When Interweave Press had a sale a couple months ago, I splurged and bought some spinning DVDs I’d had my eye on, and thought I’d share my thoughts on them.

First, the facts:

Title: The Gentle Art of Plying: Beyond singles–creating just the yarn you want

Starring: Judith MacKenzie

Produced by: Interweave Press, 2010

DVDs: Set of 2. First DVD 58 minutes; Second DVD 47 minutes

Type: Spinning DVD

Sections:
DISC ONE

DISC TWO

The In-Depth Look:
One of the few DVDs on my shelf that I think is a must-have. Tons of great information, a lovely, calming presentation, and good tips about the reasons you should ply in certain ways but not in others … but also why it’s entirely up to you.

Blurb on the box:

“Plying is not an afterthought. It’s your gateway into the vast world of yarn design. Informed and skillful plying can make all the difference between ‘just another yarn’ and ‘just the yarn you want.’ In this engaging video, master spinner Judith MacKenzie presents not just the basics–how to hold your hands, where to put your kate–but an extensive adventure into the endless possibilities.”

Starring: Judith MacKenzie

Produced by: Interweave Press, 2010

DVDs: Set of 2. First DVD 64 minutes; Second DVD 60 minutes

Type: Spinning DVD

Sections:
DISC ONE

DISC TWO

The In-Depth Look:

There’s plenty of good stuff in here, but it DOES focus on the wheels and the hows and whys they work, which can be boring if all you’re looking for is a wheel to, you know, make yarn on. But if you’re already making yarn and you’re looking for a good wheel, it helps to be informed about those hows and whys–and this DVD will cover most of that.

Blurb from the box:

“The flyer spinning wheel is a subtle machine. Understanding this ingenious tool, optimizing its performance, and making it work for you is key to becoming an accomplished spinner. In this far-ranging video, Judith MacKenzie looks at several of the popular wheels available to spinners today, explains the fundamentals of how they work, dissects their differences, gives pointers on getting the best from them, and shares tips and hints on making your wheel as efficient and versatile as it was designed to be.”

Starring: Judith MacKenzie

Produced by: Interweave Press, 2010

DVDs: Set of 2. First DVD 77 minutes; Second DVD 63 minutes

Type: Spinning DVD

Sections:
DISC ONE

DISC TWO

The In-Depth Look:

I’m really glad I got this set, too. The “toolbox” in the title doesn’t mean things like spindles or wheels–it’s the best toolbox you have. Your hands, and your brain. The beauty of this DVD is that it teaches you how to make six different kinds of yarn with exactly the same wool–because while fiber preparation can make a difference and can work better for some methods than others, ultimately it’s the spinner who’s in charge.

Blurb from the box:

“As a spinner, your most important, versatile tools are your own skilled hands. With those eight fingers and two opposable thumbs, plus a half-dozen simple techniques for manipulating the fiber supply, you can spin a full suite of yarn styles. … You’ll begin by seeing the unlikely possibility of spinning the six different yarn styles with a single fiber preparation. You’ll end by witnessing this reverered master spinner, in a miracle of energetic ambidexterity, draft two fiber sources simultaneously into a strong, lofty, funky novelty yarn. And so can you.”

Other related posts:

• The Intentional Spinner

When Interweave Press had a sale a couple months ago, I splurged and bought some spinning DVDs I’d had my eye on, and thought I’d share my thoughts on them.

First, the facts:

Title: Spinning for Lace: Tried and True Methods for Spinning Fine Yarns from Merino and More

Starring: Margaret Stove

Produced by: Interweave Press, 2010

DVDs: One DVD, 85 minutes

Type: Spinning DVD

Sections:

The In-Depth Look:
This is a gem of a DVD, full of techniques I’d never heard of before. People who have been lucky enough to take a class from Margaret Stove come back with stories like Marco Polo returned with, full of wonder and magic. Seeing this video, I understand why. This is a totally unique and extremely informative.

Blurb from the box:

“Do you long to spin cobweb-fine threads that are both lively and durable? Margaret Stove is the expert. Her methods might seem counterintuitive, but they work! Beginning with a fine, crimpy fiber such as Merino wool, Margaret sorts, washes, spins, plies, and finishes wool and blended yarn for lace knitting that has won international acclaim. A great advocate of the fine Merinos in her native New Zealand, Margaret is also fearless in creating plied blends using silk, angora, qiviut, and more.”

