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Book Review: Hand Spinning

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I don’t have a lot of experience with spinning yarn, and I don’t really think you could learn it from a book. There are so many variables and the learning curve is so much lower if someone who knows what they’re doing can watch you and guide you along the way (especially when it comes to spinning with a wheel).

So I wouldn’t say that you can learn to spin form Pam Austin’s book Hand Spinning: Essential Technical and Creative Skills, but looking through and reading this book might inspire you to want to try.

It covers the basics of learning to spin with a drop spindle (which you maybe could figure out with a book, and perhaps a video to reinforce the basics), spinning wheel or e-spinner, different spinning techniques, how to choose a good fleece and prepare fiber for spinning, an overview of other fibers for spinning beyond wool and plying and finishing yarn.

It also delves into using color and dyeing yarn and methods for changing the structure of yarn and making different textures.

This book provides basic instructions and lots of photos that will inspire knitters who haven’t gotten into spinning yet to learn more about it. For people who already know the basics of spinning, this book might inspire them to try different techniques, delve into dyeing or try a different method for preparing fiber before spinning.

As someone who doesn’t really spin (I took a class on a drop spindle more than a decade ago and I own an e-spinner that’s still in the box) I found this book a little intimidating, but I think that might have been the way it was organized not so much that the information isn’t good. For example it talks about getting proper tension on a wheel before it talks about the parts of a wheel, so it can be hard to imagine how a wheel works if you haven’t already used one.

Still, for pure inspiration and getting knitters fired up to learn more about spinning, this is a good book. Spinners who already have some experience but want to improve their skills or try something new are sure to enjoy it, too.

About the book: 144 pages, paperback. Published 2023 by The Crowood Press. Suggested retail price $36.99

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Add a Little Lace to Your Knitting Patterns

If you’re new to lace knitting or just aren’t sure how to incorporate the technique into garments, check out these tops and sweaters that use lace as a decorative element.

The easiest lace out there is eyelets, and you can practice them plenty with this eyelet covered sweater from Knitcro Addict. It uses light/DK weight yarn and is worked in four pieces knit flat. It’s intended to be a little cropped and a little oversized, and includes sizes XS to XXL in the pattern.

If you’re in parts of the world where it’s getting colder as you read this, the Nora sweater from Bummbul might be a good choice. This is actually a great one for learning lace because it’s worked in super bulky yarn, which makes it easier to see what you’re doing and makes the lace super graphic. This one just comes in one size, with a 42 inch (106) cm bust, but that could fit a variety of people depending on how much ease you like.

Minimi Knit Design has a cute allover lace cardigan worked in one piece from the bottom up. It’s worked in lace weight mohair held double, which maybe isn’t the best for those new to lace (because it can be hard to rip out) but it sure is pretty. Sizes range to fit from 30 to 66 inches/76 to 168 cm bust measurements.

If you’d rather not have lace all over your sweater, you can knit the Lumi sweater from Originally Lovely, which has a chevron lace pattern on the yoke and is otherwise worked in reverse stockinette stitch. (It’s worked inside out so you don’t have to purl every stitch.) The pattern has 9 sizes from XS to 5XL and uses worsted weight yarn.

Or try the super romantic sookie blouse from Trust the mojo (available on Ravelry). This sweet top is started working flat from the bottom up and has a V-neck and I-cord edgings. The sleeves are worked separately in the round, and the pieces are all joined together to work in one piece to finish off the top. It comes in eight sizes and is available in English and French.

You can also pair lacy sleeves with an otherwise plain top, like on the Starflower Wrap from Annelise Driscoll Gingrow. This intermediate pattern makes a wrap sweater with generous lacy sleeves and a double wrap belt. The pattern has nine sizes, from XS to 5XL, and is available for free from Hobbi.