And today, is the perfect day, for a little pay-it-forward…
Something about knitting that is always true: there is always something MORE to learn…
Even though I’ve been knitting for ages now (and designing from Studio Chic Knits for way over 10 years), almost every day, some nugget of info enters the scene, sometimes shaking it up, sometimes helping an idea cross the bridge from a thought to the needle.
I’ve been trying to aid and abet the speed of the shaky times with as much information as I can find – so I have knit encyclopedias, how-to-books, stitch pattern books, etc. in lots of versions, types and publish dates.
But something that I found I needed to truly understand what knitting was all about was not in my sights until this:
First of all: Clara Parkes.
Known far and wide as the ultimate yarn whisperer, she really put the pedal to the metal on this tome and goes far and wide to give us a wonderful look into the way-back story of wool itself. From sheep breeds to the types of wool they produce to an abundance of project patterns to test your new knowledge (more than 20!), it’s all there.
Secondly: this is a great basic go-to book to have in any knitter’s library. Even if you never set foot on a farm or go to a festival, it is an easy way to catch up on the organic nature and mystery of what’s been living on your needles all this time (and, yes, no mud…) There’s been a great renaissance of small producers here in the U.S. (and around the globe) and this book is perfect to help understand the evolution of some of the fabulous yarns appearing on the scene.
{{So: if you’d like a copy of The Book of Wool, just leave a comment below telling us which type of fibery animal is your favorite and why!}} … Comments closed – stand-by for winner announcement …
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…from our last visit to Bountiful Fridays on Chic Knits: the winner of 2-skeins of ToshDK in the TART colorway is Sharon A. who writes, “I love knitting because it’s always in my heart.” yes.
THANKS SO much to everyone for taking the time to comment and share with us your joy in our beloved craft. I invite everyone to get a nice refreshing cuppa and linger over the comments – they are some wonderful, inspiring reading…
happy weekend & happy knitting,
Bonne Marie
I love Alpaca. It’s soft and warm, and has such a buttery smooth feel to cuddle up in.
My favorite furry fiber is Alpaca. It so snuggly and soft to work with. It adds such a luxurious feel to whatever garment you are creating. An Alpaca a day keeps the chills at bay!!!
I am much enamoured of wool and the sheep that so graciously grow it for us. However, my heart beats a bit faster when Wenslydale or Blue Faced Leicester is mentioned.
Who can possibly resist fibre from a totally gorgeous alpaca? It’s those eyelashes – they get me every time!
Merino wool. Soft, good stitch definition, a go-to fiber for just about anything.
I love, love alpaca. My Aunt and I use to visit alpaca farms when she was with us. They are great animals with a super personality and the yarn is so soft. My grandkids love alpaca mittens.Nanci
I like alpaca yarn for it’s softness and because two friends have an alpaca farm.
Just ONE fibery animal? That’s a tough one. I became a handspinner because I love the animals who provide fiber. I guess my favorite fiber animal would have to be the muskox, partly because it’s been endangered for so long (although it’s making a come-back!) and partly because you’d never guess that exquisitely fine under-down is underneath that long robe of hair, designed to keep out the cutting Arctic winds! Just imagine it: there aren’t any trees where muskoxen make their home – there’s nothing for cover, just them out in the open against the elements. And they don’t have tremendously lush browse or grazing like deer in our boreal forests, or like our own domesticated ruminants. For a lot of the year, they live on the tundra where there’s a micro-environment of lichens for them to feed on. It’s astounding they’re with us at all.
The Bison is a really close second, for so many of the same reasons. Humans have a lot to answer for.
Keep up the good work!
I’ve got to say number one for me is the sheep that grow fleece that becomes wonderfully versatile wool. Thanks for the opportunity!
Ooooo, so difficult to choose only ONE favorite fiber! I’ll say that for today, my favorite fiber is Targhee. Targhee is a western US sheep breed. I love this fiber especially for knitting socks : )
Hands down, I love sheep. There’s just something about the feel and smell of wool that makes my little knitter heart so happy!
That looks like a beautiful book, well done.
I like wool. Plain old wool. Why? That is the one that doesn’t make me sneeze or scratch my eyes out when using it!
I looove alpacas! Not only are they cute, but the fiber is soft, warm, and has wonderful drape!
I love cashmere. It is so wonderfully soft and feels so right sliding through my fingers. It is not only luxurious, it is a joy to work with. I will take a blend if that’s all I can get. I had an opportunity to really sample it’s quality while attending a class taught by Shirley Paden. She shared samples of her work and wow; it was love it first feel.
