The Long Thread Podcast

The best project books not only combine gorgeous designs with clear instructions, they also expand your fiber-arts horizon with a trip to a new part of the world, a collection of the best ideas of fellow crafters, an in-depth tour of a great technique, or the chance to incorporate your favorite non-fiber hobby. Here are some of the best project books that the Yarn Barn of Kansas loves to share. Crochet The Tunisian Crochet Handbook by Toni Lipsey A collection of wearable designs from complete novice to accomplished crocheter skill levels. Features 20 patterns. Knitting Knit Like a Latvian: Mittens by Ieva Ozolina Colorwork handcoverings with a traditional shape and graphic, surprisingly modern patterns. Features 50 patterns. Nordic Sailor’s and Fishermen’s Sweaters by Lotte Rahbek and Gitte Verner Jensen With simple shapes and classic motifs, these historically inspired sweaters look like the best of contemporary Scandinavian knitwear. Features 23 patterns. Traditional Danish Sweaters Based on nattrøjer (night sweater) patterns, this collection of includes 11 complete designs and 200 charted motifs to customize your own sweater. Charming Colorwork Socks and Joyful Colorwork Socks by Charlotte Stone Sweet sock patterns, many whimsical, for any season or mood. Each book includes 25 sock patterns. The Sock Project and The Sock Obsession by Summer Lee A variety of colorwork, texture, and plain designs with instructions for several construction methods. Lee’s basic sock pattern is a mainstay at Yarn Barn! Each book includes 25 sock patterns. 52 Weeks of Accessories from Laine One of the generous pattern collections from the Finland-based publisher, this collection includes projects from a number of desigers. Other books in the series include Socks (volumes I and II), Easy Knits, and Scarves. Weaving Interlaced: The Weavers' Guild of Boston Celebrates 90 Years of Friendship and Education With projects for bags, scarves, rugs, and more, this collection brings together ideas from the distinguished group. Sixty Scarves for 60 Years from the Weaver’s Guild of Greater Baltimore With most of these projects using 8 shafts or fewer, the collection explores the huge array of creativity of the guild’s members. The Best of Yarn Barn Gathering the top-selling designs in the store’s 50-year history, the collection includes patterns that Susan Bateman, Melissa Parsons, and the Yarn Barn staff know produce great finished projects. Includes 25 projects. Doubleweave by Jennifer Moore Moore’s definitive book on the doubleweave technique hides a collection of inspiring projects—the kind you’ll want to make even if the technique isn’t your favorite. Features 12 projects. Overshot Simply Crackle Weave Simply Shadow Weave Simply Summer & Winter Simply Weaving Hand Towels Simply Each book in this series by Susan Kesler-Simpson begins with an exploration of each structure, followed by 25–38 projects to inspire your own exploration. Handwoven Baby Blankets Handwoven Table Linens Rags to Rugs Weaving with Clasped Weft Renowned teacher Tom Knisely presents project collections with ideas to spark your own creativity. Each includes 27–33 projects. Rigid-Heddle Weaving: Basics and Beyond by Deborah Jarchow With weaving instructions and designs for a wide variety of projects, this book helps weavers get the most from a simple loom. Includes 31 projects. Dyeing Botanical Cyanotype by Sarah Bourne Rafferty If you only experimented with sun prints as a child, you may be surprised not only at how gorgeous these botanical prints can be but also by the fact that you can make the solutions yourself. The book includes 14 projects as well as basic methods. Listen to our chat and tell us: What are your favorite craft books that inspire you to get making? This episode is brought to you by: Learning how to weave but need the right shuttle? Hooked on knitting and in search of a lofty yarn? Yarn Barn of Kansas has been your partner in fiber since 1971. Whether you are around the corner from the Yarn Barn of Kansas, or around the country, they are truly your “local yarn store” with an experienced staff to answer all your fiber questions. Visit yarnbarn-ks.com to shop, learn, and explore.

How could you possibly improve on wool, the perfect fiber? In the 20th century, scientists thought they could do just that. Some of their innovations have disappeared . . . but some remain. In the middle of the 20th century, with technology promising a modern lifestyle that would be newer and better in every way, wool fiber began to look old-fashioned. The incredible demand for wool up through World War II began to wane, and the apparent miracle of synthetic fiber reached American homes. Yet sheep still formed the backbone of some states’ economies, and they kept producing wool. If only there were some way to make it easier to wash and prevent moths from eating clothes, carpets, and furniture, modern households might still have a place for wool. And if wool fiber was less important, maybe there was another use for fleece. In her new book, Reinventing Wool, Professor Melissa M. Littlefield takes us through the history of four innovations that sought to bring wool into the modern era: Woolite synthetic detergent, machine-washable wool, the chemical insecticide EQ-53, and extraction methods for lanolin. From a national roadshow featuring a starlet bathing a lamb in a tub of Woolite to a toxic DDT-containing fabric treatment, the improvements range from everyday to strange. Yet in their own ways, each of the treatments imagined a place for wool in a rapidly changing world. Littlefield talks about how her research spoke to her personally as a spinner, knitter, and small-batch wool yarn producer. Decades after these groundbreaking “improvements” to wool, most of our furniture isn’t vulnerable to moth damage anyway. Lanolin is a common ingredient in both personal care and industry. And crafters debate the value of machine-washable wool, even as we find it in every yarn shop. Who could have predicted where wool would go? Links Reinventing Wool This episode is brought to you by: Treenway Silks is where weavers, spinners, knitters and stitchers find the silk they love. Select from the largest variety of silk spinning fibers, silk yarn, and silk threads & ribbons at TreenwaySilks.com. You'll discover a rainbow of colors, thoughtfully hand-dyed in Colorado. Love natural? Treenway's array of wild silks provide choices beyond white. If you love silk, you’ll love Treenway Silks, where superior quality and customer service are guaranteed.