The Practical Spinner's Guide
Cotton, Flax and Hemp
By Stephanie Gaustad

Interest in spinning continues to grow, and over the last year or so books have become more specialized—focusing on specific types of fiber or spinning techniques. As yet there is no book devoted to the spinning of plant or cellulose fibers. Though not nearly as popular as more easily-spun wools or fleece, there is interest in the subject and more spinning suppliers are carrying cotton and flax fibers. In step-by-step illustrated techniques, Stephenie offers a detailed overview of each plant, the fiber it produces, and how to properly prepare, spin, and finish yarns made from each fiber.

Cotton, flax, and hemp behave very differently from wool, and special handling is required. Stephenie discusses how each fiber behaves, and how best to card, prep, and spin them, specifically touching on trouble spots like drafting and adding twist. She also covers finishing yarns—cleaning, setting twist, and plying—and even touches on what dye processes are best for adding color. Finally, she includes a discussion of spinning for both knitting and weaving, covering fabric properties of each fiber, and what the spinner needs to take into account while creating the yarn and using it in a subsequent project.

Softcover, 160 pages, color
8.5 x 0.5 x 9 inches
Published 2014
ISBN-13: 9781596686694
ISBN-10: 1596686693