Knit to This
Knit to This: How To Shear a Sheep
I’m calling it the Peggy Orenstein effect: my renewed and deepened interest in the husbandry of sheep, our ancient wool-bearing friends. Shortly before our Zoom conversation with the author of the New York Times bestselling memoir Unraveling: What I Learned About Life While Shearing Sheep, Dyeing Wool, and Making the World’s Ugliest Sweater, I had watched this short video from the Livestock Conservancy, because Isabella Rossellini, its executive producer, had shared it on her Instagram.
Now, in the light of Peggy’s vivid writing about her experience shearing a sheep (3 sheep, to be exact), I’ve rewatched the video several times, and I’m even more impressed with Peggy’s grit in learning to do such a demanding thing, that needs to be done so well.
The video, which you can watch in its entirety in the window up top, is a beautifully produced explainer. Renowned animal behavior scientist Temple Grandin tells us matter-of-factly about the importance of shearing sheep (since they have been bred not to shed), and of doing it humanely. Shearers Stephany Wilkes (in Northern California) and Tabbethia Haubold (on Long Island) talk about their tools, techniques, and approach, and then, in a montage that is almost a ballet, they each shear a sheep. Near the end, we see fleece being spun at Battenkill Fibers in New York State, and we learn about the role that we, as consumers of wool, play in preserving the DNA of rare breeds. Our purchase and use of of domestically grown and spun wool is a crucial factor in farmers and yarnmakers being able to keep making the marvelously useful, beautiful, compostable, and renewable product that is wool.
For those of us who love sheep and wool, How to Shear a Sheep is a beautiful and informative way to spend 11 1/2 minutes. It’s also a wonderful video to share with folks who might be interested to know more about the importance of biodiversity and animal welfare. Forward away!
A Giveaway!
This week’s prize is two skeins of our favorite U.S.-grown, U.S.-spun, U.S.-dyed wool yarn. You guessed it: MDK Atlas. We’re proud to be a small link in a virtuous supply chain, and it’s pretty easy since we also love knitting with Atlas. The winner can choose from the colors we have in stock. (A restock of our Atlas shades is on the way! Soon we hope!)
How to enter?
Two steps:
Step 1: Sign up for MDK emails, right here. If you’re already signed up, you’re all set. We have a new option for texting, so when you sign up for those, you’ll get a coupon code good for 10% off your next MDK order.
Step 2: What’s your favorite fiber to knit with? Leave a comment letting us know.
Deadline for entries: Sunday, March 26, 11:59 PM Central time. We’ll draw a random winner from the entries. Winner will be notified by email.
My favorite fiber to knit with is wool, wool and more wool.
What a great video!! I love knitting with woolen-spun Cormo, just magnificent.
Wool
Love that wool!! Thank you very much.
Live mohair and silk but nearly any wool!
Wool. Not superwash. Merino tightly spun. That’s all I need.
I do love wool, but I also use a mountain of high quality acrylic for afghans.
Wool, wool and more wool!
Wool! Always wool. Especially sock yarn and I also love crunchy, woolen spun worsted weight..
Definitely wool, either all wool or a blend with silk, cashmere, or alpaca.
My favorite is wool, sometimes mixed with a little silk.
Wool is my favorite fiber, but it’s lovely mixed with silk, alpaca or cashmere.
I’m knitting with mohair and silk rn. It’s lovely!
Wool with a bit of cashmere
Wool!
Wool. Full stop.
Wool!
Yes, wool all the way. Sometimes with a little silk blended in….
Yup. Wool all the way. I’m team sheep.
Mohair makes me itch and plant fibers hurt my hands. I like alpaca too but it’s pretty warm for California weather.
Wool … though I don’t mind if it has a bit of cashmere or silk mixed in.
My favorite fiber to knit with is Merino wool 1000/% or a mix with acrylic.
Wool ~ always wool. Though I sometimes knit with linen.
Love me some woolly goodness
Wool, most of the time. I also enjoy using cotton to knit Ballband Dishcloths, though!
Silk and wool
Also, there seems to be a problem with the MDK posts this AM. It is now 8 am and nothing is in my inbox, nor was it up on the MDK website which I checked. I happened upon a facebook post which linked to it and so I happened to be the first commenter for the first time.
Wool.
Thanks everybody—we have a new system for daily emails, working through some glitches! So grateful for your daily visits to MDK!
Mine didn’t arrive in my inbox until 9:31 EST
I, too, had no email announcement so I found the post on the website…
Wool all the time. Love a little softness added. Silk. Alpaca
Yes. Second day in a row there is a challenge to find the daily email. Not coming in as usual. Just takes a little detective work to track down
I prefer to knit with Ollie’s wool. Ollie is one of the three Shetland sheep I keep in my backyard. He’s moorit, so he looks dark gray after shearing (which we have someone else come to do – that is more than I want to tackle myself!), but is light brown when his wool grows out. I have his wool processed into roving at a small mill in Dutchess county, about 45 minutes south of where I live, and spin it on my wheel. (His twin, Thomas, and half-brother, Oscar, both have dark brown/black wool that is also lovely, but Ollie’s wool is the best, and he’s the sweetest sheep. He likes to play-butt my hand, and is always looking in my pockets for a treat.)
I loved hearing about your spinning and knitting with your good friend Ollie’s roving. I like to spin the Shetland, too. But with Ollie, it’s special for you.
Wool! And I do like to experiment with different breeds.
Cashmere. Brooklyn Tweed Loft and Rowan Kidsilk Haze right behind that.
Wool or wool blends.Love Wollmeise, Julie Spins, Barking Dog, & several others.
I love wool, but linen blends are becoming a close second.
I love knitting with wool and since I live in a warm climate a lot of the wool blends . Really if I can knit with it I like it . Except for squeaky yarn . It’s like fingernails on a chalkboard to me.
Wool…but which breed? Love to spin rambouillet and bfl. But knitting…probably merino.
Cotton. I absolutely – positively adore knitting with cotton. Wool is fine but my one true love is cotton!
I love to knit with every kind wool yarn – especially when it leaves lanolin on my fingertips.
It’s wool, always wool. There are endless options and uses.
Definitely wool. And what a wonderful film! Thank you for sharing it and thanks to the
creators.
I love 100% non-superwash wool. One of the many reasons is because I am lazy and love to spit-splice ends!
I love wool/cotton blends and wool with a strand of mohair!
