Knitting

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The Intentional Spinner by Judith MacKenzie McCuin

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intentional

 Attention spinners! If you are interested in exploring the infinite possibilities of making your own yarns, veteran spinner and teacher Judith MacKenzie McCuin offers insight, understanding, and invaluable information about your craft in The Intentional Spinner.The Intentional Spinner is a compendium of spinning wisdom, with a fun blend of technical knowledge, history, tips, and gently opinionated narrative. Yarn making is approached in three fundamental areas.

  • Understanding Fibers: Compare the rich historic traditions of plant and animal fibers with the fascinating scientific advances in synthesizing fibers.
  • Managing Yarn Structure: step-by-step instructions and photographs demonstrate the range of possibilities in yarn, from sturdy plied yarns to playful novelty yarns.
  • Practical Uses: learn how to make yarns that precisely match your needs with decision making and planning to create the exact project you want from the beginning.

The Intentional Spinner also includes four projects that demonstrate how handspun can be used in weaving and knitting. The projects explain how to choose material, techniques, and finish the processes.

Blending technical expertise and fascinating lore, The Intentional Spinner is a must-read for every spinner.

Who wants this book? I’ve got one copy to give away, leave a comment telling me why you wanted to start spinning!

 

Comments

  1. Ooo! Because I just got an Ashford Traveller and I desperately need more educational resources! I don’t even have one book, let alone this cool one. 😉 *wink wink* This looks like a great read.

  3. I started spinning because i fell in love with knitting and wanted to learn every aspect! (from shearing, dying, spinning) I still feel like i am learning and plan to seek someone out to try and fine tune things this winter! But a resource book would be wonderful!

  4. When I learn something new I usually jump into the deep end and either drown or come up sputtering. I’m just learning to spin with spindles, and hope to move to a wheel. Maybe this book would be like a life preserver? I hpe so!

  5. I always wanted a spinning wheel and my brother knew this. So when the old lady living near him was down sizing, with a beautiful spinning wheel to sell, he bought it as a gift for me as a thank you for my help with my disabled sister in law (now deceased )So I am now in possession of this beautiful machine and can’t use it yet.

    Thank you

    Jean Cly

  6. I always wanted a spinning wheel and my brother knew this. So when the old lady living near him was down sizing, with a beautiful spinning wheel to sell, he bought it as a gift for me as a thank you for my help with my disabled sister in law (now deceased )So I am now in possession of this beautiful machine and can’t use it yet.

    Thank you

    Jean Clay

  7. I have been fascinated with spinning ever since I learned to knit and crochet. Plus, I just found a local source for natural fibers that I could spin myself. This would be a great resource!

  8. I learned to use a drop spindle because a wonderful friend kept pushing and pushing until I finally gave in. Of course I knew part of the motive was all the roving for sale in the shop, but I’m still glad I learned.

  9. I am interested in that book because of friend of mine is a farmer and she doesnt know how to use sheep wool practically. so together we can learn something useful and new.

Have you read?

Knit a Classic Aran Cardigan with this Free Knitting Pattern

Not too long ago I did a test knit for another designer that was for a cabled cardigan. It’s really cozy and nice but it just about broke me in a ton of different ways. I couldn’t get gauge, which I suppose is my own problem, but mainly I was somehow both bored and forced to pay attention at the same time. 

Because it used the same cable all over, I always had to know what row I was on, but nine out of ten of those rows, nothing in particular was going on. So I couldn’t stop paying attention, but what I needed to attend to was boring. 

It may have ruined me for knitting cabled sweaters, but maybe I just need something that’s more engaging. Like this Modern Aran Cardigan pattern from Lion Brand Yarn. 

This is a reworking of an old pattern from their archives, and you can tell that form the classic look of the cables and the oversized feel (nothing cropped about this one!). It has allover cables, but like a classic Aran sweater it’s not the same cable, so you’ll have to pay attention to what row you’re on and what cable turns happen for which cables on that row. 

Because of this, it’s considered an intermediate knitting pattern, but if you’re comfortable working from multiple charts at once it shouldn’t be a problem for you. There are three different charts and seven different cable moves. 

Also because the pattern is so big and boxy there are only two sizes available, with a finished chest measurement of either 49 or 63 inches (that’s 124.5 or 160 cm). It’s up to you to decide how much ease you would like and whether that will work for your body. 

The pattern uses worsted weight yarn (and calls for another classic, Lion Brand Fisherman’s Wool). It calls for six buttons and includes pockets to make it extra cozy. 

This one looks like a great winter project to make and to wear if you’re up for a bit of a challenge. You can grab the free pattern or buy a kit with the yarn needed direct from Lion Brand Yarn. 

[Photo: Lion Brand Yarn]