Title: How I Spin: A common-sense approach to great productivity and creative joy

Starring: Rita Buchanan

Produced by: Interweave Press, 2010

DVDs: Set of 2. First DVD 65 minutes; Second DVD 90 minutes

Type: Spinning DVD

Sections:
DISK ONE

DISK TWO

The In-Depth Look:
I really enjoyed this set. Her delivery, her mannerisms, and most of all her passion for spinning shine through. I thought that I loved yarn and spinning, but there is simply no comparison! Rita Buchanan lives and breathes spinning and she’s a delight. I loved these DVDs, if only to remind me what real passion looks like … and what a few small changes can do to make my spinning completely different.

Blurb on the box:

“What can you learn from someone who spins all day, every day (except during gardening season), and who produces her own handspun shirts, sweaters, blankets, rugs, table linens, bath towels, aprons, even gardening shorts? Short answer: A lot! Rita Buchanan has spent more thoughtful time preparing fiber, spinning yarn, and making fabrics from her handspun than perhaps anyone in the developed world. This is not just mindless handwork; Rita has a keen analytical mind that she applies consistently to testing, sampling, and record keeping, and she balances this against her pure joy in the process. The result is a body of knowledge and practice that sometimes defies convention, and always instructs and engages.”

Title: In Praise of Simple Cloth: spinning for a purpose

Starring: Rita Buchanan

Produced by: Interweave Press, 2010

DVDs: Set of 2. First DVD 60 minutes; Second DVD 60 minutes

Type: Spinning DVD

Sections:
DISC ONE: Exploring Possibilities

DISC TWO: Wearing Handspun Everyday

The In-Depth Look:
I’ll confess that I didn’t get as much out of this as Rita’s “How I Spin,” but that might primarily be because I don’t spin, or hook rugs … or just aren’t as outright adventurous and explorative as she is. These discs embrace all the wonderful things you could possibly do with your handspun yarn–not as a how-to, not as a series of patterns, but as inspiration to get you thinking about possibilities. While I loved seeing her show things she’s made and her enthusiasm is infectious, but it didn’t was too warm-and-fuzzy, isn’t-this-wonderful for me, when I was hoping for more technique.

(Blurb from the box–the opening paragraph is exactly the same as the prior set.)

Other related posts:

• Wrapped in Lace by Margaret Stove

First, the facts:

Title: Knitting Ganseys

Author: Beth Brown-Reinsel

Book:
Published by: White River Press, 1993
Pages: 151

DVD:
Published by: Knitting Traditions and Essanay Film and Television, 2010
Length: 97 minutes

Type: How-to for a classic design.

Chapters (book):

1. What Is a Gansey?
2. Getting Started and Casting On
3. Ribbing and Welts
4. The Plain Area, Seam Stitches, and Definition Ridge
5. Pattern Motifs
6. The Underarm Gussets
7. The Upper Body and Neckline
8. Shoulder Straps and Joins
9. The Sleeve
10. Finishing the Neckline
11. Planning and Designing Your Own
12. Six Garment Designs

The In-Depth Look:

I’ve been meaning to review this book for ages. Not only is Beth Brown-Reinsel one of my favorite designers, but her “Knitting Ganseys” book is a classic. I was lucky enough to meet her at “Vogue Knitting Live” last weekend and told her so–and immediately moved the book up my queue (because I’m a woman of my word).

It turns out that it’s a good thing that I hadn’t gotten around to writing up the review, though, because she now has a companion DVD, which she was nice enough to send me to review. I hadn’t even realized she had one, and I have to tell you that … well, I’m getting ahead of myself.

So, where do I start?

Well, the book came first.

As a good historic-technique book should, this begins talking about the history of the gansey, and then dives into the details about shaping, pattern stitches, preferred cast-ons, how the underarm gusset works … all the detail you need to know to appreciate and recreate a gansey of your own.

One of the best parts is that, in addition to telling you all these things, she acknowledges that tackling a full-size project might be intimidating. So, she has you make a small version sampler of a gansey. A stroke of genius, don’t you think? (Not to mention quite the coup for some doll of your acquaintance later on.) By the time you’ve knitted your way through the sampler, you should have no qualms with making a full-sized version for yourself.

I’m not exaggerating when I tell you that this book is full of information. Mostly, of course, details specific to gansey sweaters, but lots of tidbits useful to all your knitting. She walks you through the construction of a gansey (sample-sized and full-sized), provides stitch motifs for you to use in your own, and then gives you all the knitty-gritty information you need to design one of your own. (And if you don’t want to do all that work, there are 6 fully-written patterns for you to knit.)

Now, the video.

It’s the perfect companion to the book. In many ways, it covers the exact same ground. The background and instructional material are more or less identical, but it’s wonderful to see actual samples of different stitches and why, say, one cast-on is better than another. Or to really see the difference in the three variations for a 2-stitch cable. Because this time, the samples and the backgrounds are in full color.