A fun wool sock yarn color way could keep me entertained for days!
Merino wool is my favorite. My least favorites (even though you didn’t ask) are mohair and cotton.
I love wool, and especially love knitting with non-super wash yarns. Brooklyn Tweed Shelter and Loft started my adoration but there are many smaller, indie yarns that are stunning and wonderful: Ross Farms yarn, Solitude, Lana Plantae, and more. Haven’t tried Atlas yet, sorry, but it sounds awesome!
I love Solitude Yarn! My first crack at hard-to-source breed-specific fibre. Beautiful colourways.
I LOVE Solitude Wool!!!
Wool all day!
Wool for me, even in a warm climate. Nothing better than a pair of wool socks.
My favorites are wool blended with alpaca or cotton.
100 percent wool
Wool. I love trying out single breed yarns. Each has different characteristics. It is so fun to play and compare them.
Merino wool
Wool, not super wash, for wearing and knitting.
Wonderful video! Thanks for sharing it.
There’s nothing like knitting with wool.
Wool although I actually knit a lot with acrylic because I do a lot of charity knitting and they prefer acrylic. So when I knit with wool or linen (another favorite) it is almost a treat 🙂
Wool is my yarn of choice.
A nice round 3 ply wool makes my heart sing.
Wool, baby camel or baby llama, alpaca, sometimes with silk or linen mixes in.
So far, my favorite fiber to knit is Rambouillet wool; Atlas has a really lovely feel. I find that different wools have very different feels, and I don’t like all of them. Second would be bamboo. It is a lovely feel also, but doesn’t function as well as wool.
Wool wool wool!
Wool! Ever and always, especially rustic, sheepy wool. Non-superwash.
Merino wool is my favorite. But I’ll use any yarn I can get my needles on!!
Wool
I like Atlas a lot and would love a couple of skeins!
Silk silk and baby alpaca in any combination
Woolen spun wool
Favorite yarn combo — something that has a tad bit of cashmere in it. Realize this every time I put on a shawl, etc., that has even that 10% of softness in it. Knit with yarn you like. Because you are spending your time and skill into your creation. Thank you, Mama.
I love wool and wool blends!
Wonderful film! Isabella Rossellini will be speaking April 1 at The Church in Sag Harbor, looking forward to that. My favorite wool fiber is BFL and favorite non wool is a linen cotton blend.
My favorite fiber is wool.
My deserted island yarn is a cashmere silk merino blend.
Wool is definitely my favorite fiber for knitting.
Lately, merino. But Jacob sheep produced my favorite outdoor jacket sweater, and ramboullet is sweet when I can find it. I am a knitter and handspinner, so spinning has changed my sense of how wools feel in my hands and against my body. I haven’t tried Atlas yet.
Anything that isn’t acrylic and is really soft. Acrylic has its uses but it’s not my favorite thing to knit with.
My favorite fiber? Married to a former 4-H county champion sheep farmer?
Wool, of course. Undyed, dyed here at our farm with walnut hulls from our trees, exotically dyed by local vendors, purchased on my travels around the country (and from MDK), I just LOVE wool.
Wool is the best! Love it in all its forms!!
I love knitting with merino as it’s the most widely available in LYSs in my area for garment knitting.
phkeaton@gmail.com
Wool! (not superwash)…
I love wool blends: cashmere, alpaca with wool
I used 3-ply handspun Corridale to make some socks- a dream to spin and knit with, and they are wearing very well, soft but sturdy with no pilling.
I’m fairly new to knitting, but have found wool to be my favorite. I’m just starting to explore the different wool varieties.
Wool is wonderful! If I’m going for something a little more luxurious I also love alpaca and they are so cute!
Wool. Sometimes I have a little fling with alpaca . . .
Hands down wool. SO much easier on the hands and nothing feels better to wear.
Wool always beautiful wool.
Wool, the more rustic the better!
Woolen-spun wools is my preference. But I also love wool/linen blends.
Definitely wool. There is no other fiber like it.
Wool is my favorite. Remember years ago taking our then young grandsons to a sheep shearing exhibition. It was done with clippers since we were attending a historical farm. You have to be very strong to wrangle a sheep and keep its wool in one piece. Lucky animals raised for what they produce without working at it.
Always wool. Whenever I use a different fiber it’s always nice to come back to wool.
Wool but no favorite breed – yet. There is so much to learn!
This was a great video. Thank you for sharing.
Wool. Nothing more to be said.
Wool and wool blends, but it’s a conundrum because I can’t wear wool myself, so my wool handmades always go to someone else. If it’s something for me, I stick to cotton or cotton blends (like CoBaSi).
Wool is my favorite fiber to knit with. Living in Florida linen has become my go to fiber.
Wool!
I love knitting with wool knowing the exquisite and long lasting fiber I’ll end up with. However a mix with other natural fibers such ad silk, cotton, bamboo, or alpaca can make for a delicious “hand” on the final garment.
All of the natural fibers are tops on my list!
Wool…especially Merino!
I knit with a lot of different fibers, but my hands are always happiest knitting wool.
Just love this film. The animals are lovely and the women, oh what wonderful role models!
Thank you so much.
Can’t knit with anything better than wool!
Wool!
Wool indeed. Hands down and up.
When I first learned to knit in the early 80s I used local yarn from Maine. It had lanolin and little bits of veg matter. It was so lovely and made the warmest mittens and hat that I used for many years. Can’t find anything like it.
I love to knit with all of the natural fibers. I live in a warm climate, so I love cotton and linen, but I also love a soft Merino to make something for our occasional cold days.
Wool with a bit of nylon (for sock knitting). I am looking forward to getting into some Kidsilk Haze…..
Wool of course. And once in a while mohair
So WELL SAID- there are more wools to be had, and employed in the appropriate garments, carpets, rugs, architectural textiles!! As a shepherd w fleeces out standing in their field, my favorite fleece will have to be Cheviot, Leicester Longwool, BFL and those crossbreds- in support of the flock.
I like trying out different breeds of sheep to see how their wool feels. I love Tunis, but my all time favorite is Shetland wool: can’t beat its stickiness, sturdiness and being so forgiving for mangling colorwork tension or having to rip it out. With wash and wear it softens nicely.
Wool is my fiber of choice—merino, bfl, cormo. Less soft but wonderful is beautiful heathered Shetland. Rambouillet someday?
