FAST FUN & EASY NEEDLE FELTING: 8 Techniques & Projects—Creative Results in Minutes, by Lynne Farris

Creative Wool Accents are the Latest Way to Play!

FELTMAKING and WOOL MAGIC: Contemporary Techniques and Beautiful Projects, by Jorie Johnson

After studying textile design in both the USA and Finland, author Jorie Johnson was introduced to the felt making process in 1977 when she was first taught Scandinavian felt boot-making. She was immediately struck by felt’s amazing properties and possibilities. Through this book, Felt Making and Wool Magic, you will see that Jorie’s approach to felt making is clearly creative as well as effective. The book covers in detail, basic step by step felt making techniques, then goes on to present a series of projects from simple jewelry to beautiful vests.

Felt Frenzy: 26 Projects for all Forms of FELTING, by Heather Brack and Shannon Okey

This is not your ordinary felting book! Felt Frenzy explores all the major techniques of felt making, from knit-and-shrink to wet felting, needlefelting, and “recycled felting”—turning salvaged wool sweaters into useful felt pieces—plus ways to combine techniques for creative and unique results.

Designed with the absolute beginner in mind, Felt Frenzy is packed with 26 projects and photographs of more than 50 before-and-after felted yarn combinations so readers can easily customize patterns with substitutions of their choice.

Handspinner's Handbook, by Bette Hochberg

Here's a very clear, practical manual on spinning all types of fibers on a "flax" wheel. All aspects of spinning are considered and the "long draw" method emphasized, parts and care of the wheel are discussed, breeds of sheep, other natural animal and vegetable fibers, man-made fibers, carding, drum carding, blending fibers, plying, skeining, and stumbling blocks are covered. The presentation is easy to follow.

The Yarn Book, by Penny Walsh

Yarn is the basic unit of textile construction and every fabric, except felt is made with it. The properties of yarn — its ply, tensility, strength, weight, elasticity, and resistance to heat, water, shrinkage — are what give each yarn its unique characteristics. By manipulating these properties, an astonishing array of fabric types can be produced, creating any number of textures and appearances. By focusing on these varieties, Penny Walsh is able to closely examine the composition and construction of different yarns and explore their many uses.

Spin to Knit, by Shannon Okey

Do you want to knit with something other than commercial yarns? Dare to be different — become a full-fledged fiber fanatic with Spin to Knit, the essential guide for knitters wanting to learn to make their own yarn! Urban spinner Shannon Okey, author if KnitGrrl, teaches the basic tools you need to get started spinning. . .

Contemporary Tapestry by Harriet Tidball

Shaped Tapestry by Kathe Todd-Hooker

This book is filled with information about weaving tapestries "outside-the-box." By this we mean, non-rectangular tapestries. Such tapestries can be shaped and lie flat on the wall or they can be 3-dimensional. There are many ways to weave a non-rectangular tapestry: shaping the loom itself, using weave structures that cause the weaving to become shaped, and using scaffolds and other devices to hold areas of warp that are then manipulated into 3-dimensional shapes when the weaving is finished. Naturally, these types of processes require some special finishing techniques, and this book covers those as well. If you wan a truly creative approach to this centuries old medium, this is the book for you.

Line in Tapestry by Kathe Todd-Hooker

Tapestry Weaving by Kirsten Glasbrook

Even if the modernistic samples and bright, primary colors in this book are not your favorite decorating style, the clear how-to instructions give you confidence to interpret the techniques into your own preferred designs. Basic methods are demonstrated through large, color photographs. All the tapestries in this book were woven on simple, rectangular frames, and you can even adapt an old picture frame for this purpose, and use rug yarn for the weft. (A valuable hint to someone who wants to try the skill before investing a lot of money in a loom.) From a solitary heart to circles, simple landscapes then progress on to a labyrinth and incredibly detailed side-woven panels. This book is a wealth of knowledge on the subject of weaving.