If the book has a flaw it’s in the black-and-white photos. In the 18 years since it was published, we’ve gotten used to slick, multi-color books so it looks a little dated. It’s like watching “Casablanca” compared to something like “Bourne Identity.” You can’t deny that the quality is there, but 21st century eyes are used to more vivid visual stimulation. (It always saddens me when new knitters shrug off really excellent books because they’re black-and-white and seem “old.”)

Well, the video more than balances that. Having a chance to see the book come to life meant I particularly enjoyed watching the video–not only to see demonstrations of the techniques, but because I liked being able to really SEE the samples.

I loved Beth as a teacher, too. Her voice is pleasant, her explanations are clear, her personality shines through, and she’s a lovely person to spend time with. She absolutely knows what she’s talking about and gives solid reasons for why you should do certain things, or what the historical variations were, but without sounding too pushy or strict about “you must.” I’ve never been lucky enough to take a class with her, but now I feel like I have. Even having read the book, I feel like I still learned a lot from the video.

Do you need both?

Well, probably not–but they are ideal together. You can always rewatch the video for techniques instead of referencing the paper book. The paper book does cover all the ground of the DVD. The DVD comes with printable pattern for the “Little Gansey,” too, so you don’t reallly NEED to have both. Personally, though, I’m more likely to refer to a book than to a video if I have questions, so I like having both.

They really are companions–there are details in the book that don’t make it into the DVD for time constraints, and the visual aids in the video are definitely more helpful than the still, gray-scaled photos in the book. They go together, like music and lyrics.

You can buy both the book and the video at Amazon.com. They’re both available from Beth’s site, too.

Want to see bigger pictures? Click here.

The book was my own personal copy, but the review copy of the DVD was kindly donated by the author. Thank you!

First, the facts:

Title: A Knitting Wrapsody: Innovative Designs to Wrap, Drape, and Tie

Author: Kristin Omdahl

Published by: Interweave Press, 2011

Pages: 134

Type: Patterns–with a bonus DVD.

Chapters:

1. Scarves
2. Wraps
3. Shawls
4. Skirts

The In-Depth Look:

You can definitely see the crochet influence in this book of knitted patterns. I’ve seen Kristin Omdahl on Interweave’s Knitting Daily show giving crochet tips, but hadn’t realized that she’s a knitter as well.

Crochet background or not, this collection is made up of knitted patterns for scarves and shawls, as well as skirts. Some of the designs are readily recognizable as “knitted” objects, but a few really stand out as unique because of the designer’s crochet background. The Infinity “cardi-wrap,” for example starts with a knitted infinity sign on the back and then works from there. The Lelani shawl starts with a series of medallions that look like they could have been crocheted and then connected for the rest of the shawl.

I appreciate the creativity behind that. One of the advantages of crochet is that you can work in almost any shape you want–circles, squares, oblongs–whereas knitting tends to be more linear, primarily rectangle-based. Most knitters wouldn’t think to start with a completely different shape, (and it certainly is easier to crochet some shapes than to knit them) and I like the hints of crochet-legacy here to remind me of other possibilities.

So … all these new ideas. Are you worried that some of these techniques might be beyond you? Never fear–the book comes with an instructional DVD to demonstrate many of the techniques.

Hosted and narrated by Kristin Omdahl, the DVD shows many of the stitches used in the book’s designs. This is a great advantage, especially since some of these ideas might be entirely new to some knitters, and it’s interesting to hear how the designer came up with some of the patterns and their names.

All in all, this is a nice book, though I still don’t get the conceptual link from “wraps” like shawls to skirt patterns, but that’s not important. The included DVD is a nice touch, too, though the written descriptions seem quite clear. But then, I’m a word-oriented learner. If you do better with visual aids, you’ll appreciate the DVD even more than I did.

This book/DVD set is available at Amazon.com.

Want to see bigger pictures? Click here.

This review copy was kindly donated by Interweave Press. Thank you!

First, the facts:

Title: Drafting: The Long and Short of It

Starring: Abby Franquemont

Produced by: Interweave Press, 2009

Length: 62 Minutes

Type: Spinning DVD

Sections:

1. Introduction
2. Short Backward Draw
3. The Long Draw
4. Worsted Variation on a Short Fiber Blend
5. Woolen or Worsted from the Fold
6. The Finish

The In-Depth Look:

I’ve had my eye on this video for months. It doesn’t matter how much you know or think you know about spinning, there’s always more you can learn. Abby Franquemont has been spinning since she was a child and she has a lot of knowledge to share.