Wool of any kind, but especially merino because it’s the most wearable wool for me. I love knitting with some of the other breeds but can’t always wear them.
I love BFL but am perfectly happy knitting with any wool!
I have bags and boxes of not-wool fibers purchased over the years through a lys club I joined decades ago as a lonely young knitter doing a fellowship in California. However…I buy wool and wool/cashmere or wool/alpaca to actually knit. Someday I’ll bequeath to someone all these sparkly slippery projects I’ll never knit!
Maybe consider donating to your local senior center? There are so many were seniors are spending their days knitting and would very much appreciate your unwanted yarn.
I love hand dyed, non super wash wool, maybe the best- but I am far from monogamous in my yarn choices!
Wool/silk blend
Wool is the most enjoyable substance to knit with!
Wool. If I’m being thrifty (cheap) I’ll go with an acrylic blend, which is serviceable and ok, but wool is the best.
Wool! Maybe with a little silk or alpaca but first and foremost wool!
My favorite fiber to knit is merino wool.
I love wool!
All time favorite is wool, even I’m a warm climate.
Wool
Definitely wool. Bonus if I know the name of the sheep or llama it came from!
LOVE this. Definitely wool love and appreciation for all Temple Grandin has done for the care and attention to livestock. Women shearers — definitely badass!
The first thing that came to mind was merino wool, so I’ll go with that.
As you say, Kay, wool, wool, wool. Just never ceases to please me! Thank you very much for this article on the film!
I love merino wool! Made a cowl for my husband and enjoyed the feeling of it slipping thru my fingers and into the stitch!
My favorite fiber to knit with is wool, wool blends, and sometimes alpaca.
My favourite is wool but I love all the natural fibres. In warm seasons cotton or linen, in cold seasons wool and wool blended with silk, alpaca, cotton, etc.
Wool, for ever and always. It’s OK if there’s a little silk, or mohair, or alpaca blended in. But for knitting AND fall through early spring wearing, it’s wool.
I love almost every natural fiber except for cotton. Don’t get me wrong, I knit with cotton when I need to, but I don’t love it as much as I do other natural fibers.
I will echo what others have stated over and over. Wool, and wool blends.
I have fallen in love with Rambouillet wool… So squishy. So soft. I’m now obsessed.
Wool that isn’t superwash, especially if it is a little ‘sheepy’ in character – not superfine, clean but not overly processed. The wool from Ollie, Thomas & Oscar, mentioned above, sounds perfect!
Wool all the way.
Lovely film!!! I could watch gentle sheep shearing and knit my Atlas cowl all day!! Especially since winter turned up again!!! Such gentle shearers and peaceful sheep!!! And those twitching lamb tails at the end!!! Thank you!!!
While I love the feel of alpaca and the result of linen, my favorite is BFL wool. It’s what knitting is all about
I’m not picky!
Wool that still has a ‘sheepy’ smell and a little VM along the way. A bit of lanolin too.
I enjoy knitting with wool, my favorite projects are knit of wool or at least a blend of wool and acrylic.
You had me at Temple Grandin.
Always wool, ranging from 100% to blends with cotton, linen or silk.
Wool, wool and more wool. A little cashmere added in doesn’t hurt. I love trying out wool from different sheep breeds.
Wool, with alpaca, cashmere or cotton to help with the “Itch” factor.
Nothing beats wool for the knitting and wearing experience. For colors that make me swoon, I love alpaca, mohair, and silk. For the best of all worlds, a blend!
Wool, merino especially. A bit of silk blended in is also a nice thing to knit with!
Wool and wool blends with yak or alpaca.
My favorite is Rowan kid silk haze. It is so soft!
Peruvian Highland Wool
Wool and wool blends like Felted Tweed. Quite loving Harrisville Shetland at the moment, about to dive down a Peace Fleece rabbit hole. So definitely US sustainably raised non superwash WOOL!!!
(Very much looking forward to trying Atlas one of these days very soon!!)
loved this so much. thank you for sharing, kay. yes, wool all the way!!
Merino wool is my current favorite yarn to knit and wear. But I haven’t knit with Rambouillet so I’m going to have to try that as I hear it is wonderful!
Wool! Very rarely do I knit with anything else, even blends aren’t common. I love sheep and alpaca! Some projects call for acrylic, due to their purpose and budget, but I love wool!
Angora; bunnies;-)
Wool of course. This is such special time for wool. Any breed, any weight of yarn, all available to us.
My favorite fiber to knit or crochet with is Alpaca. Second favorite is cotton.
Wool. I knit lots of socks and wool with a bit of nylon works great.
Merino wool. Sometimes with a little silk, or a little mohair. But I do enjoy single breed yarn from other breeds of sheep for some projects.
Cashmere blend is delicious
WOOL! Yes that is a definite shout – my hands don’t hurt from knitting wool. If it has enough lanolin still in the yarn, it is the best hand lotion. There are so many positives for knitting with wool. I really enjoy knitting with my own handspun (my spinning is still in beginner stages, but I like knitting with it)
My favorite fiber to knit is wool from Patagonian sheep. My family has been living in Patagonia for 35 years and the wool from neighboring farms makes the warmest socks.
Wool. I prefer non superwash yarn. I recently knit with Jill Draper’s Rockwell for the first time and loved it!
I had an uncle who had been shearing sheep since he was 12. Many years ago he gave me some colored fleeces the wool board wouldn’t take. I spun and knit a ribbed hat for him. He said in the 70 years he’d been shearing he never had anything from his own sheep. That was my favorite fiber to ever knit.
Almost any yarn I get to play with is my favorite at that moment!
Wool is wonderful but so is cashmere, alpaca, linen, cotton and silk. I’ll even search out the nicer acrylic or polyester when someone I know needs chemo caps. The higher the nylon content in sock yarn the less I enjoy knitting with it – but a little is a good thing.
Wool, of course, but I also like to blend my wool with cashmere or silk or maybe some mohair. Adding a bit of angora adds warmth. Love Stephanie, a wonderful ambassador for wool!
My favourites are manos del Uruguay and Atlas – all shades of green and yellow. Thank you
Wool! And from small farms , run by women makes me the happiest!!! Love love love Atlas, smooth great knitting joy!
Of course wool and alpaca. Even. Though sunny California has warmer winters I love my wool cowls, keeps my neck/ shoulders warm.
