Book Review - Yarn Works by W J Johnson

YARN WORKS

How to Spin, Dye, and Knit Your Own Yarn

by W J Johnson

 

I have been asked to review this wonderful new book which was released in January 2014 by Creative Publishing International and is a brilliant complete guide for any spinner, dyer and those who knit their own yarns.  

 

 

Being a novice spinner, just starting out, I think this book covers just about everything and anything to do with fibre preparation,and includes several knitting patterns suitable hand spun yarns.  It is one that I certainly would recommend for anyone interested in hand spinning and dyeing their own yarns.

  It is a complete source of valuable information and would be suitable for beginners to advance spinners alike. 

 

This book contains so much technical information, sections include: 

 

fibre source and preparation;

 

types of fibre - animal through to synthetic;

 

Tools and their uses;

 

Spinning, with a section on draw and wraps per inch;

 

Dyeing with synthetics and naturals and methods;

 

Knitting with your own hand spun and hand dyed yarns;

 

fibre appendices with micron info;

 

how to clean raw fleece;

 

fibre storage and pests;

 

mixing custom dyes;

 

 and

 

record keeping,

 

together with a history of spinning and dyeing throughout the book.

 

 

 

W J Johnson, the Author, has been a spinner and artist for over thirty years and she is the founder of Saga Hill Design, where she produces her own dye line, designs and teaches fibre arts.

 

 

 

It is priced at £20.00

ISBN: 9781589237889

For further information contact 0207 284 9300
 

 all the images are used here with the kind permission of the publisher

 

Bee x

PS. I have been busy mastering the technique of American Long Draw
 and Navajo Plying this week,
 to some success and will show and tell next week. 

I am planning on having a dyeing session soon so watch this space! x

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Unravel 2014 - A Festival of Knitting

UNRAVEL - A FESTIVAL OF KNITTING

 

 

 

Did anyone go to Unravel 2014 in Farnham,Surrey,last weekend?

 

I am pleased to say that I did!!! whoopee

 

I was lucky enough to be taken their by my lovely friend, Josie, who I met at my spinning classes. We had a great day looking at all the lovely products for sale on the numerous stands and seeing some new techniques.

 

 

If you haven't had the chance to attend, it is an annual knitting and fibre related festival at the

Farnham Maltings in Surrey.

It is a smaller, more intimate, exhibition than some of the larger stitching and knitting shows in London so quite manageable if you find the bigger shows a little too much.

 

Here are some of my favourite exhibitors which you might like to check out online ......

 

SINCERELY LOUISE

a hand knitter, pattern designer, prop and toy maker

www.sincerelylouise.co.uk

 

I love this display of Louise's work -

stuffed taxidermy animals

displayed near the entrance to the exhibition!

 

 

 

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Jenny Barnett

 - Needle felted Sculptures,

Handmade dolls, kits and workshops

www.jennymade.coriandr.com

 

 

 

 

Jenny's work was stunning and took my breath away!

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Ingrid Wagner

Rug and Art Creation

www.ingridwagner.com



 

for extreme knitting with BIG knitting needles and even BIGGER yarns

 

 

 

 

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Here are some the exhibits from the 'Best in Show' entrants

this little cardi was a beginners work 

This was a beginners work and a rug

 

 

 

These are hand puppets

 





 





This was based on a dog kennels

 

 

if you get a chance to attend next year,

it is well worth the effort. 

 

There were many yarn companies selling their hand dyed and artisan fine yarns as well. 

 

Lots of alpaca, silk, cashmere and more unusual yarns, such as yak.

 

It gave me a lot of food for thought and was very inspiring.

 

If you wish to check out the Unravel website

http://craft.farnhammaltings.com/portfolio/unravel-festival/

 

NEXT WEEK

 

I have a another great Spinning Yarn book

to review so pop back soon

 

Bee x

 

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Book Review - Spinning & Dyeing Yarn by Ashley Martineau

I am delighted to be asked to review this beautiful hard backed book

written by Ashley Martineau, entitled

 

SPINNING & DYEING YARN

The Home Spinner's Guide to Creating Traditional and Art Yarn

Front Cover

Back Cover


 

 

 

As soon as I received this book, my heart started to swoon! It is extremely stunning in every way a book can be and is 'eye candy' for those of us who love great photographic images of colourful, textured yarns. As well as a huge resource of information on Spinning and Dyeing that any spinner, beginner to more advanced, should have in their collection of reference material, it is full of stunning photographs of fibres and equipment. 

