I'm surprised by the crispness in the air in the mornings and the smatterings of autumn leaves on walkways. Fall sneaked up on me, and I really have no excuse since I work on the Fall issue all summer long, but there it is.

Can you believe that the Fall 2009 issue of Spin-Off is already winging its way toward your mailbox? I've been telling anyone who'll listen how excited I am about this issue—it is a special one. In it, we took up the mantle of the International Year of Natural Fibre—celebrating natural fiber in its most natural forms possible. Early on in the planning, I contacted a number of authors who work with fiber in its rawest form—Phreadde and Dan Davis, who grow cotton; Michael Cook, who raises silk worms; Judith MacKenzie McCuin, who is in touch with the wild side of fiber—and asked them to tell us how to cultivate our own natural-fiber crops. Even if you're never going to encourage a little wriggly worm to munch on a mulberry leaf, you'll probably be fascinated to learn about the life cycle of these amazing insects as they create silk. And learning how to salvage a cotton boll that didn't fully open on the stalk, may come in handy some day—you never know! And Judith's article about spinning wolf fiber will captivate your imagination and make you want to bury your face into their luxurious fur (don't do it, though—they are wild animals!).

In addition to these articles that plumb the depths of natural fiber, you'll find two stunning galleries: one headed by master colorist Sara Lamb, who took the concept of pursuing how changing the yarn and yarn color can change a knitted pattern to new heights,and the other a result of the All Wrapped Up in Natural Fiber Contest that we announced this spring.

And of course, there's more, but I don't want to give it all away—you need some surprises when you open your mailbox and find your copy of Spin-Off waiting for you.

—Amy