Book Review: Hand Spinning

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

Next Pattern:

Blankets are a great blank slate project that you can change up in a million different ways. From color to stitch pattern to size, the possibilities are almost endless.

Jared Flood, the designer behind Brooklyn Tweed, was inspired by a log cabin quilt his mother made in 1995 to re-create that design in knitting, which led to more blankets and ultimate Brooklyn Tweed’s Knit and Crochet Blankets, which includes 25 patterns from an array of designers using different skills and techniques to make cozy, pretty blankets.

The patterns are divided into three aesthetic themes: traditions, minimalism and colorplay. The patterns are rated on a scale of one to five, with one being the easiest, and there aren’t any pieces rated five. Two blankets are rated one, 14 are two, eight are three and one is four.

In addition, three of the 25 patterns are crocheted, but they either use single crochet or granny stitch, so they are pretty easy even if you don’t do a lot of crochet. You can see all the patterns on Ravelry.

Some of my favorites include Rattan by Rastus Hsu, a chunky blanket worked in knits and purls with simple crossing stitches to make a raised woven look; Homewood by Seth Richardson, covers in dramatic, loopy cables; Ainur Berkimbayeva’s Tessellate, one of the beginner projects that doesn’t really look beginner but is totally worked in knit and purl stitches; Warp + Weft by Aist? Butkevi?ien?, which is mostly knits and purls but makes a fun woven look fabric that blew my mind a little bit; and the same designer’s Canyonland, a multicolored blanket with wavy stripes.

The patterns tell you how to resize them for different dimensions and include information on pattern repeats where it is possible to make a totally custom size.

Many different techniques are included here such as cables, lace, shadow knitting, intarsia and other colorwork techniques, as well as modular knitting and lots of sewing pieces together. The patterns are all presented with charts, but there are line by line written instructions available on the Brooklyn Tweed website if you need them.

The book ends with a deep dive into log cabin knitting, telling the story of the quilt Jared’s mom made and how he made it in knitting, as well as the multitude of variations you can make if you want your own log cabin style design.

The back of the book includes a little written information about some of the special techniques needed, but there are no photos.

This is a lovely book full of inspiration for knitting and crochet blankets for any skill level. If you like to make blankets as gifts or aspire to have a handmade blanket in every room of the house, these designs would be a great place to start.

About the book: 192 pages, paperback, 25 patterns. Published 2024 by Abrams Books, suggested retail price $24.99.

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