Book Review: Paper Yarn

After I posted about upcycling paper streamers by spinning them into paper yarn, my friend, Susan, told me about a really neat book:

paper yarn copyright St Martin's Griffin

Paper Yarn:

24 Creative Projects

to make

using a variety

of techniques

by Uta Donath,

Eva Hauck,

Petra Hoffman

and Claudia Huboi,

published by

St Martin’s Griffin.

I had no idea that there are so many paper yarns available on the marketplace! I REALLY need to find explore this more!

The projects are made using a wide variety of techniques:  weaving, crochet, knitting, sewing, wrapping, kumihimo, braiding and decoupage.

I love the shoulder bag that uses woven bands in combination with felt. Yum.

And, the box with woven sections and interspersed with unwound paper yarn is delicious, too.

There are all manner of really neat projects, from fashion accessories to home decor items.

The techniques are diverse and inviting, and are well explained, often with low cost options for making the projects.

One quibble: I wish that they had given the manufacturer’s name and source for the ’school loom’ that is used in several of the projects. (It’s not Schacht’s School Loom, which could have been used for the projects, though)

The loom that they call a ’school loom’ is a frame style loom that has a magic heddle similar to the ones made by Goodwood Looms.

If you are spinning your own paper yarn (see this LINK for a tutorial on how to spin paper yarn) or have found some out in the world, then this book will inspire you to try out some fun ways of working with it.

(And, of course, many of the projects would work beautifully in other yarns, too).

My policy on Hankering for Yarn is that I only write about things I like.  I like this book.  Thumbs up.

(But I think that a section on how to make your own paper yarn would have been a valuable addition to it).

(Legal disclosure: Review copy supplied by St Martin’s Griffin Press).