I think my favourite is a multi-plied wool with some bounce to it, maybe an MCN. Least favourite is 100% silk. I get sucked in to how shiny and drapery it looks in the skein and then forget what a pain it is to actually knit with
My favorite fiber to knit with is wool that I have sorted, washed, carded and spun myself.
Wool and wool blends. I like the end result of knitting with linen, although it’s not the easiest on my hands.
Wool, wool, wool. There is nothing like the wonders and joy and feeling of wool.
Wool of course
Team wool! Also enjoy wool blended with alpaca or cashmere.
I haven’t been fortunate enough to try anything besides wool, cotton, and linen, but of those three, I like to work with wool best. Just love Temple Grandin, and the beauty of this artform of shearing.
Wool. Cormo. Okay, linen
In the summer.
Merino wool forever and always.
wool, well spun wool, that does not split, and has a nice spring to it. a little bit of added man made fibers as in sock yarn is ok.
but wool with still a bit of lanolin is best.
Such a beautiful film. Under the gentle and skilled expertise of those two shearers the sheep appear to be enjoying a spa day! One even had her eyes closed and a blissful look on her face. Proof of Dr. Grandin’s statement of their having feelings.
I love knitting with just about anything I can (ribbon? cord? Yes!). Except lace weigh but it’s ok for crochet. My favorite yarns come from Brooklyn Tweed – Shelter, Peerie, Dapple. I can’t wait to try the RePly Rambouillet. I admire BT’s values and appreciate their reasonable pricing.
I have the greatest respect for Temple Grandin and now, also for these lovely women who care so much about sheep. Squishy wool is my favorite and I’m sure it started with the blanket that my grandmother knit for me which was my constant companion as a toddler.
Cashmere. Wool and silk is a close second.
I love wool, but also enjoy knitting or crocheting with other natural fibers.
I love wool and wool blended with alpaca. I am making a temperature blanket using felted tweed. It is a treat to sit down every day in 2023 and knit a row with this beautiful yarn.
My favorite fiber to work with is baby alpaca grande.
Only wool, soft, springy and joy to touch.
My favorite fiber is without a doubt, a well spun 100% merino. It feels plump and soft and luxurious in my hands.
Non-superwash wool is my absolute favorite. Luckily, I live in a climate (Pacific Northwest) where I can wear it year round. I never understood the term ‘summer sweater’ until I moved here from the Midwest.
While I live merino yarn but I enjoy trying others. I’m currently knitting with a Yak and cotton blend that is wonderful.
Absolutely wool, wool and more wool!!
Favorite: Wool. BTW. I went to see Peggy speak at the San Jose Museum of Quilt and Textiles yesterday. Great turnout! She was wonderful and Daisy is a beauty!
Thanks for putting her on a zoom call for others to watch!
My favorite fiber to knit with is wool, hands down!
WOOL! Love it, all kinds. I try to by from small local mills, LYS, Sheep and Wool Festival, and unique types, like Finnish sheep yarn. Each one is a new experience.
Wool, definitely, to knit with. But to wear, wool blended with silk or alpaca or something else friendlier to my tender skin areas. Two of my favorite yarns are Felted Tweed (from which I knit the wonderful Color Explosion Throw, one of the few handmade items I have kept for myself) which is wool/alpaca/viscose, and Atlas (from which I knit Old Friend Pullover). Working with Felted Tweed is such a delight! And the color options! Yum! Atlas has a very, very nice squishy factor to it, probably because it is Rambouillet and not a tight twist (though I sometimes regretted it splittiness and I worry about the sweater pilling eventually). But, yeah, Wool!
Preferably my own handspun wool, sometimes dyed, sometimes carded with silk. Don’t forget to bury your nose in fiber and inhale the sweet smell
!
Any wool/blend that’s not itchy since I have allergies. I’ve seen alpacas get shorn. It was fun.
While I love wool yarn, I have a special fondness for wool blended with cotton.
WOOL WOOL AND MORE WOOL!!!
Wool. Wool. Wool.
Wool! Blends with cashmere, yak, silk or alpaca make it nice to wear, but as the main staple, wool is the bestest. Thank you for the lovely, lovely film. It’s really good for all of us knitters and weavers to understand more about breeds and their wool properties, history of breeds and also caring for them (and going from raw wool to yarn), and this film is particularly endearing.
I’d have to say non Superwash wool, springy, bouncy the less treated the better. I have my eye on Atlas cedar.
So lovely and relaxing. The care for the sheep was kind and loving. A joyful antidote to all the world news.
I love wool. It can be a tiny bit itchy for me so if I’m doing a large project I use a blend.
Favorite fiber is always wool
Wool! Yay for wool.
Wool!
Definitely wool and wool blends. Currently making a hat with Blue Sky Fibers Woolstok and loving the feel and the way it glides on the needles. Would love to get a chance to try Atlas should I be lucky enough to win,
My favourite YARN is British wool( just to help local farmers) and find it makes lovely garments. I just wish it was affordable. I sadly look for the cheapest on line.
Wool. Sometimes it has a bit of silk or other fiber that makes it even better. But…wool. High quality, humanely produced wool by growers who love their flock.
Wool.
Wool with alpaca. Yummy.
Wool! Always wool. But I live in the south so wool blends are pretty great.
I love to knit with merino wool or alpaca blended with wool.
Like many have said, I love to knit with wool, and also love wool with alpaca or silk. Since I live in Florida, I have to use a cotton blend or linen/linen blend once in a while in self defense. . So fun to explore all kinds of fibers.
Wool or silk and wool.
My favorite is a good sheepy wool- bonus if I find a little plant matter:-)
All time, no contest, Merino wool. Or almost any wool. It’s easy to knit with, lovely to wear and great variety available.
My favorite fiber is 100% wool with a little casimire and silk added in for softness.
My favourite yarn to knit with is the one* I’m working with right now, whenever right now might be and whichever yarn that is! Noteable favourites have been Rowan Original Denim (thanks Kay & Ann for the heads up on that before it was all gone), Baby Cashmerino for easy care knit gifts, and anything luxe and soft like Merino Alpaca Silk blends! *Caveat… I try to work in natural fibres only, but I do occasionally work in a limited blend, like for sock heels & toes I try to use 75% wool or cotton and 25% nylon. While superwashes are not a go-to for me, because of the chemical impacts of the processing, I do use them when needed for hard wearing, easy care gifts.
As much as I love wool, it does not always return the affection. So, linen and silk are my constant loves.
