The Practical Spinner's Guide: Cotton, Flax, Hemp **DSC**

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Until now there was no book devoted to spinning plant or cellulose fibers. In step-by-step illustrated techniques, Stephenie Gaustad offers a detailed overview of the three most popular plants to spin, the fiber each one produces, and how to properly prepare, spin, and finish yarns made from each fiber.

Cotton, flax, and hemp fibers behave very differently from wool, and special handling is required. Stephenie discusses how each fiber behaves and how best to card, prep, and spin each, specifically touching on trouble spots like drafting and adding twist. She also covers finishing yarns—cleaning, setting twist, and plying—and even touches on what dye processes are best for adding color. Finally, she includes a discussion of spinning for both knitting and weaving, covering fabric properties of each fiber and what the spinner needs to take into account while creating the yarn and using it in a subsequent project.