The Knitters Book of Wool by Clara Parkes
As I new knitter, I have made the mistakes born of not knowing beans about yarn. So, one of my first choices was a lacey mohair yarn that quickly devolved into a snarled mess. Mohair is not for the faint of heart. Or those with few skills.
This book introduces you to wool as a fiber, to the kinds of processing it undergoes to become yarn, to the sheep breeds and their distinctive characteristics, and then to some patterns that illustrate how to suit the kind of wool yarn to the project.
The images of the natural crimp of various yarns drives home the astonishing differences among wools. You see here a Corriedale which is a medium wool, and Teeswater which is a long wool and a Navajo-Charro which is a dual-coated. The sketch is of Blue Cap born in 1839, a sheep that people found so AMAZING that an entire breed, the Wensleydale, a long wool, was created out of his progeny.
20 odd patterns from socks to pullovers are offered including Risti Mittens by Nancy Bush who specializes in Estonian knitting. Made of a Finnish wool yarn, which is “lustrous but strong.” Then two of the Three Bear Pullovers by Sandi Rosner with the dad’s made of Icelandic Lopi yarn and the mom’s of hand-dyed Merino. And finally Lillia Hyrna Shawl by Shelia January in lace Icelandic wool.
You can find it at your local bookstore or at Barnes and Noble as an e-book: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/knitters-book-of-wool-clara-parkes/1111361493;jsessionid=963A464C0678D492C523E44001AFCA15.prodny_store01-atgap05?ean=9780307586995