Spin-Off Spring 2015: So Much Inspiration!

I'm always eager to receive the next issue of Spin-Off in the mail, but the Spring 2015 issue which just arrived at my house is quite possibly the best I've ever read. It's bursting with interesting products and cool ideas to try, and I absolutely love the emphasis on putting your handspun stash to good use.

Jillian Moreno's article on combining your onesie fiber braids to create interesting marled effects in your finished handspun yarn is one I know I'll be referring back to quite a bit; I also loved Dagmar Klos' article on overdyeing stash yarns using natural dyes to transform seemingly clash-y skeins of yarn into a harmonious palette. Other article topics include features on Shetland Wool Week (which took place last fall), a spinners' trip to Ireland, a tutorial on creating batts with leftover fleece and fiber in your stash, creating a rug hooking project with your handspun stash yarn, and more.

The projects focus mainly on using up your handspun yarn stash, and I am pretty sure I'll be casting on for a Stashbuster Afghan just as soon as I wrap up my March deadline projects. The piece on creating garments using a variety of fiber braids is truly inspiring, as is the "Adventures in Fleece" feature which includes instructions to crochet squares to create your very own breed sampler afghan.

If you still need convincing that this issue needs to be a part of your spinning reference library, then I will have to point to Leslie Ordal's "Save Our Stash" article, which has photos of those dreaded yarn-eating pests and includes tips on how to prevent infestations as well as what to do should the unthinkable occur. Hopefully, I'll never have to refer back to this particular article, but I'm glad to have it at the ready just in case.

You can purchase print copies of the Spring 2015 issue of Spin-Off here in the Interweave store; digital versions are also available here.

You may like to know: I am a subscriber to Spin-Off magazine and was not asked to write this review, nor was I compensated in any way for it.

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