A knitting book focusing on the sheep-to-shawl process by a well-known knitter, shepherd, and artisanal yarn producer. Gain an insider's view on fiber farming and yarn craft, from sheep to skein, all told through the eyes of shepherd and textile artisan Barbara Parry. Follow her flock over the course of a year and discover all the facets of life with sheep: from shearing day and lambing season, to preparing fiber for yarn. Along the way you'll find projects for the fiber obsessed by top knitwear designers; essays on country life, including planting an heirloom kitchen garden, harvesting winter greens for a holiday wreath, and making bluebird nest boxes; and over 100 stunning photographs. With the growing locavore movement, the rising trend in sustainable farming, and the ever-increasing interest in crafting, this book is perfect for those who yearn for a closer connection to a rural lifestyle and who enjoy making things by hand. City and suburb dwellers sometimes dream about what it would be like to live on a country farm and raise animals. Adventures in Yarn Farming invites readers to participate vicariously in the daily life of a working sheep farm without ever having to muck out a barn, be chased by a recalcitrant ram, or lift a hay bale. Told through the eyes of veteran shepherd and textile artisan, Barbara Parry's stories follow her flock over the course of a year, showing all the facets of life connected to sheep and making yarn. Readers get a front-row seat to the sheep show--tending sheep on winter mornings, shearing day, the round-the-clock chaos of lambing season, preparing fiber for yarn--and a visit to Barbara's dye studio, where she colorfully transforms skeins for hand-knit creations. With the growing locavore movement, the rising eco-friendly trend in sustainable farming, and the ever-increasing interest in crafting, this book is relevant on many fronts. It will draw readers who yearn for a closer connection with a rural lifestyle and who enjoy making things by hand. Through 16 projects, sidebars, and side excursions, readers get a slice of life on a New England farm.

- Rug-hooking tools and materials summarized and explained - Step-by-step instructions and photos show in detail how to hook - Tips to help you develop and refine your skills - Recommended by RUG HOOKING Magazine From its humble beginnings--a bent nail, burlap feed bag, pair of scissors, and the good parts of worn-out wool clothing were the original tools--rug hooking has developed into a fine art form that allows crafters to create beautiful, complex designs with an array of high-tech tools. Basic Rug Hooking distills the essential tools and techniques of this popular traditional craft and walks the reader through 5 rug-hooking projects, including a table mat, a project suitable for framing, and wearable pins, as well as traditional rugs.

Creating exciting, luxurious fabrics will come easily to beginning and experienced crafters alike with this compendium of special weaving structures. Featuring more than 40 projects and instructions for designing and drafting more designs, the guide presents weavers with detailed directions for summer, winter, diamond, taqueté, samitum, and polychrome weaves. This collection features patterns for coverlets, garments, table linens, and rugs.

The fascinating subject of handweaving is fully explored in this reference, which covers basic subjects such as warping a loom and making bobbins of weft, as well as more elaborate, highly decorative projects. Patterns are arranged by varying levels of difficulty and design so beginners and experienced weavers alike will discover new insights and concepts. Among the 40 step-by-step projects included in this volume are designs for baby blankets, shawls, table cloths, and linen hand towels.

With nothing more than colored yarn and simple cardboard squares, crafters can produce exquisitely patterned woven bands with this guide, which includes patterns for sturdy belts and camera straps, delicate silk trims and ties, creative wall art, and even hefty rugs and mats.

Disposing of unwanted natural materials can be expensive and time-consuming, or it can present a tremendous opportunity for creating collaborative eco-art. Invasive-species control, green-waste management, urban gardening, and traditional crafts can all be brought together to strengthen community relationships and foster responsible land stewardship. Simple, easily taught, creative techniques applied with shared purpose become the modern-day equivalent of a barn raising or a quilting bee. Common Threads is a unique guide to engaging community members in communal handwork for the greater good. Sharon Kallis provides a wealth of ideas for: - Working with unwanted natural materials, with an emphasis on green waste and invasive species - Visualizing projects that celebrate the human element while crafting works of art or environmental remediation - Creating opportunities for individuals to connect with nature in a unique, meditative, yet community-oriented way Combining detailed, step-by-step instructions with tips for successful process and an overview of completed projects, Common Threads is a different kind of weaving book. This inspirational guide is designed to help artists and activists foster community, build empowerment, and develop a do-it-together attitude while planning and implementing works of collaborative eco-art. Sharon Kallis is a Vancouver artist who specializes in working with unwanted natural materials. Involving community in connecting traditional hand techniques with invasive species and garden waste, she creates site-specific installations that become ecological interventions. Her recent projects include The Urban Weaver Project, Aberthau: flax=food+fibre, and working closely with fiber artists, park ecologists, First Nations basket weavers, and others.