Wool is my favorite. I’ve tried a few plant based fibers and have not loved knit with them
Definitely wool.
Always natural fibres; wool especially
Wool, wool, wool! Thank you, Sheep!
Yeah, my favourite to knit with is definitely wool, preferably 100%. Although it’s OK with a bit of silk or alpaca added
Wool and wool blends
of course! But especially love the bouncier breeds of cormo, targee and BFL. Thanks for the giveaway!
I’m all about alpaca, or alpaca blends when I want to be pampered, but wonderful wool is it for anything else.
Love wool! Wonderful video. Battenkill yarn all sold out already!
I love wool. I love wool so much that I enjoy the rather long process of taking a fleece and turning it into yarn. It is a constant learning process and each fleece tells a story.
I like crocheting with silk thread
I love Temple (and sheep.) Love this.
Once I discovered wool, I never looked back!
Soft wool, scratchy wool, colorful wool!
While I never thought I’d be such a yarn snob alas, I’ve become one and now, if it’s not mostly wool, I won’t buy it. Since I’m largely a sock knitter, wool with some nylon in it is my yarn of choice but it is nice to also knit with 100% wool (especially if the colour is particularly beautiful (& there are many beauties out there!❤️)). Thank you for this opportunity!
Wool, a nice Merino or Rambouillet.
Wool wool wool! It’s springy and squishy and feels so good on the hands.
Love wool : )
Good old-fashioned wool
I love everything about Rowan’s Felted Tweed; the colors, the softness, the drape, and the ease of knitting with it. I have , however, been curious about Atlas. It looks like a good product with a good selection of colors. I would love to feel it.
Shetland sheep wool–makes my heart sing!
I love wool and wool blends. One of my faves is a wool, alpaca and linen yarn. Favorite wools are merino, rambouillet and BFL.
Wool!!! The best.
Wool blends. All the variations provided by silk, linen, cotton, and other animal fibers combined with the warmth, durability and strength of wool. I had to become a knitter to learn that wool processed properly isn’t itchy and irritating, as I had always experienced with manufactured garments. Good wool is soft and breathable on the skin.
Wool, in all it ‘s sheepy, fleecy iterations, wool.
I love to knit with wool & alpaca or wool & silk.
Merino wool or wool blends.
I tend to go for the wool + silk blends, e.g. Noro Silk Garden. It tends to run a little smoother than 100% wool, and is definitely less itchy.
Wool! It amazes me. To spin, to knit, to nerd out on.
I think mostly wool. I loved the video above!
Wool, and I am partial to merino…
Temple Grandin is a fabulous woman. What she has done to make the meat industry operate more humanely is amazing. Not to mention that a person with Autisim can achieve amazing things. And yay for sheep!!
Wool — Cormo and Rambouillet are my favorites. I recently knit a Sophie scarf out of pure quiviut and that wasn’t bad either.
Oh my, this video gave me goosebumps and made me wish I was young enough to train as a shearer! Thank you for sharing this. My favorite fiber is, of course, wool!
Wool will never go out of style.
My favorite fiber to knit with is merino wool, with a slight preference to dk weight.
Jacob’s wool is my favorite because that’s the kind of sheep I have.
love merino/alpaca/silk blends
Love wool first; but any natural fiber determined by the pattern !
I’m not exclusive, but the more I knit, the more I appreciate wool
Non superwash wool for me (unless I’m knitting socks).
Definitely wool but a soft spun. Love it when it’s an alpaca or cashmere blend.
Wool. Probably BFL
Wool, or wool and silk, to knit; to spin, wool, wool and tencel, wool and wool, you get the idea.
Oh—also wool and alpaca both to spin and knit, but not alpaca on its own.
My favorite fiber to work with is wool of course. As a spinner, I love Jacob and corridale to spin and knit. Something with a little tooth to it.
I like almost all yarns, but especially alpaca with silk
NON-SUPERWASH WOOL!
My favourite fiber is WOOL. All the wools. The merino wool. The local Canadian rustic wool. My new crush Icelandic wool. The best wool? The wool that is currently on my needles!
I love wool with a little nylon because I knit lots of socks. I remember wool scarves when I was young being so itchy but a friend gifted me a cowl that is 100% merino and it is heavenly! I’ll be looking for some to try and gift someone else a treasure!
It’s wool for me. Especially when I am knitting socks.
Cashmere or wool/silk/cashmere blend.
Lately I have been using Dyed in the Wool – I love how so unique the different skeins knit up! I have made 3 cowls using in with different colors – so beautiful !!
Wool please. You can mix it with say, cashmere or silk or even cotton, all fine, but first and foremost, wool.
A wool/silk blend is my favorite
I like it all. Wool is faster than cotton or linen, but I love the shine of linen. Silk has lovely qualities too. When I knit for others though, it is always superwash wool or merino because I know it will stay in use and in good shape.
Wool, for sure. I’ve been branching out and trying cotton and linen lately, making summer things. But for the joy of knitting itself, nothing’s nearly as great as wool!
Absolutely wool…have loved knitting recently, a cashmere, alpaca blend. Just bought some raw fleece recently sheared. Excited to continue the fiber adventure!
I love to knit with cotton and wool depending on the project.
I love ALL fibers (happy knitter)!
I love to knit all, or almost all, fibers, but knitting with my handspun yarn is the full Monty, sheep to shawl as it is. Lumpy, bumpy or beautifully spun as happens sometimes, it’s a joy.
Loow wooL
Drawrof forwarD
Drawkcab backwarD
Yawyna anywaY
Have to join the chorus of “wool”!
Definitely wool is at the top of the list, in all of its various forms and blends. I would love to try Atlas.
Wool!
My favorite fiber to work with is wool. It’s that perfect party guest that plays well with the other fibers and makes everything work nicely.
Mohair and almost anything
My favorite fiber to knit is wool.
I love to knit with wool over plant based fibers, and specifically superwash merino. Admittedly, I don’t have much experience with other types of wool. I have a slight sensitivity to the pick of wool and alpaca. Any suggestions for other wools to try?
Wool is first, and bamboo is nice as well.
Wool – Catskill’s merino and Shetland wool.
Favorite is wool and silk blend.
Wool is my favourite but I also love to strand it with mohair/silk
wool, wool and wool
Cormo wool is my local favorite yarn to knit with!
I love thé feel of wool running through my fingers!
