Pure Wool: A Guide to Using Single-Breed Yarns is not a typically beautiful book.
Some books are like girls who are all dressed up for the London season, curled and powdered and full of frills and gorgeous glossy pictures. They sit poised to pounce on any titled gent who attends the ball, and they get their share of the attention.
Sue Blacker’s Pure Wool is like the country lass who stays home, away from the ball, caring for the farm with a strong back and a healthy beauty.
There is nothing glossy about this book, but that is fitting. Wool is not a glittery fiber, it deserves a solid, hearty book.
INFORMATION RICH
The images are lovely, but the soul of this book is the rich bounty of information about breeds of yarn – presented in an easily manageable manner – so that even a non-spinner, non-sheep savvy person like myself can feel better educated.
I knit, I design and I write. And I crochet (simmer down..) But I don’t spin. I have serious asthma, and the few times I’ve been around a spinning wheel for an extended period led to a prolonged asthma attack, so I steer clear of flying fibers.
Without the intimate, tactile connection with fleece that my spinning sisters have, I feel as though I’m a piker when talking about different types of sheep. I know the basic facts about different breeds, but I lacked a connection between my knitting and my knowledge. Pure Wool is a book that I will be using to bridge that gap.
I tend to get overwhelmed with wool “encyclopedias”, or maybe I’m just lazy. They’re excellent for reference, and I am glad to have all that information at my fingertips, but they don’t speak to me personally as a volume with which to curl up in bed and spend a chilly afternoon.
The information in Pure Wool is presented in a way that makes it clear and complete without being overwhelming.
I especially love the tables in the back of the book allowing a knitter to match a yarn to a pattern, determine which fibers would dye best, and obtaining a better understanding of specific breed’s wool characteristics and yarn qualities.
The patterns are hearty and satisfying, laid out like a kitchen table laden with a huge, delicious country breakfast. I can see the garments in Pure Wool becoming perennial favorites among knitters of all levels, they’re good, basic, beautiful garments. Nothing flashy, just comfortable.
Like wool.
WIN THE BOOK
So would you like a copy of this very useful and very beautiful book? Leave a comment telling me what your favorite fiber is. It doesn’t have to be wool – it doesn’t even have to be natural – I’ll make the selection of the winner at random. If you’ve won lately I’ll pass over your name when drawing the winner, but I’d still love to hear about your favorite fiber!
The images shown on this page are from Sue Blacker’s website.
I love Green Mtn. Spinnery’s Wonderfully Wooly.
I like BFL a lot. 🙂
BFL
wool, in all of its many variations. just love its versatility.
I really like wool and superwash wool too as I do not do hand wash well but will for shawls, but alpaca has been calling my name lately.
I love a good merino wool yarn!
I love wool, and as an asthmatic knitter I also do not spin. I love all varieties, but I stick to superwash for gifts! No matter what kind of care instructions are given with the gift, things tend to shrink! I love it that varieties other than merino are getting their share of the limelight, and becoming commercially available, as merino is way too soft for many applications. I would abso-poso LOVE to read this book!
I LOVE WOOL and all it’s magical properties. It’s amazing how much evolution has gone into the hairy coating that protect sheep from the outside world. And makes them so cute!!
I like wool best, too. So many varieties and ways to use them.
I am extremely found of BFL, but I also like merino and alpaca.
My favorite is baby alpaca, so soft.
My most favorite yarn is qivuit but the most used yarn is alpaca. I love using alpaca. I would love to win this book.
Ruby (Rav:MzCruse)
My favorite fiber is wool of any kind but especially a fine merino.
In the last year I’ve fallen in love with BFL.
If I’m pressed to name just one, it’s merino – but Shetland wool and Icelandic wool give it close competition. Then there’s alpaca, the cuddliest of all. . .
Oh, and mohair! How could I forget mohair!
I love spinning Cormo, and knitting with it. It is nice and bouncy.
The sheep is a wonderful magical animal but the same could be said for pigs ah bacon, oh hang on that is not fibre related. I love lots of fibre hard to choose.
Merino wool with a little alpaca thrown in. 🙂
This is like asking which is my favorite kid or grandkid.
