I had the great opportunity to chat with Shannon Okey about her new book, Spin to Knit: The Knitter's Guide to Making Yarn, which just hit the bookshelves. You may ask, Why Lolly?  and you are right, as I am not a spinner - I tried the spinning art nearly 2 years ago, with the assistance of spinning maven, Amie. 

I have to say, I could not quite get a feel for it, and my mind kept on thinking about all of the knitting I had on my list.  However, this holistic sheep to sweater (or shawl, or sock) approach is so organic to me; about connecting with many generations past, bringing tradition to everyday life.  Who knows, maybe I will "give it (another) whirl" one of these days…

I know so little about spinning, but I have learned some of the terminology from friends on the blogs, and in my knitting group. However, that is the great thing about the book – there are some helpful photographs and drawings that really demonstrate the process of spinning.  Several of the people in my group are also spinners, and I decided to bring Spin to Knit to our meeting last week. We came up with some fun questions for Shannon!

Erin asks: "What kind of fibers should one use that are easy enough for a  beginner to spin, yet durable enough to hold up after some wear?  I  knit socks particularly, and I would love to know more about what I can do to make my yarn last longer."

Shannon: Look into a blended fiber, and/or superwash wool. Superwash merino is soft, it won't shrink, it takes dye really well, and the items I've spun and knitted from it have held up nicely. Of course, you can use a nylon knit-along thread in the high-wear portions of the sock (heel, toe) for a little extra insurance, but if you enjoy blending your own fibers, you could also experiment with different mixes. I haven't tested this out yet, but I suspect if you carded superwash wool and hairdresser's rayon together, you could spin a really durable sock yarn. In Spin to Knit, there's an entire sweater by Shoshana Mathews spun of hairdresser's rayon — that roving-like stuff salons use to keep drips off your face during hair color and perms.

Word to the wise: if you do want to experiment with your own custom fiber blends for something high-wear like socks, don't spin and knit it all at once. Spin and knit a sample swatch small enough to fit inside your shoe, under an existing sock, and walk around on it for a day or two. If it's utterly destroyed, chances are that particular blend might not be sock-optimal! If it looks good — proceed!

Laura asks: "What is the best to learn on: spindle or wheel?   Many people start on the spindle, and this has helped me.  What did you start with?"

Shannon: I don't think one is better than the other (I learned on a wheel – my first was an Ashford Kiwi). But I broke my elbow really badly a few years ago, and spindling is difficult for long periods of time, so I'm an exception to the usual order of things. Most people recommend spindles first because they cost less. They're a low-commitment way to find out if you actually like spinning before you invest several hundred dollars in equipment and materials. But then again, I also find that successful spindle-spinners have an easier time transitioning to the wheel than the reverse… In short: if someone gifts you a wheel, don't say "no thank you, I can't even spindle yet" — take it and run!

Coleen asks, "Do you prefer a spindle for some projects/fibers and a  wheel for others?"

Shannon: As I mentioned above, I have a hard time spindling because of my elbow, which is permanently damaged from an accident. If I need to quickly check out a fiber, or take something super-portable along to a fiber show, I'll bring a spindle in my bag. But many people I know like to use the spindle for finer fibers, which they then ply together on their wheel.

Jen asks: "What kind of projects work best with plied yarns?  What projects are better with singles?  Do you have any preferences?"

Shannon: I like singles, particularly overtwisted ones, because I enjoy the biased-fabric effect they give in circular knitting (and just about everything I knit is circular — I'm a big sweater and hat knitter). Plied yarns are good when you want to get cool multicolor effects from a hand-dyed roving: check out Lynne Vogel's book The Twisted Sisters Sock Workbook for ideas, it's really inspirational. But plied vs. not plied is really a matter of preference. I readily admit that I am lazy, and if I knit with singles, I don't have to spin twice or three times as much in order to get enough yarn to knit!

All (in unison):  Have you dyed roving before?  What techniques did you use, if so?  Did you end up spinning with that freshly dyed roving?

Shannon: Oh yes — check out this article I wrote for Knitty.com's KnittySpin. That's how I dye 95% of the time — and the rest is either for tiny amounts (in the microwave), experimental (in the oven, in an oven bag), or in a class where the teacher is doing it the "right" way (steaming on a stovetop).

The hat on the cover of Spin to Knit is actually made from the very first roving I ever dyed that way! Set your TiVo for back episodes of Crafters Coast to Coast on HGTV (I think they changed the show name to That's Clever, but don't quote me on that) — I demoed dishwasher dyeing on an episode set in Cleveland, where I live.

Wanna peek inside the book? 

Since it is the season, I have to show you the handspun socks!

The handspun sock pattern is courtesy of PippiKneeSocks.

Thank you so much Shannon! You can read all about the book, and Shannon's blog tour and book tour stops on the Spin to Knit website.  Next up, Shannon will be chatting it up with Crafty Chica on her blog and her podcast! And all of you rabid swap fans need to check out the Secret Pal Handspun Swap organized by Interweave Press! This looks like a great time

For the DC/VA/Maryland crowd:  Shannon will be visiting us this weekend!  She has two stops – on Saturday, see her at Stitch DC, and on Sunday, she will be at Wool Winders in Rockville.  I am hoping to make it to one of these (not sure which one yet!)

This is REVIEWS week for Socktoberfest, so pull out your yarn, look at your book collection – I will be asking you some questions in the next post!

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