I like the 50% merino 50% Tencel (eucalyptus) I’m crocheting a sweater with right now. I’m waiting to start the Stopover pullover with Lettlopi until I can get the gauge right! I’ve already knit mittens with it but this loose gauge is challenging for me!
Non-superwash wool, in particular Blue-Faced Leister wool. It’s so soft and smooth and shiny.
Definitely non-superwash wool. But I also love silk, especially silk roving. I’ve been having fun with Darn Good Yarn products when I don’t mind if the finished item needs washing or not; most of their silk yarns are dry clean only. Each fiber has its own characteristics that I enjoy, depending on the final use. My cat prefers wool. He doesn’t like synthetics any more than I do.
My favorite is merino or any close relative. 🙂
Wool. I bought some Qiviut yarn this winter and will name that as my ultimate favorite.
Merino with a bit of silk, is becoming my favorite. Although the real answer may be any fiber, if it’s somewhere in the purple/lavender range
My favorite is 100% wool. And look for breed specific wool, supporting small farmers when possible.
Natural fibers – wool, silk and linen, and any combination of them.
Thank you for seeing, appreciating, and sharing my work. For folks who would like to read more about shearing and regenerative agriculture, I also wrote a book called Raw Material: Working Wool in the West (2018, Oregon State University Press).
I’m obviously not alone in saying I love to knit wool. I’m happy to knit pure, non-superwash wool and also blends with cashmere, linen, and even a bit of nylon or cotton.
Wool for sure! Wool/silk blends are also very nice. Not a fan of cotton. Everything else is in the middle.
Wool.. for sure.
Wool!
Wool, merino and cashmere, maybe some silk. I have some blended with yak that I have yet to try.
Forgot to say – loved the film!
Wool, wool, wool. Love sheep and loved the video!!
Wool, hands down.
Specifically, BFL.
Buffalo blends are also really nice to work with.
Wool/wool blended with other fibers. I live in Florida, but I love the fabric wool makes.
Wool and cotton–is that like meat and vegetables?
silk plus wool
I love to knit with wool. It is so giving and forgiving.
Thank you
I love the stretchiness of wool and how it looks just right if you nail the gauge
I really enjoy wool. It’s springiness and seeing how it blooms after blocking.
Wool, always wool.
It is 100% wool for me. Thank you! for the Giveaway.
Team Wool all the way! It’s so satisfying to work with. I love it even though I live in a warm climate!
Since moving from Colorado to Hawaii, the humidity her has made me appreciate cotton yarn! I can only use baby alpaca to knit in the cool months, usually Jan. and Feb.
Wool is definitely my favorite to knit, all kinds! I do prefer American grown, processed and dyed.
My favorite fiber is baby alpaca because of its incredible softness. But my new favorite sweater is made from Atlas.
Really enjoyed seeing that!
My favorite is yarn from MDK giveaways!!! The project is even sweeter!
Merino with alpaca and or cashmere is my favorite.
Favorite fiber: non superwash wool!
I love to knit with wool! But to moderate the heat a blend of wool and cotton is wonderful.
My favorite fiber to knit with is wool. Specifically, wool from Foster Sheep Farm, located in Schuylerville, New York. Gorgeous to work with and wear.
I am in love with Rambouillet,(even before Atlas came out). Soft but a little more bite than merino.
I think I’m signed up for the emails? I get the Snippets emails on the weekends.
As to fiber, I also prefer wool. Years ago I made a baby blanket with baby yak wool. It was the softest, most delicious yarn I’ve ever used, but when I went to block it – oh my! – it grew sooo much!
I love knitting with cashmere!
Wool! Wool! Wool!
I love wool also, with silk especially, such a lovely soft touch.
Thanks for sharing ☺️
Wonderful video! I love knitting with wool – so dependable
Wool, wool, wool. Rambouillet (I’m looking at you, Atlas!), BFL, Cormo, Merino … love wearing it, love knitting it. Hiking sweater? Make it woolen spun fingering. Textured sweater? Worsted spun, thank you. Also really love wool blended with silk, linen or cotton. Mohair adds lovely halos and is fun to play with, but it can be a drag to knit by itself with, and it’s itchy. Alpaca, lovely, but heavy and droopy, and I’m a little wheezy while knitting. Bucket list? Yak. Still have a lot of superwash in my stash for neckware knitting, but for sweaters, blankets, hats, it’s real wool all the way.
Kay, thanks for this post. I’ve forwarded the video on. Loved every of the 11+ minutes.
Wool, always wool! Wool with some silk in it is especially nice.
Wool or cotton!
I love Australian bond for spinning and knitting.
My very favorite is a blend of merino and silk, and I love alpaca, but I will actually knit with just about anything! What can I say? I’m passionate about knitting!!!! 😀
Wool. I also like to knit with alpaca.
My favorite fiber is wool, maybe with a blend of cashmere silk or mohair
Wool for sure!
Wool: particularly merino and blue-face Leicester, so far. I have some Shetland and Cormo roving that I’d like to learn to spin, if I can get the hand if my Ashford traditional, & quit being a control freak!
Wool! Almost any kind, sock yarn with nylon, soft merino, superwash, springy rustic wool, you name it. I could fall asleep counting the types of wool I have loved knitted with, instead of counting sheep.
Wool, hands down all time favorite …
Wool is nice;) I do like the new Atlas. Cotton is handy and some types machine wash & dry!
I am a bit of a fiber snob and use exclusively natural fibers. There are many options for natural fibers but it absolutely has to be soft. I owned alpacas and i do tend to pick it out first.
Wool and different wool blend
My favorite fiber is definitely 100% wool. I have just started spinning my own recently, so can’t wait to see if I like to knit with it, too! The closer the fiber is to the sheep who gifted it, the better 🙂
I knit with MYaks camel yarn and it was a treat!
I’m living a cotton silk rayon blend for summer knit right now. But my all time favorite is of course wool!
Wool. Definitely wool.
