Knitting, Dyeing and spinning all rolled into one! - Rated 
I love this book. If you have never knitted socks before, this is the book for you. If you've only knitted socks from commercially-bought yarn, this is the book for you, too! The first half has instructions for spinning your own yarn, dyeing fleece, and dyeing yarn and the second half contains instructions for designing and knitting your own socks.
The sock patterns are presented like "pick-n-mix" recipes, with one section showing a variety of ribbings, another a selection of heels, and another a collection of different toes - put them together to make your own truly unique socks! You could knit socks with "piggy toes", socks knitted on the flat, socks on two circular needles, on double-pointed needles, toe-up, toe-down, - need I go on?
The sock workbook is a visual treat too, with excellent colourful photos throughout, and genuinely useful techniques including instructions for Kitchener stitch, various methods of casting on and when to choose which one, a variety of bind-offs, and useful charts to allow you to work out how many stitches you need in a particular yarn to fit the foot you are knitting for.
This book contains enough information for most on-the-ball crafters to have a go at spinning or dyeing, but it only contains the very basics of these crafts - if you want to take your spinning / dyeing further you might like to consider Rachel Brown's The Weaving, Spinning, and Dyeing Book or the Alden Amos Big Book of Handspinning. But as a jumping-off point this book is truly inspiring, and I return to it as a reference or for colour inspiration time and time again.
Loved it, loved it, loved it! - Rated
I bought this book about 3 years ago and if I could keep only 1 of my craft books, I'd choose this one.
It covers dyeing (synthetic & kool aid), spinning (mostly spindle), and of course sock knitting. I found the book inspirational and an easy read.
You don't need to dye or spin your own yarn, but as a spinner I was able to use my spinning for something really useful - without having to spin miles of yarn. I used to think that shop yarn must be better than mine because it was from a shop! I had lots of my own spinning around the house, unused, and I felt very guilty. Now when I spin I know that I will use the yarn - and it is every bit as good as "proper" yarn.
This book also introduced me to dyeing - great fun. I now only ever buy white wool and dye my own (a lot cheaper and you get what you want, usually).
Since buying this book about 3 years ago I am not afraid of using 4 or 5 needles (the book uses 5). Infact, I have taken to knitting sweaters and hats on 4 or 5 needles now.
This book has given me the confidence to know that "handmade" is not just "homemade".
Buy this book!
|
