THE AGE OF HOMESPUN, Laurel Thatcher Ulrich.
This is history. The story of daily life in colonial times in New England, of the creation of creature comforts, of domesticity, of the intricate changing interlacement of working men and women. This is not a "how-to" or a picture book. It is a storybook of the treasures that are ignored by the mass-produced culture that predominates today. Written by a Harvard history professor, it is not an academic tome, but more a collection of stories about different people, all in the grand context of the changes that were happening to every body at the dawn of the Industrial age. Read this book to get a fresh understanding of why, today, we eschew "ready-mades" and disposables, and why we love creating our own domestic art. Very solid scholarship and deep, fulfilling reading.  ISBN: 0679766448.  6½'' X 9 ½'' softcover. $16.95  #139378

ALDEN AMOS BIG BOOK OF HANDSPINNING, Alden Amos.
Wheel designer and maintainer of textile traditions, Alden Amos – the recipient and evaluator of traditional wisdom – lets no point go unexamined. This is truly a BIG book offering decades of experience in making and handling yarn. He’ll change your spinning for the better, whether you agree with him or not.  ISBN:1-883020-88-8.  7 x 9, 480 pages, clothbound, illustrated.  $39.95  #239042

THE ASHFORD BOOK OF CARDING: A Handspinners Guide to Fiber Preparation, Jo Reeve.
Written for the hand spinner and felter as well as everyone who loves fiber, this is a practical and inspirational guide to carding fleece, slivers and exotic fibers. Included are sections on using flick, hand and drum carders, fiber and color blending, color theory, as well as four innovative projects. Step by step instructions and full color photographs envelope you in the world of color, texture and the endless possibilities of fiber.  ISBN-10: 1877427004.  8½'' X 9'',  92 pages, softcover. $25.00  #109759

THE ASHFORD BOOK OF SPINNING: Revised Edition, Anne Field.
Although written specifically for the Ashford wheel, the material included here is so basic and so well presented that it would benefit any spinner.  Further, it goes well beyond simply providing instructions for spinning.  There are chapters on dyeing and felting, and instructions for making projects using handspun yarns.  There are sweaters and scarves, mittens and booties, and more -- each illustrated in color.  152 pgs, illustrated.  Sc, $27.00  #139206

COLOR IN SPINNING, Deb Menz.
A paperbound edition of Deb Menz's classic guide to color for handspinners is finally here! Menz draws on 20 years of experience teaching and experimenting with color techniques to offer a technically savvy yet accessible tutorial on working with color and fiber. Written expressly for the handspinner seeking new adventures in color, this comprehensive manual presents in-depth discussions and step-by-step photographed demonstrations of immersion dyeing, painting rovings, blending colors and fibers, and spinning and plying multicolored preparations. And for those spinners who are color challenged, a useful chapter on understanding color principles will give you the skills needed to easily work with color. Whether you're a novice or an expert, no spinner's library is complete without this book.  Paperbound, 8 1/2 x 11, 240 pages, more than 300 color and black-and-white photographs, 55 illustrations, ISBN 1931499829.  $26.95  #239126

COLOR WORKS: The Crafter's Guide to Color, Deb Menz.
We all love color—its boundless array of hues dazzles our eyes, expresses our moods, and enriches our very lives. Thanks to Deb Menz, master teacher and author of the highly respected book Color in Spinning (Interweave Press, 1998), you can now explore colors with confidence in whatever craft medium you call your favorite. This is the first book to bring the principles of color theory down to a practical level and apply them to knitting, spinning, weaving, surface design (including stenciling and rubber stamping), hand- and machine-embroidery, beadwork, quilting, and paper collage. Basic color concepts are presented in sections on color description, values, contrasting and complementary colors, warm and cool colors, undertones, using color relationships, and much more. But the real treat is seeing a dynamic palette of color harmonies worked up in each medium! This approach is invaluable for mixed-media artists or those who simply dabble in more than one craft. Also included is a pull-out color wheel and a very handy section of hue cards in perforated format that are easy to remove and use for planning, matching, and shopping for supplies (Plus, there is a handy pocket in the back of the book to hold them!). If understanding color is the bridge to creative expression, how did we ever live without this book?  Covered spiral binding, 7 x 9 1/4, 152 pages, 55 color photographs , color strips, two color wheels, ISBN 1-931499-47-0  $24.95  #239079

CREATIVE SPINNING, Alison Daykin & Jane Deane.
Needleworkers no longer have to settle for what’s available at the local yarn shop!  Alison Daykin and Jane Deane, who have decades of experience spinning, weaving, and dyeing, show how easy it can be to create personalized and gorgeous skeins of one-of-a-kind fibers.  Designed for complete beginners, this attractive guide offers 30 beautiful projects that teach a repertoire of skills on both the hand spindle and spinning wheel.  It starts with simple, basic combing, twisting, plying, and finishing, then goes on to offer a primer on working with fibers.  All the chapters are organized by yarn type, including short wool and down, medium fine wool, long wool and lustre, hill and mountain, rare wool, animal hair, silk, and vegetable fiber.  ISBN-10: 1600592236.   $14.95  #139613