Here, she sits at her wheel and explains the different fiber preparations and how they effect the drafting method. There is a reason that carded fiber is best for woolen drafting methods, and that combed wool is perfect for worsted–and she explains all of it. It’s clear, informative, and very helpful. Well worth the wait.

First, the facts:

Title: Respect the Spindle: The Video

Starring: Abby Franquemont

Produced by: Interweave Press, 2009

Length: 72 Minutes

Type: Spinning DVD

Sections:

1. How Does Spinning Work?
2. Spinning, Winding, Joining
3. What’s the Right Spindle?
4. Plying and Finishing

The In-Depth Look:

I’ve already reviewed the companion book to this DVD, and I have to tell you, the video is just as good. Spindling gets a bad rap far too often, as too many spinners think that it’s not as productive as wheel spinning.

This, of course, is not at all true if you bring your spindle with you when you’re out and about on errands or taking walks. It helps, though, if you know how to do it right, and Abby gives some really great tips on making your spindling as productive and fun as it can be.

My Gush: Two videos well worth the time to watch, with more info than you can absorb in one viewing.

Other posts for this author:

• Respect the Spindle

First, the facts:

Title: Knitting Daily TV, Series 300 and Series 400

Produced by: Interweave Press, 2009 and 2010

Length: 13 episodes, 5 hours 48 minutes each

Type: DVDs

The In-Depth Look:

I’ve had the season 3 set of Knitting Daily TV sitting next to my computer for months. First, my DVD player broke, leaaving only my computer for watching DVDs, which made it difficult to do anything else. Then we moved, and that threw me off for weeks, and finding almost 6 hours of time to watch and review these DVDs–even after I bought a replacement DVD player–just wasn’t easy to come by.

Then season 4 arrived, making me seriously overdue, but lucky for me, it arrived just before a monster snowstorm that shut down my day job for a day and a half. Suddenly, I had plenty of time for watching, so that’s what I did. Over three days, I watched all 8 DVDs–almost 12 hours of video–and so you’re getting an all-for-one review.

Series 300 (Season 3)

• 301 Traditional Cables
• 302 Babies and Children
• 303 Make it Reversible
• 304 All About Alpaca
• 305 Charity Projects
• 306 Fun with Color
• 307 Go Global
• 308 You’re the Designer
• 309 Start Spinning
• 310 Blankets and Afghans
• 311 Stripes!
• 312 Gifts for Every Season
• 313 Eco-Friendly and Green

Series 400 (Season 4)

• 401 Fearless Knit and Crochet
• 402 Fashion Forward
• 403 Knit and Purl Magic
• 404 All in the Finish
• 405 Natural Fibers
• 406 Fiber Tech
• 407 Wild About Wool
• 408 Crazy for Cotton
• 409 Creative Scarves
• 410 New England Knits
• 411 Think Thin
• 412 On the Edge
• 413 Trade Secrets

Having just watched all eleven and a half hours, I can tell you without reservation that these DVDs are interesting, useful, and chock-full of great information. I don’t have access to these on television, so I hadn’t had a chance to see them before.

Well, they did not disappoint.

First, go back and look at the titles for each of the episodes. Look at the range of topics they cover! Cables. Color. Spinning. Wool. Thin yarns. Eco-friendly yarns. Charity projects. Handy tips. Demonstrations on various ways to hold your yarn, or how to try crafts you might not be familiar with. There is a vast wealth of information, here.

The show is co-hosted by Eunny Jang, along with Kim Werker, Liz Gipson, Shay Pendray, and Kristin Omdahl. Each show is split into regular segments showing you specific techniques, or bringing in experts to talk about things like sizing, or how to blend colors. The list of guests is like a who’s who of knitting, with designers, authors, and experts from yarn companies and stores, as well as people with specific expertise.

There is lots of good information in here. The video is easy to watch, with helpful camera angles for demonstrations.

The main difference between the two seasons is that season 4 has a regular crochet segment, and more on-the-spot interviews, and some of the regular faces change, but it is still demonstrably the same show from one season to the next, just with a few different faces.

My one real complaint? The credits. I absolutely believe that sponsors deserve full credit for supporting this great little show. They do. But every single episode begins and ends with a minute or two of almost-identical credits–not just a scrolling list of the sponsors, but an announcement of them, spoken over the repeating theme song jingle. Putting in one of these DVDs and hitting “Play All” meant having to hear that same thing 6 or 8 times per disk. Maddening. Not only does the jingle get annoying after the fifth or sixth repeat, but it means that it takes that much longer to get to the good stuff. It’s like calling a friend with a long, slow voice mail message and having to sit and wait when you just want to get to the beep already, and get on with it.