Wool. Maybe with some alpaca, or silk, or . . . .
Probably current favorite is Icelandic wool.
Probably merino with some silk mixed in. Sounds like a very interesting book!
Merino wool is my fav but with two small grandchildren and a busy daughter, I’m always on the lookout for a soft, washable fiber.
Wool. We raise sheep for meat but have 2 Romneys for their beautiful fleeces. I enjoy the entire process from the raw fleece to the finished garment. Thank you for doing the give-away!
I really love BFL, but I don’t feel like I have nearly enough experience with different breed-specific wools to state anything definitively.
I love wool. A little mohair. A little silk. If I can slip it through my fingers and make something with it, I love all of it.
BFL for both knitting and dyeing. Takes colour beautifully and feels lovely when knitting with it.
I love bamboo – especially BeSweet’s bamboo. The color takes so well, but there is variation within the skein that gives the simplest project depth. Plus the drape is amazing and flattering, and it is SO soft against the skin.
I love spinning with BFL – I feel almost competent.
I think alpaca may have snuck into the lead for favorite fiber to knit. I just finished a sweater that is wonderful to wear!
Definitely Cormo!
I’ve been knitting with Cormo lately and it’s lovely!
Hi I do happen to be a spinner. I think wool would be my turn to fiber and silk as a close second. I love to spin both and when it comes to breeds I think that Corriedale would be my most favourite breed to spin and knit. It has the finess of merino without the heavy wax in the fleece. It also wears better. I like to spin fine and knit lace a lot and find the Corriedale gives a better definition to the stitches than Merino.
I would so love that book. Don’t think I have one that goes from fleece type to knitted item. I am currently doing my City and Guilds in hand knit design level 3 and one of the assignments each module is to write about a different fibre. This book would be very useful.
Many thanks for the chance.
I was raving to a new knitter the other day about the properties of various wools like Blue-Faced Leicester, and he looked at me and quietly said, “I suspect this is a hobby which can get really geeky.” He smiled, and I said a smal mea culpa. So I guess my answer has been given already: My name is Judith and I am a BFL geek.
My favorite fiber is oat bran. It’s less harsh than wheat bran and not as hard to get down as psyllium husk. Girl’s gotta keep regular, ya know!
Merino!
Quiviut. Yum.
I am a spinner. My favorite fiber is dog hair. There is no other fiber that feels so much like a good warm hug.
Love, love, love sheep! My British Sheep Breeds poster adorns my office door and makes me happy every day. Jacob sheep are my fav-multiple horns and beautiful fiber-how cool is that!
Merino, silk, alpaca, BFL, Shetland – but Corriedale is my favorite!
my fav is blue-faced leister (sp?) and my second fav is cotton, believe it or not. Mary in Cincinnati
I love wool! Recently I enjoy blends the most. Thank you for having this drawing, most kind of you.
My favorite is alpaca, with BFL a close second…and of course, cashmere is wonderful too.
I just love wool! Merino and alpaca I need to try more!
Alpaca & bfl.
Wool. All kinds.
I’m definitely a wool girl–though lately, I’ve really enjoyed spinning a merino/silk blend. Were it not for wool, I don’t know how I would get through a Minnesota winter!
I’m a big fan of natural fibers and tend to work mostly with wool or wool blends. I like blends that pair long wearing wool with something that softens the roughness or adds a sparkle or sheen.
I’m overly fond of BFL.
I don’t usually use knitting books much (though I do have one of yours *grin*)—but this sounds like one I should check out. The tables you describe in the back in particular… Oh, my favorite fiber is wool. I’ve particularly enjoyed knitting Jacob, though that’s just because there were three different colors of yarn from one sheep!
I like merino, but not being a spinner, I’m not really aware of what non-merino wools I’ve used, so it’s not an informed preference. Would love to know more.
I don’t spin much, but I love to knit with linen and/or bamboo.
I love almost everything except acrylic and polar fleece yarn. I once knit a pair of mittens with polar fleece yarn and it was so non-giving that my hands hurt. On the plus side, the mittens are really warm.