The Alden Amos Big Book of Handspinning: Being A Compendium of Information, Advice, and Opinions On the Noble Art & Craft Hardcover – Download: Adobe Reader, May 1, 2001

I completely disagree with 'belacane "the cashmere cat"'. This book is just unbelievable detailed with all kinds of interesting info. He even tells you how to make the soap that you wash your wool with (if you are so inclined). After having read so many reviews that said he was opinionated, well the cover of the book has the word OPINION on it, and the introduction he admits he can at times be hard headed after years and years of his way working. However the how-to's are wonderful!I was told by a local sheep farm that you can place the cleaned wool in the washing machine on the spin cycle (no agitation) and you can dry the wool fast this way. Well he even mentions it in the book and basically says 'research it and try at your own discretion' so while he clearly would never do it, he didn't even have to mention it, but he did because it's something other people may have success with.I find him a delight to read, there is no other single book with all this wonderful information in it. You can tell Alden loves his craft. I am very much enjoying reading it and I am about 40 pages in.

This is THE classic spinning bible. You have a question? This book will answer it. Now, you may not necessarily agree with some of the opinions on the "best" way to do some things, but you will get an answer. Where it really shines is explaining the mechanics of wheels and yarn construction. Amos has a technical mind and an attention to detail, and it certainly shows here. Any intermediate spinner will find this information enlightening and invaluable. So often authors gloss over the real mechanisms at play or just plain ol' get the mechanics wrong (I'm looking at you JMM!), that it can be detrimental to beginners and cause misconceptions. This is not the case here. I've read and re-read sections of the book, and always pick up new nuances and think of new things to try. I find the language descriptive and informative. No spinner should be without!

I'd give you a page number for that quote, it is somewhere in there - in the 495 pages... The author is a hoot. You will enjoy his dry humour at unexpected points in foot notes and glossary as well as the text. That said, this book has tons of information that I needed that I wasn't finding in other texts, nor on the net. I like Gaustad's illustrations here too.The guy who writes the blog, A Fisherman Knits, occasionally works with the author, and has mentioned this book. I bought it on his recommendation, and am very glad to have it.

Fabulous Book on the Fiber Arts of Spinning fiber. Very comprehensive and with a twist of humor. Beautifully illustrated. Everything is easy to follow and understand. Very enjoyable to read.

This is a very good book for all those who want to know all about hand spinning of yarn. Every Hand Spinner should have this book in their personal library.

I began spinning about 40 years ago, and I remember how hard it was to find reliable technical information about tools and procedures. When this book came out, it filled a badly-needed void. There are many good introductions to hand spinning in print now, but nothing in print or out of print compares with this book. For serious hand spinners, this is an essential reference.

Good reference book for spinners

Love this book. I wish I would have known about this book when I first started spinning. Everything is explained in detail (sometimes a little wordy) but never the less I love the way he explains everything about fiber and spinning

What an awesome book. It is a tremendous source of information.

This book is comprehensive. By that I mean comprehensive. There are chapters that will bore you ridged with detail. You want to know about spinning wheels? You will know about them by the time you have done that chapter, gosh will you know. It is a look into to find out book. I began by reading from the beginning and by the end of the first chapter my eyes were crossed. There is a wealth of knowledge. I would not recommend it as a learn to spin book. But once you have managed a yarn or two, this book is a must have. Its language is a bit old fashioned but get over that and there is a lot of useful stuff. How to card, how to spin, how to heckle, how to use a distaff, a what? Read this book and you will be the pub bore about distaffs. It is that old fashioned type of book that you find at the back of the book shop, take home and never part with.

An encyclopedia of handspinning knowledge by the man himself -Alden Amos-. An honour to have this book in my library!

This time last year, I couldn't spin. Now there are two spinning wheels in my home and with the help of this book, sheep and alpacas are now being regarded as 'sweater and sock source material'.The book is written with a gentle tongue-in-cheek sense of humour in a kind and patient way and without the slightest hint of condescension. There are clear explanations of the various methods of carding, spinning and plying and why - you name it, it's there. It's been passed round our Spinning Guild meetings and voted a top source of sensible, clear advice and guidance by both experienced spinners and novices. You could do a lot worse than to add this book to your collection.

An amazing book, it goes into fine detail (sometimes in an amusing way) of methods, and arguments against and for different methods of spinning. The encyclopaedic knowledge of Alden Amos on the subject of spinning and wheels is profound, anything and everything you want to know is in there, discussed and analysed. It's a 'must buy' for any serious spinner and teacher of this subject. Definitely a book to have on the shelf, dip in and absorb!!