 

Ashley Martinue, a self-taught spinner, from the USA, provides the reader with information on:

 

Types of Fibre - from wool to synthetics

Washing & Preparing Fibre

Dyeing Techniques, such hand painting to solar dyeing

 

Spinning Techniques with a section on Drop Spindles, Kick Spindles and spinning wheels,

including a
very informative section on How to Make your own Wheel.

 

There is also a very in depth

section on developing a brand

for those of us who wish to start a business and also,

 a comprehensive section on resources and useful information.

as well as sections on the following spinners:

Tina Watson,

Lexi Boeger,

Michelle Snowdon, and

Ruru Mori.

This beautiful book is available from

20th February 2014

in the UK

and is £25.00 for Hardback

  and I feel it is well worth the money
 

published by Jacqui Small Publishing

tel: 020 7284 9300
 

 

ISBN 978-1-909342-46-0

all the images are used here with the kind permission of the publisher
 

Bee x

 

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Spinning A Yarn ...................

'No, not another tale of woe!', I hear you cry ........

 

BUT instead,

because I've been away from my blog for a while,

 

I have some lovely NEWS of what I have been up to whilst I have been on my much needed 'bloggy break'.......

 

To refresh, recharge and re-energise my creative spirit ....

 

I have been taking lessons in the

 

Art of Spinning

One of my hand carded skeins of yarn plied
 

No, I haven't gone completely mad and turned into a fitness fanatic!

(although lots of people think I have(both!))

 

For those of you who love knitting, crochet, felting and anything generally yarnie related,

A closer shot

 

I have been learning to

spin fleece into yarn on a drop spindle and then I have bought my first spinning wheel .... whoopee!

 Ashford Single Treadle Traditional Wheel

 

Some spun single of Blue Faced Leicester on the bobbin

The hand carded and spun yarn shown above

crocheted into flowers for Christmas Gifts

 

It is proving to be a lovely relaxing hobby with obviously some lovely end produce to knit and crochet with. 

 

I will be reviewing two brilliant spinning books later in the week for those who are interested in the art of spinning and dyeing their own yarns. 

 

Bee x

 

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Crochet Sunshine Bunting

 

Here's one of my latest creations:- 

 

I wanted to capture some of the summer sunshine for my garden

 



The colours I chose to use were pastels

 

 

 

 

It is now hanging in my back garden on my fence.

I took these pictures in the forest, I wish the local woods were my garden!

 

bee x

 

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The Buzz is Back

The Buzz is back!!!!!

 

After a long time not blogging due to illness and general life matters, that annoyingly get in the way of fun, I haven't been able to put my efforts into the blog but I think it is time to get posting again!!

 

I've been updating the Etsy shop with lots of new products which I will show you shortly!

 

I have been doing a lot of knitting and crochet, mostly experimenting with different yarns and stitches.

Some of the work good, some not so good! My work tends to be much better when I am well - funny that!

 

Today, I have compiled a beautiful bird related Treasury on Etsy.  For those of you don't know what a Treasury is, it is a collection of work by other Esty artists chosen by myself to help promote their work and spread the word!

 

You can take a look here if you like:-

 

 https://www.etsy.com/uk/treasury/NTI4MjY3MHwyNzI0NzE0MjY0/tweet-tweet-beautiful-birdies

 

I have compiled it in honour of our little feathered friends who visit our gardens all year round. I have loved feeding my garden birds this winter and watching them have their babies and seeing them fly the nest too.

 

Anyway, I hope you have all been well and busy.

 

see you soon

 

bee x

 

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Weekend Reading

I hope you enjoyed last week's 'reading' post.  Here is my new list of a few things I have found 'of note' on the web this week which you might like .........

 

 

 

1.  I love this beautiful DIY 'Pom Pom' makeover idea for jazzing up a plain jumper

2.  I found this really interesting, 'Knitting Behind Bars' where two ladies in Maryland USA set up a scheme whereby prisoners are learning to knit. They have a blog too. 

3. There are some great artworks on here.

4. If you loved the Gangnan song, you love this free crochet pattern.

5.  Futuristic knitting could help arthritis!


Have a lovely weekend!

