What I Read On My Vacation

 (Amazon’s photo wouldn’t upload, so these folks get linked to their photo!)

Since we’ve established that my inner teenage preppy is driving the bus, I’m going to make her give a book report.  (Maybe that will send her back into the depths of my subconscious, where she belongs?)  While I managed a fair amount of knitting on my long weekend, no spinning happened.  I’d packed FIRST and her partner roving, but they stayed in their bag and never so much as breathed beach air.  That doesn’t mean spinning wasn’t on my mind.  It was, as it has been for about a month now.

Thursday afternoon, Amazon left a couple of books on my doorstep, just in time to travel.  My new favorite, recommended by Mary, is a can’t put it down kind of read.  Yeah, I prefer nonfiction anyway, but this book would be a good read for anyone interested in fibers, whether she aspires to hand spin or not. 

The author makes her bias for a top/high whorl spindle clear from the start, but also explains why she finds it to be THE method of choice for spinning.  There are sketches galore, and more detailed advice than I’ve seen anywhere else.  Of course, the history buff in me (younger than the preppy) delighted in the background information laced throughout the book.  

Again, even if you’re just fiber-curious, this is a great book.  She talks about preparing fibers, and about the qualities of different sorts of fibers as they relate to knitting, wear and of course, spinning.  

I’m hoping that Thursday night will grant me some time to spin again.  I have meetings tonight and tomorrow night, so even one repeat on the butterfly lace project per night will be an accomplishment.

Spin to Knit  was the other book in the box.  A quick flip through left me going “eh.”  It has good reviews in general, but I’d have to agree with the worst one that it didn’t enhance my spinning knowledge (or appetite), and the patterns were hardly inspiring.