Recommendation – although pricey – it is well worth the knitting experience.
Sheep, sans doute! There is such tremendous versatility and variety in wool, it beats other fiber hands down, IMO.
While alpaca is luciously soft and silk worms produce a fibre with shine to die for, give me plain olde-fashioned merino. It keeps its shape and wears like iron and nothing can beat it for affordable warmth. My favourite wool sweaters block wind and light rain and always look great. Baaa-eutiful! LOL
I am an alpaca fan, although it has to be blended with something else. Otherwise it gets too warm!
I’ve always considered myself a Merino wool girl, but I recently discovered Cormo and now I have divided loyalties! I am however not too fussy as long as it’s wool and I get to knit it!
I love BFL! I love the hand, the length of the fiber and the strength. There are many other wonderful fibers but that is my favorite to date.
Linda
My favorite? My Maine Coon’s fur – it was my gateway drug to the land of choices, tools and all manner of fiber addiction.
I love merino wool. It has such a nice texture and beautiful stitch definition. It was also the first “good” yarn I started using after I learned to knit with acrylic yarn. I could not believe the difference it made in my projects using such a wonderful wool! I became addicted to knitting after that.
So many choices! But my “desert island” fiber would have to be wool for its versatility.
I love, love, love merino wool and especially love it with a cashmere blend!!!
I love Merino Wool. It’s so soft and springy!
Sheep are my favorite fiber-y animal! I love knitting with wool more than any other fiber. All kinds, all breeds in all weights. I sew as well so I have to also say it’s always a pleasure to sew with most any type of wool fabric. Long live the sheep!
Merino wool is my favourite, hands down. Alpaca is beautiful too.
I have once knitted with cashmere and if I could afford to, I’d do it much more often! But a good merino is my favorite go-to fiber.
Merino wool. I love the softness and stitch definition.
How about those goats who give us cashmere?
Alpaca is one of my favourites, but the Blue Faced Leicester is my all time favorite. This wool wears very well and keeps its warmth even when wet. This is my go to yarn for socks, sweaters, blankets, and mittens. Love it.
Merino wool. I love the softness and how nice it is to knit.
Like others, I love alpaca, it is light and so warm. But I really do like it mixed with wool. Then it has the stretchiness it needs to hold its shape.
Merino! So soft!
Sheep! The versatility of wool cannot be beat — carding, spinning, dyeing, knitting, weaving, felting, etc. I’ve been acquainting myself with specific breeds through spinning and knitting during the past year and Falkland has been my happy surprise. So soft.
Well, my favorite thing to spin would be vicuna fiber, I think. It sounds so scrumptious! Alas, I have never gotten the opportunity to spin some. SO, considering fiber that I HAVE spun, I would have to vote for BFL. Mmm…
I love Alpaca, for its lightness and softness. The live animals are pretty awesome too! They are very friendly and sweet, and their faces are the same height as mine, so we had a little communing there!
Alpacas definitely win with me. Not only do they have lovely soft fiber, they have individual and interesting personalities to go along with it!
I just love merino wool! i find it super soft and love knitting with it!
Sheep simply because their faces always look happy and not minding that you take their fleece and make use of it.
I have found I like to spin Blue Faced Leicester the best. All the sheep are so cute to look at, but I also like to look at bison(being from Kansas state animal you know) and Alpaca.
I am a wool person but I have to say any blend with angora (bunny) is a weakness for me. So soft and warm; a little can go a long way.
At the end of the day, it’s always wool I come back to. So lovely to knit with and wear! And I love to bury my nose in it and inhale the lovely aroma!
The merino sheep, rams in particular if you have to know.
I do love the sheep and the wool they give us. Just thinking of a green hillside dotted with fluffy creatures makes me smile. If anyone here hasn’t seen Pixar’s short film “Boundin'”, about a sheep who is self-conscious after being shorn, you really should :-)
When it comes right down to it, it is the wool I keep coming back to!
i like the ‘don’t give me any grief’ attitude of llama because they spit! smile.
Bison are my favorite fascinating source of fiber. The contrast between this huge, undomesticated animal and its elegant, soft luxury fiber is awesome. Bison down combined with silk — yum!
I love sheep’s wool. I love the smell of a fresh shorn fleece and the process of turning it into yarn. Although, life is such that I do not do much spinning any more….but I still love wool the best!
I like alpaca for the feel, but for versatility, wool does it all.