Spin-Off, Winter 2017 Digital Edition

In this issue of Spin Off, discover new corners of the world of handspinning! Find the best wool fleece using tips from expert Beth Smith. Visit with a Navajo family and learn about their way of making yarn, from raising sheep to weaving. Does spinning wheel configuration confound you? Learn whether one treadle or two is best for you and discover whether a flyer should fall left, right, or center.

Spin and knit two original designs: a textured poncho by Melanie Smith and a lofty lace scarf by Catrina Frost. You’ll also find six how-to-spin articles and eight fascinating features. This issue covers Balkan-style spindle spinning using a distaff, breaking in handcards and finding and spinning local fiber.

You will also discover the heritage of Acadian brown cotton, learn how to spin a yarn perfect for cables that pop, and find out how to coordinate your handpainted fibers to create one-of-a-kind color combinations. Plus, if you’ve ever dreamed of starting your own fiber business, you’ll want to see how one family went from backyard ranch to small-scale fiber company.

Features include:

• How to Spin Balkan-Style with a Distaff by Bruce
• Engebretson with Norman Kennedy
• The Best Handcards Ever by Andrea Mielke Shroer
• A Navajo Weaving Family by Jennifer Bauman
• Fleece Sleuthing by Beth Smith
• The Continuous Thread by Susan Clotfelter
• Spin for Cables by Melanie Smith
• A Sweater from My Backyard by Cindy Craft
• Spin Weave Wear by Deborah McQueen Coder
• A Spinning Sabbatical by Katja Szarafinski
• Youth in Fiber Arts by Jennifer Green