On a cold afternoon in a cold little town, where everywhere you looked was either the white of snow or the black of soot from chimneys, Annabelle found a box full of yarn of every colour. It seemed like an ordinary box. But it turned out it wasn't.
Discover the satisfying fun of spinning your own yarn! This step-by-step guide shows you how to create 80 distinctive yarn types, from classics like mohair bouclé to novelties like supercoils. Covering the entire spinning process, Sarah Anderson describes the unique architecture of each type of yarn and shares expert techniques for manipulating and combining fibers. Take your crafting to a new level and ensure that you have the best yarn available by spinning it yourself.
Not all yarns are alike. Some make our hearts and hands sing, some get the job done without much fanfare, and some cause nothing but frustration and disappointment. The gorgeous pair of socks that emerged from their first bath twice as long as when they went in. The delicate baby sweater that started pilling before it even came off the needles. The stunning colorwork scarf that you can’t wear because the yarn feels like sandpaper against your neck. If only there were a way to read a skein and know how it would behave and what it wanted to become before you invested your time, energy, and money in it. Now there is! With The Knitter’s Book of Yarn, you’ll learn how to unleash your inner yarn whisperer. In these pages, Clara Parkes provides in-depth insight into a vast selection of yarns, giving you the inside stories behind the most common fiber types, preparations, spins, and ply combinations used by large-scale manufacturers and importers, medium-sized companies, boutique dye shops, community spinneries, and old-fashioned sheep farms. And, because we learn best by doing, Parkes went to some of the most creative and inquisitive design minds of the knitting world to provide a wide assortment of patterns created to highlight the qualities (and minimize the drawbacks) of specific types of yarns. The Knitter’s Book of Yarn will teach you everything you need to know about yarn: How it’s made, who makes it, how it gets to you, and what it longs to become. The next time you pick up a skein, you won’t have to wonder what to do with it. You’ll just know–the way any yarn whisperer would.
Stockinette, ribbing, cables, even the humble yarn over can instantly evoke places, times, people, conversations, all those poignant moments that we've tucked away in our memory banks. Over time, those stitches form a map of our lives. --From the preface In The Yarn Whisperer: Reflections on a Life in Knitting, renowned knitter and author Clara Parkes ponders the roles knitting plays in her life via 22 captivating, poignant, and laugh-out-loud funny essays. Recounting tales of childhood and adulthood, family, friends, adventure, privacy, disappointment, love, and celebration, she hits upon the universal truths that drive knitters to create and explores the ways in which knitting can be looked at as a metaphor for so many other things. Put simply, "No matter how perfect any one sweater may be, it's only human to crave another. And another, and another."
In their bustling New York City yarn shop Julie Carles and Jordana Jacobs—a.k.a. the Yarn Girls—have helped thousands of new and lapsed knitters rediscover the pleasures of knitting. Forget frumpy worsted wools and tiny needles; here are the gorgeous, wearable styles you’ve been looking for, with patterns that knit up so fast even inexperienced knitters can start a project on Saturday and wear it to work Monday morning. Made on big needles (sizes 9 to 36) and with a wide range of the chunky, luxurious new yarns that are now available, they couldn’t be easier to create, or more fun to wear. The Yarn Girls have selected thirty of their most popular basic-but-beautiful projects in a range of must-have styles, from trendy funnel-necks and classic cardigans to sexy tanks. Each project includes pointers to ensure that the finished project will fit properly and look like a million bucks. There are also patterns for creating accessories such as hats and scarves, as well as something for the guys and cozy throws for the home. Each pattern is designed to reinforce the fundamentals of knitting and help tentative knitters gain confidence. Clearly illustrated sections on techniques, plus a glossary and the Yarn Girls’ helpful tips throughout, practically guarantee a successful outcome the very first time.
Presenting a Marvelous Menagerie of Yarn Animals in Every Favorite Technique... Complete with diagrams, patterns and explicit how-to instructions, The Yarn Animal Book, is the most appealing, endearing collection of animal designs yet to be published, and the perfect introduction to popular needlework today. The animals are arranged by technique in six basic categories, a complete list is available online at www.carriestaples.com There are about 100 marvelous designs and variations presented. From the huggable rya orangutan to the crocheted walrus, complete with crocheted tusks, from the crewel-embroidered hippo to the freestanding needlepoint owl-the instant appeal of every one of the author's whimsical creatures is irresistible. Supplemented by over 450 line drawings, the easy-to-follow instructions are written with total clarity for needle workers of all ages and levels of skill. Perfect results are guaranteed-every animal was tested by a full range of volunteers, from young children to grandmothers, with many of the delightful creations winning prizes at local county fairs. Meticulously prepared, The Yarn Animal Book also includes easy-to-find general needlework charts and suggestions for choosing and buying yarn; designing your own patterns; substituting one technique for another; caring for the animals and much more-all the basic guidelines for assuring total enjoyment with each yarn animal project.
Yarn is the basic unit of textile construction and every fabric, except felt, is made with it. The properties of yarn-its ply, tensile strength, weight, elasticity, and resistance to heat, water, and shrinkage-are what give each yarn its unique characteristics. By manipulating these properties, an astonishing array of fabric types can be produced, creating any number of textures and appearances. By focusing on these varieties, Penny Walsh is able to closely examine the composition and construction of different yarns and explore their many uses. She examines the techniques of spinning and the mechanisms used to create yarn. Color illustrations accompany the text, demonstrating the appearances of different yarns. There is also practical instruction on making your own threads and yarns. The Yarn Book is written for the serious student and the professional textile artist, and will be useful for spinners and weavers. It is a complete guide to understanding, designing, and using yarn.
If you love fabrics, yarns, and being creative, then you'll love the 35 great projects in My First Crochet Book. Learn how to use a crochet hook to make different stitches and patterns and you'll soon be making all sorts of pretty items. Divided into four chapters, the book includes a level of 1, 2 or 3 for every project, and comes with easy-to-read instructions and adorable, step-by-step artworks that will guide you along the way. In Clothes and Accessories you'll find warm and cosy scarves, a beanie hat, wrist-warmers, mittens and lots more. Jewellery and Decoration has pretty flower corsages, bracelets and brooches. Then you can have a go at Bedroom Essentials, and try making a pillow or curtain tie-back for your room. Lastly, Perfect Gifts has cute ideas for toys and other pretty things you'll love to make. Finally the basic techniques section covers every crochet technique you'll need to know, as well as yarns, hooks and stitches.
The perfect guide to crafting with kids, Kids’ Ultimate Craft Book starts with the absolute basics, then gradually introduces skills and techniques so kids can create fantastic projects with beading, braiding and knotting, crochet, knitting, and sewing. Beading. Begins with beads, charms, and pendants, moves on to working with thread and wire, then shows how to make a tiara, a button ring, a skater cuff, and more. Braiding and Knotting. Demonstrates techniques for creating with different cords and fibers to make necklaces, leashes, and key chains. Crochet. Starts with an overview of hooks and yarns, then shows how the most basic crochet stitches can be used to create a bracelet, a bookmark, and a water bottle carrier. Knitting. Following an overview of essential stitches and concepts, including how to read a pattern, are designs for coasters, a washcloth, and a cowl. Sewing. Teaches simple hand sewing, then gradually introduces the skills kids need to sew safely and confidently with a sewing machine to make a pot holder and a fabric frame. Projects are rated for difficulty so kids can learn and grow as they build skills and develop dexterity and confidence. With 400 photos and clear, concise instructions, Kids’ Ultimate Craft Book lets you and your child collaborate to create crafty projects together!