High Whorling: A Spinners Guide to an Old World Skill
In her three previous booksKnitting in the Old Way (1985), Salish Indian Sweaters (Dos Tejedoras, 1989), and Ethnic Socks & Stockings (XRX, 1995)Gibson-Roberts, a passionate interpreter of traditional knitting and spinning techniques, has led the current revival of techniques used by traditional fiber artisans. High Whorling is her long-awaited first book on handspinning. Handspindlessometimes called drop spindleshave two parts, the shaft and the whorl. The low-whorl spindle was commonly used in Engish-speaking parts of the world, while the high-whorl spindle was more common in Scandinavia, Eastern Europe, and the Middle East. Gibson-Roberts recommends the high-whorl spindle as the superior of the two, both in speed and ease of use. Clear instructions and line drawings lead the beginning spinner through choosing a spindle and supplementary tools, acquiring fiber, preparing it for spinning, mastering spinning techniques, and finishing the yarn. A reading list and a directory of suppliers round out the book. Highly recommended for public libraries and textile collections.Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.