Book reviews - Linen: Hand Spinning and WeavingNewsletter for Twelfth Night A.S. XXXVII
"Linen: Hand Spinning and Weaving" By Patricia Baines
ISBN 0-934026-52-1
This is one of those marvellous books that tells you everything you want to know when you first become enthused about a particular topic, and still rewards the reader later when they've achieved a degree of proficiency in their interest. Divided into chapters covering all the various aspects of linen fibrecraft from spinning to finishing woven cloth by way of weaving, dyeing and processing both yarn and fabric, Baines provides a great potted history along with her well-tested tips. An English craftsperson specialising in linen, she has a great gift for making complicated instructions seem simple. Her photos on dressing a spindle are the first that I have ever been able to follow without having to go back over the accompanying text several times, and she gives multiple methods for any tasks that have complex elements. Best of all she offers methods for spinners and weavers using all types of technology, so spindles and great wheels are addressed alongside modern wheels, and looms from the simple to the most complex are catered to in the patterns that she offers (with a caveat that a tougher type will be required for heavy cloths). Sadly, this book is out of print and hard to find, so do snap up copies if you see them, there will always be a market for it in the guild, as it is easily the best book on the topic that I have come across. A great bonus is the appendix on growing and harvesting flax, for those with big dreams and bigger garden space available. |
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