Bringing together the art of spinning and wools from rare breeds of sheep, Handspun Treasures from Rare Wools catalogs the 29 touring pieces from the Save the Sheep Exhibit.

This one-of-a-kind encyclopedia shines a spotlight on more than 200 animals and their wondrous fleece. Profiling a worldwide array of fiber-producers that includes northern Africa’s dromedary camel, the Navajo churro, and the Tasmanian merino, Carol Ekarius and Deborah Robson include photographs of each animal’s fleece at every stage of the handcrafting process, from raw to cleaned, spun, and woven. The Fleece & Fiber Sourcebook is an artist’s handbook, travel guide, and spinning enthusiast’s ultimate reference source all in one.

Knit a traditional gansey sweater with indigo yarn. Tour a spinning mill. Discover five ways to cast on for socks. Meet your personal knitting hero. The Knitter’s Life List is a richly illustrated compilation of 1,001 experiences and adventures that devout knitters won’t want to miss. You’ll find classic techniques to master, time-honored patterns to try, unusual yarns to work with, museums to see, books to read, and much more. Get inspired and live the knitting life of your dreams!

Hobby farmer Sue Weaver provides a perfect primer in Sheep, ideal for novice or experienced sheep keepers looking to expand their hobby farm with a flock of wooly wonders. Illustrated with instructive and beautiful color photographs and loaded with charts and sidebars, this Hobby Farms title will make even newcomers feel comfortable choosing, caring for, and even sheering and milking their own sheep. Weaver begins, “Be they pets or profit makers, sheep should be part of every small-farm scene. They are inexpensive to buy and keep, easy to care for, and relatively long lived, making them great investments.” While sheep dotting a green meadow add beauty—and a possible tax write-off—to any pastoral setting, hobby farmers can choose whether their sheep will be sold as pets, used as providers of milk, cheese, or wool, or raised as livestock for their much sought-after mutton. As a subject, sheep have a fascinating history to tell, as Weaver does in the opening chapter “Sheep from the Beginning,” but once we get through the mythology, biology, and anatomical lessons, the farming begins. Sheep will assist the reader in buying the right sheep for his or her farm or land, based on availability, conformation, health, and so forth. The book offers practical advice, including how to move sheep from one locale to another (with a “ewe haul”). Sheep farming involves the housing, feeding, and guarding of the sheep, all detailed in the book. Weave discusses the use of fences, shelters, pens, and stalls as well as the purchase of the right hay. She also addresses the use of working dogs to control and guard the flock. Understanding sheep behavior is the subject of the chapter “Sheepish Behavior and Safe Handling,” in which the author discusses flocking dynamics, fleeing instinct, and sheep body and vocal language, leading to practical advice about how to handle and move sheep safely and with minimal fuss. The old adage “A sick sheep is a dead sheep” may not hold completely true in modern times, but it does underscore how important the health of a flock is to a responsible sheep keeper. The chapter “Health, Maladies, and Hooves” (and the appendix “A Glance at Sheep Afflictions”) offers farmers vital information about vaccinations, parasites, and hoof care to be proactive in the flock’s health. For hobby farmers interested in expanding their flocks, the chapter “The Importance of Proper Breeding” is a mini course in breeding and lambing, including bottle feeding, tail banding, and more. All of the joys of wool are captured in the chapter “Fleece: Shearing, Selling, Spinning,” in which the author discusses the tools, skills, and fees required to fleece the flock. The chapter also discusses spinning your own wool and selling the fleece. The final chapter, “Mutton or Milk?” discusses the advantages and desirability of sheep’s milk and the possible markets for milk, cheese, and meat. A glossary of over 100 terms, an extensive resources section (sheep-pertinent organizations, websites, and publications), and an index complete the volume.

A guide to using handspun yarns--including such fibers as alpaca, merino, cormo, and more--features detailed instructions for twenty-six innovative projects that demonstrate how the materials' unique properties, fiber, and texture can transform a piece.

The Lost Flock is the story of the remarkable and rare little horned sheep, known as Orkney Boreray, and the wool-obsessed woman who moved to one of Scotland’s wildest islands to save them. It was Jane Cooper’s passion for knitting that led her to discover the world of rare-breed sheep and their wool. Through this, Jane uncovered the ‘Orkney Borerary’ – a unique group within the UK’s rarest breed of sheep, the Boreray, and one of the few surviving examples of primitive sheep in northern Europe. As her knowledge of this rarest of heritage breeds grew, she took the bold step to uproot her quiet suburban life in Newcastle and relocate to Orkney, embarking on a new adventure and life as farmer and shepherd. Jane was astonished to find that she was the sole custodian of this lost flock in the world, and so she began investigating their mysterious and ancient history, tracking down the origins of the Boreray breed and its significance to Scotland’s natural heritage. From Viking times to Highland crofts and nefarious research experiments in Edinburgh, this is a so-far untold real-life detective story. It is also the story of one woman’s relentless determination to ensure a future for her beloved sheep, and in doing so revealing their deep connection to the Scottish landscape. An unforgettable story of a heritage breed and the importance of its existence.

With weaving enjoying a resurgence in popularity among crafters and cottage industries worldwide, this guide enables novice weavers to explore basic folk techniques and styles to produce beautiful and evocative handcrafted works of art. From creative conception to completion, aspiring fiber artists are given accessible yet in-depth instructions on hand-manipulating weaving techniques, such as soumak, twining, cut pile, cardweaving, inkle weaving, and plain weave. Containing six easy-to-follow weaving tutorials and projects for eight exquisite hand-woven bags, this manual encourages personal, creative distinctions and promotes understanding and appreciation of the color and textural components of traditional folk weaving style. Designed to instill a sense of creativity and accomplishment through the learned techniques and finished product, this delightful guide is certain to become an essential reference for those starting out in the rewarding and inspirational field of fiber arts.

A revised and updated edition of a popular classic primer shares comprehensive guidelines for beginning and experienced knitters that demonstrate how to approach a full range of techniques, incorporating into the new edition the author's broadened insights from the past 25 years.

With this compact portable reference in hand, crafters can quickly and easily look up any of 100 different sheep breeds, the characteristics of their fleece, and the kinds of projects for which their fleece is best suited. Each breed profile includes a photograph of the animal and information about its origin and conservation status, as well as the weight, staple length, fiber diameter, and natural colors of its fleece. This is a great primer for beginners, and a handy guide for anyone who loves working with fleece.