Deborah Held

Deborah Held

Debbie Held is a freelance writer, a contented real-life spinster, and an international fiber-arts educator. She writes recurring spinning-related content for Spin Off in print and on the web as well as for PLY, SweetGeorgia Yarns, and more. Debbie and her Persian cat, Marty, live on an urban farm in Atlanta, Georgia, where both enjoy watching the Shetland sheep that roam beneath their windows. Debbie’s new book, The Spinner’s Blending Board Bible, is available from Stackpole Books.


The Spinner’s Guide to Spring-ish Clean a Spinning Wheel

The longer days of spring and extra daylight mean more time for spinning! Make sure your tools are in tip-top shape.

Her Handspun Habit: Fall in Love with the Handspindle!

For those who know its power, a handspindle can change the course of an entire day—or even someone’s life.

5 Tips for Planning and Hosting a Spin-along

Organizing a spin-along is easier than you may think, and it can be a wonderful way to build your own fiber community.

Add It Up: How to Price Your Handspun Yarns for Sale

Knowing the exact costs that go into making a skein of handspun yarn is the key to selling it at a fair price.

Her Handspun Habit: A Spinster Gets a Cat

A dyed-in-the-wool dog lover bonds with a cat.

Spin Off 2020 Mitt-Along: Show Us Your Finished Mitts!

Close to 300 handspinners participated in this year’s Spin Off mitt-along. Here’s Debbie Held with the highlights.

Spin Off 2020 Mitt-along: 5 Knitting Tips for Your Mitts

If you’ve been wanting to turn some handspun into a suitable pair of handcoverings for your own mitts, I offer up these pointers gleaned from the group’s knitting experiences.

How to Meet Other Handspinners

Debbie Held has been told on several occasions that she has more close friends who spin than the average handspinner. Here are her tips for meeting other people who spin.

Walt Turpening: The Art & Science of Your Best Seat

Former geophysicist, researcher, and technology developer Walt Turpening has developed basic measurements to help us sit comfortably at our wheels.

New Year, New Spin: Join Spin Off’s Mitt-Along

Raise your hand! Who wants to join us for a mitt-along in 2020?