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jimbobspins
Gabber Extraordinaire
463 Posts |
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Chemcats
Permanent Resident
3337 Posts |
 Posted - 02/15/2007 : 04:05:15 AM
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Thanks for posting that. I am going to be very interested to see it.
Meribeth |
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kbshee
Permanent Resident
USA
4129 Posts |
Posted - 02/15/2007 : 09:11:42 AM
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How exciting. I've been lucky to have been able to take a class with JMM, and I'd love a book of all her 'secrets'.
kim in oregon
http://kbshee.blogspot.com |
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BessH
Permanent Resident
3095 Posts |
Posted - 02/15/2007 : 10:14:18 AM
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Thanks!! I too am a great admirer. I still have Rose's copy of the video - ready to mail back to her when I can bear to part with it.
I promise - before it's been a whole year.
Bess
http://likethequeen.blogspot.com |
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RoseByAny
Permanent Resident
USA
12598 Posts |
Posted - 02/15/2007 : 10:20:35 AM
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What I love is the format - so many spinning (and knitting, frankly, though less so) books have a very homemade feel to them. I understand the reasons for this, but I don't like it.
But "Teach Yourself VISUALLY" has some very well produced books, and I hope this will follow suit! Judith is wonderful, an overflowing font of knowledge and experience, and a well formated, high quality book sharing even some of that will be a goldmine. It won't be as good as the classes I've taken with her, but it might be as good as the video - if they can get better photography.
(and take your time with the video - you still owe me a spin on Bella in exchange!)
"Choose your friends by their character and your socks by their color. Choosing your socks by their character makes no sense, and choosing your friends by their color is unthinkable."
http://RoseByAny.BlogSpot.Com |
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kdcrowley
Permanent Resident
USA
4773 Posts |
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WarmFuzzy
Warming Up
USA
72 Posts |
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Kade1301
Permanent Resident
France
1426 Posts |
Posted - 04/17/2007 : 09:14:21 AM
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If I believe the Amazon web site, the book is out - has anybody seen it yet? What do you think?
Klara
Check out my homepage on spinning (and more) http://www.lahottee.info |
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afranquemont
Warming Up
USA
89 Posts |
Posted - 04/17/2007 : 12:06:07 PM
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I haven't seen it yet, Klara, and I'm keeping my eyes peeled. I should probably just go ahead and order it!
Abby Franquemont
http://abbysyarns.com/ |
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KAMAOR
Chatty Knitter
113 Posts |
Posted - 04/17/2007 : 1:48:26 PM
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Its available through Amazon for 14.95 right now. I just ordered my copy
Karen |
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kbshee
Permanent Resident
USA
4129 Posts |
Posted - 04/17/2007 : 5:33:27 PM
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I had preordered but last week got an email saying the order is delayed and won't ship until 4/30. If someone gets it this week from amazon let me know...maybe I should cancel and reorder!
kim in oregon
http://kbshee.blogspot.com |
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KathyR
Permanent Resident
New Zealand
2969 Posts |
Posted - 04/18/2007 : 4:46:43 PM
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I have been spinning for a long time now but I definitely am not an "expert" spinner. Would this book be suitable for someone like me? Or would it be like a lot of the knitting books - aimed at learning or fairly new spinners? In other words, would you more experienced spinners feel the need to buy it? (I've been disappointed in several knitting books I have bought and don't really want to go down that road again)
KathyR
Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength.
My Blog |
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KromGal
Gabber Extraordinaire
594 Posts |
Posted - 04/18/2007 : 5:07:53 PM
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| My copy is also in Amazon limbo, but I have spoken to someone who has received hers. She says it is wonderful and comprehensive. I don't care how "expert" you are, you will still learn something from Judith. I have taken numerous classes with Judith (and Celia Quinn, Rita Buchanan, etc) and am still looking forward to having this book in my library. I was hoping she would go the Interweave Press hardcover route, but I'll take whatever she does! |
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jimbobspins
Gabber Extraordinaire
463 Posts |
Posted - 04/19/2007 : 06:01:13 AM
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I just picked up a copy at my local Barnes and Noble yesterday. So it is finally in print. Looks good, although I do wish some of the photos were larger/clearer. But I didn't buy it for the pictures :-) Pretty comprehensive without being dumbed down. Would be a good addition to just about anyone's library. Lot's of neat tips.
