Using It Spin Dye Stitch is organized in a logical format, starting with an introduction to materials and tools needed to get started. Clear step-by-step instructions are supplemented by superb photography. The section on dyeing is notable. Each process step for single and multiple-color dyeing is described in detail with illustrative photos and helpful tips. The instructions proceed from materials and tools, to preparing fibers for dyeing, then dyeing, and rinsing and drying fiber. Jennifer shows you how to dye fibers or yarn using the stove top, microwave, or crock pot. There’s even a section on handpainting roving. Best Pattern (or Best Advice) The photo gallery displaying handspun yarns alongside their un-spun fibers is a terrific reference for novices or anyone interested in purchasing handspun or hand dyed yarns. Fiber content and contact information for the spinners who created these beautiful yarns are provided. The high definition photos show the yarns and fibers in minute detail – you can almost feel the yarn. These yarns show the wide range of color and texture that can be achieved in spinning and dyeing your own yarns.
Recommendation Whether you choose to spin, dye or just want to be more knowledgeable about the process of hand spinning and dyeing, you will find this book a trove of practical and useful information. This book is a valuable resource guide for anyone interested in exploring fiber arts. It rates a #9.
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