Because, trust me. There is lots of good stuff on here.

The DVDs can be purchased at Interweave.

Want to see bigger pictures? Here are the links:

These review copies were kindly donated by Interweave Press. Thank you!

Two Videos:

Title: Classic to Creative Knit Cables with Kathy Zimmerman

Author: Kathy Zimmerman

Published by: Interweave Knits, 2009

Video: 65 minutes

Type: Instructional

First Reaction: Great explanation of cables.

The In-Depth Look:

This is a Knitting Daily Workshop video which explores the whys and wherefores of cables. What they are, how to make them, the difference between left-cross cables and right-cross cables (not to mention the different terminology). Kathy Zimmerman makes an excellent teacher as she explains not only what you need to do, but why. And what to do when you make a mistake. (Not, she says, that she ever makes mistakes.)

If you haven’t tackled cables yet, this is a great introduction. If you have, but you’re still uncertain and want to learn some new tricks, it’s good for you, too. It’s easy to see what she’s doing, when she’s showing you what to do, and the explanations are clear and helpful.

Title: Introduction to Fair Isle: The Ivy League Vest with Eunny Jang

Author: Eunny Jang

Published by: Interweave Knits, 2009

Video: 54 minutes

Type: Instructional

First Reaction: Exactly what it says–an intro to fair isle

The In-Depth Look:

This is a Knitting Daily Workshop video which tackles Fair Isle, using Eunny Jang’s “Ivy League Vest” (pattern included) as a template. There are lots of helpful tips in here–the one for casting on with two colors is practically worth the price of the video–and it takes a lot of the “scare” out of colorwork and steeks. There’s so much information in here, in fact, I need to watch it again. Off hand, I can’t think of a fair isle topic that she did not touch on. It really is a great introduction.

This review copy was kindly donated by Interweave Press. Thank you!

First, the facts:

Title: Start Spinning: The Video

Author: Maggie Casey, with Eunny Jang

Published by: Interweave Press, 2009

Format: Two DVDs

Length: 78 minutes for the first, 66 minutes for the second.

Type: Spinning How To

Segments:
Disc One
1. Fibers to start with
2. About your wheel
3. Getting started
4. Making yarn
5. More about wheels
6. Plying and Finishing.

Disc Two
1. Looking at wool
2. Carding Basics
3. Long Draw
4. Commercial top
5. Over the Fold
6. Exploring other fibers

The In-Depth Look:

I should really have had this review up weeks ago, but a series of technical glitches (don’t ask) basically left me with only one way to watch a DVD … on my computer. Which means that I could only watch this when I wasn’t using the computer for anything else, like, say, writing, and, well … you get the idea.

But, that said, this video was worth the effort.

The DVDs–there are two in the package–are basically a spinning lesson from Maggie Casey (author of the companion book) to Eunny Jang, with just a few thousand of their closest friends watching over their shoulders.

Now, I’ve been spinning since 2004, and since there’s nothing I like better than to read everything I can get my hands on when I find a new interest, I already knew most of the basic techniques given here. I point this out not to make myself sound like I know more about spinning than Maggie Casey (which is decidedly not the case), but because it’s been a while since I learned to spin, which makes it hard to judge exactly how well she’s explaining things for a novice.

This is where Eunny Jang comes in. As editor of Interweave Knits, she’s obviously well versed in different kinds of yarn and knowledgeable about a lot of yarn-type things, which makes her the perfect foil for this video lesson. One of the flaws in most of the spinning videos I’ve watched in the past is that it’s just a woman talking to a camera, with nobody to stop her when she’s unclear or explaining too quickly. Having Eunny in the room, taking her first spinning lesson, is a wonderful idea for the clarity of this video.

She asks the obvious questions, like, “How do you know how much twist is enough?” I asked this one a lot myself, but was never lucky enough to have somebody handy to give me a good answer. (The answer, by the way is, “It’s hard to say.”) Having a new spinner there to ask questions of the teacher on behalf of all of us viewers was brilliant.

Not only that, Eunny was spinning her own yarn within minutes, and doing a whole lot better than I did on my first try, and I credit that to Maggie’s explanations, which were clear and concise, not to mention helpful. And yes, there were some tips that I hadn’t heard before (aren’t there always?). The picture quality is nice, the set attractive without being distracting.

The DVDs can be purchased at Interweave’s website.

Want to see bigger pictures? Here are the links: 1. Vid–4 2. Vid–3

This review copy was kindly donated by Interweave Press. Thank you!