Book Review: Spin to Knit
Spin to Knit: The Knitter’s Guide to Making Yarn
By Shannon Okey
Interweave Press, 2006. Paperbound, 128 pages, $21.95.
ISBN: 1-59668-007-5.
The ancient art form of handspinning has had a recentincrease in interest, particularly among knitters. Many knitters progress to spinning because they wish to have more control on the final outcome of their projects, others because they like the idea of creating a project from the sheep through to the finished knitted object. There are several spinning books on the market and even more if you peruse used bookstores and web sites. But there is a new title on the shelves as of October 2006 specifically targeting knitters who wish to spin — Spin to Knit by Shannon Okey.
While I have been spinning for nearly two years now, I know I have much more to learn. I love researching and soaking up info through books, so when I found that my local library had the title in the New Non-Fiction section I snatched it up and brought it home with me to review. It is a rather slim volume at just over 120 pages. It is split nearly equally into two main sections – instructional and projects. There is also a small reference section at the rear that includes some knitting reference, spinning resources and an index.
The instruction section contains all the basic info one needs to start spinning on either a spindle or a wheel. Okey very briefly covers equipment, fiber basics, carding, spinning on a spindle and wheel, twist, plying, finishing, embellishing, and dyeing. Much of this information is accompanied by full color photographs. All of this info, along with many photos in roughly 50 pages leads to an instruction section that only skims the basics of spinning.
Sprinkled throughout the instructional section are some small DIY projects to support spinning. These projects include making a CD drop spindle, a lazy kate to hold two cops for easier plying, and a distaff for holding your unspun fiber supply.
The project section contains five headwear patterns, four scarf patterns, four sweater or shrug patterns, two sock patterns, and a few more miscellaneous projects the use handspun yarn of varying weights and qualities. Most of these projects were designed by the author with contributions from Jillian Moreno, Symeon North, Erin O’Brian, Lexi Boeger, Laura Jefferson, Shoshana Mathews, and Crystal Canning. Many of these spinners and designers are featured in interviews scattered throughout the project section as well.
So as to not overwhelm new spinners, several of the projects combine handspun with commercial yarns so you can have finished objects without a long term spinning project. Most often the hand spun yarn is described as commercial yarns are, by the CYCA weights and do not often include common ways to describe yarn construction such as wraps-per-inch or twists-per inch.
Most of the projects are simple, which makes the hand spun yarn take center stage. More often than not a knitter who is contemplating spinning is an experienced knitter. In this instance most of the projects in Spin to Knit are ones you could come up with on your own or with the aid of a good reference book like one of Ann Budd’s “Handy” books and your favorite stitch dictionary. That said, I am seriously contemplating the Laurabelle Swedish Heart Shrug and the Beauty School Dropout Sweater has me plotting a trip to my nearest Sally Beauty for some rayon to try spin!
If you are a knitter and are interested in spinning but have reservations as to whether spinning will be for you and can be easily overwhelmed by too much information, Spin to Knit is a good place to start. There is not as much in-depth spinning information, but there is enough there to get started and have an idea of whether spinning is for you.
If you are fairly confident that spinning will be a longer term interest of yours I would recommend investing your money in a more comprehensive spinning book such as Spinning in the Old Way or Spin It! for spindle spinning. If you suddenly found yourself with a wheel and now wish to spin I do not have a specific title to recommend. The basic beginning spinning books I have read so far neglect entirely or skim over wheel spinning. The Alden Amos Big Book of Handspinning has everything you need to know, but it can be a bit overwhelming and overly opinionated for the beginning spinner.
While there is a page of resources included at the end of the book, there are only two web-based resources for further information listed. I recommend the following in addition to those in the book (in no particular order):
- Spin-Off | Getting Started
- Joy of Handspinning
- HJS Studios
- Knitting-and.com | Spinning and Dyeing
- Spindlicity
- Grafton Fibers
Spin to Knit is a great concise resource for those unsure of whether spinning will be a long term interest. It provides the most basic information needed to spin a yarn without overwhelming the beginner with technical terms and techniques and includes simple knit projects that can utilize even the earliest hand spun yarn. Those with any spinning experience or who are sure that spinning will be a longer term hobby may do better to peruse the book themselves via the library or inter-library loan before deciding whether or not this book would be a worthwhile purchase.