Since I was taught to knit at age nine at Cranford House school in England where I lived in a cavernous Victorian house named after the 120 year old Beech tree that grew in the front garden, I’ve been wool centric. We NEEDED it to keep warm in a house built in 1837, the year Queen Victoria ascended the throne, that had 21 foot ceilings, massive old wavy pane glass windows, tiny radiators and tiny coal fueled fireplaces, one in each room. Wool was central to our lives – buying, knitting and wearing it. Our vests (undershirts) were made of wool, our jumpers and cardis were made of wool, our school uniforms were made of wool. We knitted with yarn we found in the local village shops and in the lovely larger towns along the river in the Thames Valley west of London where we lived. We shopped avidly and consistently for wool clothing at Marks and Sparks and at small specialty wool shops in London, now long gone. When we were older and could go to London sans parents, we scoured the markets on Kensington High Street and the shops on Carnaby Street and Laura Ashley and Biba and Selfridges for vintage woolies and the newest in fashion woolies alike. It was the 1960s, the war had only been over for for fifteen years, rationing for five years and everyone was only just emerging from make do and mend mode. But still, as was customary at that time, at our house and everywhere else, when we were cold we didn’t turn up the radiators or lavish coal on the fire we added another layer of woolies. So for me, it was, is and always will be wool 🙂
Love this evocative look backwards.
Thank you, Ellen
Wool is the answer here.
Got to be wool. Especially Shetland wool, where those spit-joined ends just melt into the fabric.
Merino wool
For socks
I like to knit with wool in fingering or DK weight.
I got a cashmere silk blend in Switzerland that changed my life.
Wool! Wooly wool!
My favorite fiber to knit with is a Clun Forest cross wool from my own sheep, Rosie O’Grady. I spared her from slaughter and bottle fed her because her mother had rejected her.
I mainly use wool, but for the summer I try to use blends – but I’m a stickler about using natural fibers.
My favorite fiber to knit with is cashmere! Along with every skein of yarn I have ever knit with. It’s hard to play favorites.
Any colorful wool!
Wool for versatility, bounce and overall good behaviour (alpaca sneaks in for being dreamy, but it’s too diva-ish for regular use, at least for me). Cotton for knits for nieces and nephew (one set live in Warm Climes and the other set have parents who tumble dry everything and claim that wool itches. The latter only got handknits from me as babies, and their grandma is happy to knit things for them in acrylic).
Merino wool or any blend of merino. Any blend.
I love to knit with wool.
There are so many fibers to explore but wool is at the top of the list.
I love knitting with alpaca, it’s so soft and lovely on my hands. That said will is a go to add it’s so versatile and projects always turn out just as I expect them to.
Wool. Mixed with silk, cashmere or even cotton.
My favorite fibers to knit with are wool and cashmere.
Mohair, mo better!! I am absolutely addicted to mohair and use it as often as possible!
Different fibers for different projects. Currently a cotton tee, on deck a wool + silk mohair.
wool
I love wool, but not merino because I’m allergic to it. Give me some lovely BFL or Shetland and I’m happy! And mohair, I love mohair.
My favorite is wool, especially if there’s still some lanolin in it.
My favorite? Wool, almost always, and ESPECIALLY that wonderful Icelandic wool!
Wool or a wool blended w/ other natural fiber to make it softer.
100% wool, please.
I like a *rustic* wool and avoid super wash. I also like a wool and alpaca mix, for the extra warmth, but the drape from the alpaca requires a certain kind of pattern
Alpca!
Wool, preferably USA grown and spun.
It’s wool. It has to be wool. Lovely, squishy, scrumptious wool.
Yes, please to wool.
Merino! Or maybe bamboo. Could be organic cotton. Too many to choose just one.
Cashmere
Wool is my favorite to knit with, the more info I have on it the better, love blends with silk, alpaca, also my own handspun is getting wonderful.
I have to say baby alpaca is mmm favorite yarn.. so soft and not itchy!
WOOL. No contest.
Half wool half linen
Wool, like to knit with wool and silk mohair held together. Woo, yak blend is also a thumbs up.
So very interesting to see a sheep shorn. The truly renewable fiber resource. As for my favorite fiber, wool is of course my 1st pick. I treat myself to a wool blend with a bit of silk or cashmere once in a while. Thank you for all of this amazing information.
Absolutely wool
Wool, of course! I love merino, cormo, corriedale, Rambouillet. I enjoy trying different breed specific yarns.
I love knitting with wool, especially cormo. But at the same time I always have a cotton towel or washcloth on the needles because I like the feel of knitting with cotton and I always pick a simple pattern I can do while watching tv.
I love everything about knitting with wool–the feel, the smell, the look, even the sound, when it’s quiet enough for me to hear not only the click of the needles, but the slide of the stitches.
I like to knit with wool. If I knit socks I like it to have some nylon in it.
My favorite is Merino. But I’ve never knit with cashmere, angora, yak, vicuña, quiviut or any number of other sheep.
linen, or a blend
Just knit some cashmerino. Luscious!
Love, love, love knitting with wool although I don’t get to wear it as often as I would like in Alabama.
non super-wash wool!
My favorite is wool-always wool!!!
Wool, 6 days a week and twice on Sundays.
Wool
Wool in the winter, cotton in the summer!
I love knitting with wool. Many options in patterns and I love the warmth of it, the naturalness. And any small imperfections in tension will block right out.
I prefer wool over most fibers, although bamboo is pretty cool! But I’ve been jonesing to try Atlas!
Nothing beats wool. I love it!!
Without question, wool.
I enjoy a silk linen mix.
I love the feel of merino-cashmere blends slipping from my finger to the needle, and then of course there’s wearing the finished article…
Wool, but alpaca is a very close second!
Wool, hands down. Unless you add in some mohair. Then both hands up and give me an “Amen”!!!
My favorite yarns? — DK or worsted weight wool or alpaca
Wool, for sure. But having recently moved to Southern Alabama, I think I’m going to have to find something a little more heat and humidity friendly.
I love knitting with wool with a tad bit of nylon for socks. Feels good to work with and wear.
My favorite fiber to knit with is merino and alpaca. So far! I’ve been knitting for about 6 years.
My favorites are wool, alpaca, and silk, and blend of those 3.
Wool, wool, and more wool!
I love silk with wool. Mohair is always fun too!
Wool, of course! Not that super wash, but light and lovely wool.
Wool! Especially woolly wool!
I really am liking Norwegian wool! And
Hand dyed wool from the fiber works studio in Chestnut Ridge my!
Wool. Romney. Shetland. Mixed breed . . . 100% wool. I’ve worked with alpaca, vicuña, cotton, bamboo, and silk. Wool is springy, warm, rain-resistant, takes dye beautifully, forgiving if I need to frog some stitches, wet- or steam-blocks nicely. Wearing my hiking boots, wool socks are warm in the winter & cool in the summer. Sheep rule!
