Fiber to Fabric for Knitters: How the underlying fiber informs the knitted fabric

Fiber to Fabric for Knitters: How the underlying fiber informs the knitted fabric with Margaret Radcliffe

From dependable sheep’s wool to tricky rayon, every yarn is individual. Each type of fiber, from a specific breed of sheep or other fiber-bearing animal, from plants like bamboo, hemp and flax, manmade or remanufactured, brings its own distinct benefits and challenges to a knitting project. Learn to evaluate the potentials of your particular yarn and approaches that ensure success in your hand knit garments. We will cover the roles of garment architecture, fit and borders, ways to prevent sagging and biasing in inelastic fibers, and pattern stitches and seaming to stabilize garments. Class will be a combination of lecture, hands-on work, and discussion. Students will take away an understanding of fiber characteristics, yarn behavior in knitted fabrics, and an arsenal of techniques for best results. Note that homework will be assigned to be completed before each of the four class sessions.

This class is presented in collaboration with John C. Campbell Folk School and Lessonface. Class capacity is 20 students. Students are invited to attend a large group Orientation and Closing Ceremony to connect with various classes online.

Class Materials

Additional documentation about materials and class work will be provided once registered participants access the private class page.

• One ball of each of the following yarns. Sport, DK or worsted weight preferred.
1. 100% fine wool (for example, Merino)
2. 100% longwool or coarser wool (for example, Icelandic, or Wensleydale)
3. 100% other animal fiber (for example, angora, alpaca, or cashmere)
4. 100% cotton
5. 100% linen or hemp (be sure to get natural which is stiff, not rayon)
6. 100% silk or rayon (look for a soft slippery yarn, rather than one that’s been processed and spun to feel like cotton. Fine yarns intended for weaving can be used doubled or tripled for knitting.)
• A small amount of stretchy fingering weight wool yarn (for example sock yarn)
• Needles in the sizes used to knit homework, plus needles 2 and 4 sizes smaller and 2 sizes larger.
• Ruler (12”-18” long)
• Calculator
• Optional: Wraps per inch (wpi) tool. You can also use your ruler, a narrow piece of cardboard, a short dowel, or a pencil marked with a 1” or 2” length using permanent marker.
• Optional: Tags for labeling swatches
• If you have one, a notably successful or a notably unsuccessful garment knit in yarn from a single fiber (i.e. 100% wool, cotton, silk, angora, linen, rayon, etc.). Forward a clear photo of the garment to instructor at least 48 hours before class begins, with notes on what worked or did not work in this garment.
• Basic knitting supplies (scissors, markers, cable needle, etc.).