CLEVELAND, Sept. 24 /PRNewswire/ -- Expanding on the recent knitting and crochet comeback, spinning yarn has become the hot new trend in urban fiber circles. These new spinners are not Renaissance-faire types living on sheep farms. They are young, creative professionals who see spinning as a way to have more control over their design process, to meditate in what has become a busy world, and to create fun new yarns unique to their individual style.

There is only one hip, updated book on the subject: Spin to Knit (Interweave Press) by Shannon Okey, author of the bestselling Knitgrrl series. Spin to Knit takes knitters to the next level -- creating their own yarn -- with step-by-step photos and attractive patterns anyone can spin and knit. Okey spoke with spinners across the US and Canada to discover what inspires them about the craft: their inspiring in-depth profiles appear in Spin to Knit.

Okey is simultaneously hitting the road in two directions to support Spin to Knit. While signing in person during an 11-stop east coast tour October 1-15, she'll also be touring the virtual world during an 11-stop blog tour.

"Websites, particularly blogs, have become such an integral part of knitting and spinning fans' lives," says Okey. "When you include popular sites such as Knitty.com and its sister site KnittySpin, you're talking thousands of active readers per day."

The real-world tour kicks off in Toronto as Okey and her tour partner, Get Hooked author Kim Werker (editor of CrochetMe.com), take part in the CIBC Run for the Cure with Team Knitty.

"This is my third year running with Team Knitty. Knitters and spinners everywhere are very generous with their time and money when it comes to charitable causes," said Okey.

After the run comes Okey's first blog interview, with girlfromauntie.com. From there, the tour will go in two directions through both the east coast and the blogosphere. While in New York, Okey and Werker will appear at the NYPL's Teen Central branch: Knitgrrl was chosen for the Library's prestigious Books for the Teen Age list in 2006.

Okey's next book, Felt Frenzy (with Heather Brack, Interweave Press) will be released in spring 2007.

Online: http://www.knitgrrl.com/http://www.spintoknit.com/http://www.myspace.com...

Available Topic Expert(s): For information on the listed expert(s), click appropriate link. Shannon Okey http://prof-dv-jrn1.invision.net/ud_public.jsp?userid=10035250

CONTACT: Shannon Okey of SpintoKnit.com, mobile +1-216-269-4398, or
admin@knitgrrl.com; or Jaime Guthals of Interweave Press, 1-502-387-2383, or
jaimeg@interweave.com

Web site: http://www.knitgrrl.com/
http://www.spintoknit.com/
http://www.myspace.com/monstersofteencraft
http://crochetme.com/
http://girlfromauntie.com/