I picked up this book from the Carolina Homespun booth at the Puyallup Sewing Expo earlier this month, the day before I took a beginner's spinning class from the shop proprietor. I read part of it the night before the class, then eagerly finished it over the next day or so after learning the basics from the teacher. This was a great way to get me introduced and started to the basics of drop spinning, and I highly recommend taking a class in conjunction with reading the book as both the class and the book will enhance your understanding of the material in each other.The book contains a history of spinning, explanations of spindle terminology and of most (if not all) of the different types of drop spindles, and has plenty of photos and tips on technique. It may be difficult to simply teach yourself from the book with no assistance, but I don't think it would be impossible - as my teacher said, this is a skill you don't learn with your brain, it is a skill you teach your hands (much like any other physical skill). I'm not planning on getting a spinning wheel anytime soon (my husband might shoot me, plus I'm more of a quilter than a knitter anyway), and it was very nice to read this book and have all of the material directed at the task/skill I was learning.I do wish there was a bit more information on how to improve your technique beyond park-and-draft and how to move up to continuous drafting and even walking while spinning, but it's also entirely possible that this is the sort of thing I need to learn in person. I was impressed by the simple instructions (and encouragement) to make your own spindle from a dowel and a CD, as few crafting books offer the means to try out the craft inexpensively. Of course, being the magpie that I am, I've already managed to collect four different spindles in just the four weeks I've been spinning! Overall, this is a great beginner's book, and it's one I'm pleased to have in physical form as a reference as I continue to learn and improve my spinning. This is going to be inflammatory. You have been warned. I ordered this book the day I picked up a spindle, and waited impatiently for Amazon to take its sweet time sending the book to me. In the meantime, of course, there was no way I was putting that spindle down, and I spun and spun and spun while I awaited the book that was touted as the spindlers' Bible, written by the woman touted as the omnipotent goddess of spinning. In the couple of weeks it took to arrive, I learnt almost everything that was taught in its pages through my own trial and error. The book was nothing short of useless to me. Even the illustrations weren't enough to salvage it as a coffee-table book - the whole work lacks polish and gives the reader a sense that it was slapped together in a hurry to meet some imagined niche in the market - which I believe to be the case. The US's obsession with the cult of celebrity has infected even the grass-roots movement toward handcrafts, even down at this extreme end where mad people like me spin their own yarn on tiny stick-and-disc implements not dissimilar to those used in Egypt tens of thousands of years ago. For some reason, the author of this book has been elevated to the status of some all-knowing cult leader and we're all meant to throw our money at her - oh, sorry, I mean at Interweave, who have deftly inveigled their way in between Franquemont and the general populace, as they have done or are threatening to do with other spinning "greats" like Margaret Stove, Judith Mackenzie and Jacey Boggs (list not exhaustive). In short - don't waste your time.
What do You think about Respect The Spindle (2009)?
Beautiful, informative book. Geared toward the beginner, but I learned a few tricks as well.
—iLoveKpop805
Great book. Really a must have for anyone who spins on a spindle or wants to.
—Sam
I would say that this is THE book on drop spindling. Excellent.
—blah