Jim |
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Kade1301
Permanent Resident
France
1426 Posts |
Posted - 04/19/2007 : 10:26:54 AM
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Thanks Jim! I just checked out the table of content and sample pages at Wiley's web site (sorry, didn't keep the link - found it with google) and I'm wondering: How does Judith McKenzie McCuin fit all of that on 200 pages? Are the subjects really treated comprehensively?
And I really wish Amazon France would get it...
Check out my homepage on spinning (and more) http://www.lahottee.info |
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jimbobspins
Gabber Extraordinaire
463 Posts |
Posted - 04/19/2007 : 11:39:33 AM
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It is pretty comprehensive, certainly enough for one to get started with just about anything. And then some. But it does not go into "super-super" detail. Some would still want specialized publications for that. More importantly is that it will make important information available to a wider audience in an organized manner. I imagine a lot of spinners reading the book and saying "Oh, OK, now I get it." A nice book to get a good overview of fiber, prep, spinning and yarn construction.
I would say for a beginning spinner it is the new go-to book. Especially considering the low price. I would be hard pressed to find one book in my spinning library that covers all of these topics. I would have to combine at least three to four books I have to do that.
For the intermediate spinner there is still a lot of valuable information, tips and an interesting point of view.
For the advanced spinner, maybe not so much in terms of new information, but certainly an interesting point of view that I find refreshing in its simplicity. Very direct and she does not beat around the bush. Right to the point.
In some ways it is not as much as Alden Amos' Big Book but in many ways it is much more. I think this book will be a welcome addition to what's already out there. Someday I hope to take a class with Judith.
Jim
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KAMAOR
Chatty Knitter
113 Posts |
Posted - 04/19/2007 : 3:06:23 PM
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Got my email from Amazon my copy shipped today that I ordered 2 days ago. SO if your in limbo you might want to contact Amazon they are usually really good about this stuff
Karen |
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KathyR
Permanent Resident
New Zealand
2969 Posts |
Posted - 04/19/2007 : 3:52:35 PM
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Thanks for that, Jim. I will certainly think hard about getting a copy.
KathyR
Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength.
My Blog |
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Kade1301
Permanent Resident
France
1426 Posts |
Posted - 04/21/2007 : 05:28:19 AM
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Hi Jim, thanks from me, too. I'll definitely get it, as well.
Off to Amazon... Klara
Check out my homepage on spinning (and more) http://www.lahottee.info |
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Shelia
Permanent Resident
USA
2315 Posts |
Posted - 04/21/2007 : 07:15:43 AM
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I am at a weaving conference in northern California this weekend, and Judith is one of the teachers. (no, I'm not taking her class, because it is Spinning for Weaving, and I'm not a weaver, at least not an AVL loom kind of weaver, I'm taking a class on knotted pile rugs)
Anyway, we went to the lecture last night together, and were talking about her book. She was contacted by the publisher to do the book in this "Visually" series because they did a survey of knitters and crocheters, and feel that the results indicated that spinning will be "the new knitting". The book is intended to be just what Jim said in his review, a comprehensive introduction and manual for the new and intermediate spinner, presented in a very accessible way. She told me that they took over 400 photos to get to the ones that made the book, all pretty much freeze-action posed. It was brought out much more quickly (about 6 months lead time as opposed to 12-15 months) as the publisher feels that spinning is about to take off. I passed the compliments from you guys on to Judith.
I'm looking forward to seeing the book too, I'll be checking out a bookstore when I get home.
Shelia
www.letstalkstash.blogspot.com |
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Kade1301
Permanent Resident
France
1426 Posts |
Posted - 05/12/2007 : 09:37:32 AM
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The idea behind this book is great - the execution leaves a lot to be desired. The overall impression I had was that of a spinning class for beginners where the teacher says "Spinning is a great hobby, you can do this, and this, and this, and this, it's really great - well, sorry, I don't have the time to explain HOW you do it, but you'll figure it out". There's supposedly a little bit of everything, but for me the explanations are just not detailed enough. Now, that's just the general impression, but there's also a number of specific points to criticize.
As Jim has said, the pictures are not very good. The "closeup" shots of yarn and fibre are not close enough and the pictures don't always go very well with the text: The different types of spinning wheel (bobbin driven etc.) are illustrated with full frontal shots of the wheels - you can see pedals and drivewheel, but not even guess how drive band and brake band are running. The only picture (in this chapter) that does show the drive/brake band arrangement is that of a scotch tension wheel right next to the headline "bobbin-driven wheels".