Bee x

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Easy Peasy Granny Crochet Cowl Pattern

Here's a little treat for you, a free pattern, designed by my own fair little hands for my

 'Easy Peasy Cheery Granny Crochet Cowl'.

 

I am so fed up with the dull, damp and dark days were are having this winter, I wanted to lash out and wear something colourful around my neck when I am wearing my black winter coat. 

 

So here it is:

 

 

EASY PEASY CHEERY GRANNY COWL

CROCHET PATTERN

By Bee & Buzz copyright 2013

 

Skill Level

Easy

 

Techniques Required

Working in the Round

 

Stitches & Abbreviations

Chain       ch

Slip Stitch ss

Treble      tr
Stitch      st
Repeat    *rep

This pattern uses UK crochet terminology

Hook
4mm Crochet Hook 

Yarn
A selection of DK weight yarn 
6 different colours

I used yarns from my stash, Robin DK, Patons Fab and Sirdar Snuggly DK

Red (A)
Pink (B)
Cream (C)
Blue (D)

Green (E)

Yellow (F)

The whole project uses about 100grams of yarn so great for using up yarn left over from other projects.

Notions
Scissors

Darning Needle

Pattern

With Yarn A, CO 132 ch. Join with ss to create a circle. Alternatively, if you find it easier, join when you have finished round 1 to top of 3 starting chain with a ss and use darning needle to stitch tail end to bottom of first treble stitch. This helps to avoid twisting your work.

Round 1:

Still using Yarn A, Insert hook into 3^rd ch from hook, (this creates the first tr), then make 2 tr into same ch, miss 2 ch, *3 tr into next ch, miss 2 ch, *repeat to end. Join with ss to top of first st. Cut yarn, pull end through loop with hook.

Round 2:

 

With Yarn B, rejoin yarn. Make 3 ch, 2 tr into same space. *Miss 3 tr cluster, in next space make 3 tr, *repeat to end. Join with ss to top of first 3ch. Cut yarn, pull through loop to finish.

Round 3:

 

With Yarn C, rejoin yarn and repeat instructions in round 2.

Round 4:

 

With Yarn D, rejoin yarn and repeat instructions in round 2.

Round 5:

 

With Yarn E, rejoin yarn and repeat instructions in round 2.

Round 6:

 

With Yarn F, rejoin yarn and repeat instructions in round 2.

Rounds 1 - 6 above make up the colour repeat and the pattern.

Rounds 7 - 12:

 

Repeat rounds 1 - 6 above.

 

Rounds 12 - 18:

 

Repeat rounds 1 - 6 once more.

This completes the cowl.

To finish:

 

Work in ends with a darning needle.

 

Your cowl is now complete and you can wear it cheerily with a happy smile on your face, knowing it’s a product of all your hard work and happy hooking!

 

If you have a go at it and want to send me a picture of your finished item, I would love to see your efforts.

　

　

Bee x

 

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Weekend Reading - Yarn Related

NEW FOR 2013

thanks to the Graphics Fairy for the image

As we have all welcomed in the New Year,

I thought I would try something new and blog about some of the items I have found this week on the web. 

 

I have compiled a reading list of things you might like to read or view (isn't this just like being back at school?  I can hear you all groaning!). 

 

How often I get around to doing this, I don't know! 
I am a bit of random blogger but
I am aiming high and promise to 'do my best' - Guides Honour!

 

So we might not see this every Friday!!

 

But Here Goes:

 

1. Knitting is the new YOGA - so I ask, 'can we think of it as exercise now?' that would be handy!

2. Crochet is trendier than Knitting at the mo!
I've always done both and will continue to do so. I love the flexibility of crochet but I love the feel of knitting too.

3.  This is a bit geeky and funny

4. A lovely free Crochet pattern for a headband!

5. A creative month of moments - I love these words they are so inspiring.

I hope you find them interesting and fun

bee x

thanks to the Graphics Fairy for the image


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JANUARY SALE IN MY ETSY SHOP

For all those who can't resist grabbing a bargain,

I am holding a January Sale

in my

 

Etsy shop:

(click on this link to go to shop)

 

Enjoy!

 

Bee x

 

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Happy New Year 2013!

 

Thanks to the Graphics Fairy for the lovely image

Merry Christmas to You All!

thanks to the Graphics Fairy for the lovely image.