Page 77 "The hooks on most flyers are offset, which makes it easier to fill the bobbins evenly. You move the yarn from the hood on the right side to the hook on the left side, from one end of the flyer to the other" - firstly, none of the new wheels I bought has offset hooks, secondly, for that to work the hooks need to be on opposite sides of the flyer arms (so that both rows of hooks are visible - or invisible - at the same time when the flyer is horizontal) and this is NOT the case on the wheel that's shown on this page.
On page 140 we have a picture of a skein of angora yarn and the text says "Do you see how much bigger the yarn is now that it's fulled?" No, we don't - there's no "before" picture.
By the way, on all the drumcarders shown the licker-in drum is full of fibre - I thought that was a sign of faulty carding?
So, don't buy the book for the pictures. Well, normally I wouldn't anyway - but the title is "Teach yourself visually..." - and the motto "Read less - learn more". Which implies that you are supposed to learn from the pictures...
Textwise, the technical information on spinning wheels is unclear, incomplete or just plain wrong. Examples: Page 15: "A bobbin-driven wheel is the fastest of the wheel types, but it doesn't offer you much control" - what's that supposed to mean? For me, spinning wheel speed is a function of the ratio (a concept that's never mentioned anywhere), and incidentally the bobbin-driven wheels I know are all on the slow side. Page 16: "You have more control on a double-drive wheel than you do on a bobbin-driven wheel, but less speed" and finally the flyer-driven wheel is "the slowest of the three types". Can somebody explain what Judith means? I have a feeling that the text was shortened and some of the meaning got lost. On the other hand, if there wasn't enough space for thorough explanations, why are two pages wasted for showing how to make a slipknot for attaching the leader to a handspindle (who cares? Any old knot will do, especially when you also wrap the yarn around the shaft under the whorl - instructions are for bottom-whorl spindle only.)
Then, what are we supposed to learn from sentences like this one: "If you have the wheel-maker's instructions, it should tell you how to replace the bobbin. If you do not have the instructions, every wheel should have some way to take the flyer off so that you can replace the bobbin" (page 70) By the way, nowhere is mentioned that the whorl on the double-drive wheel unscrews clockwise - that might have been a piece of useful information. Regarding information that's just plain wrong, here's one example: "Remember to put the drive band on the big end of the bobbin if you are using a scotch brake and on the small end if you are using a double drive" (page 71) - wrong! for scotch brake operation you put the drive band on the FLYER whorl and the brake band on the bobbin whorl, and yes, the brake does work better if the band runs over the bigger bobbin whorl.
Another peeve: Judith McKenzie McCuin mostly avoids traditional spinning terminology and anything that might make spinning seem technical. Instead of "drafting" she uses mostly "stretching", instead of "S- and Z-twist" "left and right twist (and I like her explanation with the thumb - but would it really have hurt to mention that other sources use S and Z?), there's no mention of spinning wheel ratios, twists per inch or wraps per inch - meaning, reading this book doesn't even prepare the beginner for other, more detailed, more technical books.
I could continue - I found things I don't agree with every few pages (not to speak of the typos - ever heard of Magicraft wheels and curded roving?) - but it's maybe more helpful if I mention alternatives: For explaining how a spinning wheel works: Alden Amos Big Book of Handspinning (or the internet - any of Abby Franquemonts articles on the subject is MUCH better than all of the spinning wheel info in „Teach Yourself Visually Handspinning" combined, and I believe I've done a better job explaining the three drive types). For learning how to spin: Lee Raven's Hands on Spinning (spindle and wheel) or Connie Delaney's Spindle Spinning from Novice to Expert, or Patsy Z's videos. For novelty yarns Diane Varney's Spinning Designer Yarns (includes a chapter on chemical dyeing) and/or Patsy Z's video, for natural dyeing Jenny Dean's Wild Color. So, as Jim has said, in order to find the same topics as in "Teach Yourself Visually Handspinning" you have to turn to a number of books - but at least then the subject is treated exhaustively.
And now you can begin to throw stones at me for "dissing" Judith McKenzie McCuin ;-) (And to head off one argument: No, I'm not a very experienced spinner - but I am a technical writer! For the past 6 years I've earned my living writing manuals for rather complex machinery.)
Klara
Check out my homepage on spinning (and more) http://www.lahottee.info |
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New Book by Judith MacKenzie McCuin