Oh my favorite fiber is definitely wool. And paired with mohair at times it becomes even more dreamy. Over the years I have become more picky about the wool I buy and the results of that are rewarded by the beauty of the finished project.
Team wool!
Wool! So versatile.
WOOL! The answer is wool. I love all breeds of sheep’s wool. But let’s face it, I’ll knit with anything, but nothing compares to this amazing, natural fiber.
I’m not sophisticated enough to differentiate between the different breeds, but maybe someday, I will be.
Definitely wool! I also really enjoyed a cotton/ wool blend Japanese yarn I used for a small blanket.
We raise Finnsheep and I simply adore working with their fiber… spinnin, knitting, weaving, you name the fiber craft. My favorite fiber to work with is Finnsheep. But, if course, that doesn’t limit me to Finnsheep only. I love trying all sorts of fiber goodness!
Eeek!!! I’m a new spinner and knitter. How long have you been spinning?? And I love that you have your own sheep.
Woooooool. And a little yak.
Wool is my pleasure knitting. I like the sproing and squish. I started knitting with cotton dishcloths, so sometimes I revert, both to refresh dishcloths and for nostalgia. But nothing beats the squish.
Wool. But I can’t say which. Some I love. Some I don’t. I love Atlas.
I do love the felting adventure – so WOOL of course. Alpaca is nice too…..
Wool, occasionally mixed with another natural fiber.
Wool and alpaca blends!
Nothing beats WOOL! I love its versatility, wearability, elasticity. It can be soft, sturdy, or both. I knit with little else. I love the fact that more and more grown, spun, and dyed in America yarn is available for us.
I definitely love a wool/linen blend. Amazing drape and versatile for so many seasons.
Merino wool. It’s a dream!
Wool… since working with Arne & Carlos Norwegian wool I’m quickly moving away from “super-wash” wool.
Wool of all types is my fav fibre to knit. It can be 100% wool or mixed with other fibres such as silk which is my current fav.
I prefer wool. I often like to pair it with a mohair or silk.
Currently, a good superwash wool. I have a grandchild decked out in Gamma’s handknits.
How do you pick one??? Cotton. Bamboo. Wool. Silk. I do love a good drape.
My favorite to knit with is wool. I love it all – the rustic sheepy kind, the luscious merino, and everything in between!
Wool, and almost any wool mix. super wash is a definite must as my husband puts EVERYTHING in the dryer.
Wool with some silk blended in.
Absolutely favorite fiber to knit with is WOOL!
Wool, wool, wool!!
Cashmere, Cashmere, Cashmere!! But seriously, it’s an inclusive passion [and life] and there isn’t a fiber I don’t love!!
Wool, hands down!
I love knitting with Corriedale and BFL. Both have great stitch definition and are so plump.
Rambouillet wool, of course!
I like to knit with 100% wool. Not superwashed! I like the rustic feel of Iceland wool and the springy bounce of cormo.
I love how wool knits up and blocks, especially when knitting lace. I still have lots to learn about the different breeds and how their fiber behaves. I like a wool blend too— wool just makes it all better!
Wool mostly! Always a natural fiber!
Non-superwash wool and 60/40% silk mohair.
Wool is my favorite
I love to knit with wool
CVM Romeldale! And Rambouillet. And Polwarth, BFL, Shetland, Columbia, Targhee, Tunis, and Montadale. And Corriedale. And . . . sport weight mulespun “wool” off a cone. Not so much a breed as a lovely knitterly feeling.
Wool
A yarn blended with cashmere, soft and lovely.
non-superwash wool ftw!! every time i’ve been seduced away to bamboo or some shiny yarn, i’ve run into problems.
Wool! Always wool! Pretty much exclusively wool! Can’t beat the feel and the squish factor and the many options for finished products that last for years.
Always wool!
A rustic, non-superwash wool and now I want to add some silk-mohair to it.
In a perfect world, wool with a good twist.
So far-superwash merino wool is my favorite fiber, but I’m still exploring fibers!
Alpaca from my friends animals
I love the feel knitting with a pure merino, but I will knit with whatever is best for a pattern
Definitely wool.
Wool, of course.
Has to be 100% wool. Cotton, linen, and recycled blends feel rough on my hands. Cashmere and silk are divine but I worry about the hardiness of what I make unless it’s combined with wool. Sock yarns are ok, but they all seem to be splitty after adding nylon. Best to stick with all wool, preferably non-superwash. There’s a reason it’s a classic amongst knitters!
Hands down…wool! Non super wash, definitely. Love Rambouillet!
Wool 🙂
I’m a knitting newbie and so far have just knit with wool and wool blends and cotton. But I want to try it all!!!
I prefer knitting with wool. I just knit a cardigan with Manchelopis, an unspun Manchega wool. It comes in plates and is held double. A challenge to knit with until you get the hang of it, but it makes the warmest and lightest sweater.
Wool. Always and forever my favorite. Silk, alpaca, mohair have their moments, but it’s always wool. Not a fan of plant fibers-cotton, linen, bamboo etc. Certainly not on any synthetics. It’s just wool pure and simple for me.
I usually knit with acrylic, but I love bamboo yarn, made a couple of pullovers with a bamboo yarn that was thick and fluffy and one top with bamboo that was very thin-great for summer.
I too am team wool!
Wool is my favorite.
Knitting with merino or alpaca (or some combination thereof) makes my soul happy. It glides between my fingers and circles me with comfort in the continuing loops. Adding a little Bach or Mozart doesn’t hurt. Smiley face emoji inserted here!
Non superwash wool, but I also like a little silk, cashmere or alpaca blended in at times.
Bamboo. I love the heaviness and drape of bamboo. A little slippery, but worth the extra energy.
Wool, wool, and more wool.
Always wool!
I love love love the wool/mohair mix of Brown Sheep Lamb’s Pride. So warm!
I like to knit with wool especially merino.
I just used mohair/silk for the first time and my last sweater was alpaca. I have a WIP sweater using a wool/hemp blend. I am interested in using any good for the world fiber, but wool is such a staple it is my most frequently used.
This is fascinating. The only other sheep shearing I have seen is in the interesting movie “The Sundowners,” set in 1950’s Australia. There the emphasis was on speedy shearing. This video is like couture compared to mass-produced!
Favorite is machine washable wool for baby blankets.
Wool, and lately I love adding a strand of mohair!
I love knitting with wool of course, but particularly fond of alpaca and alpaca/merino blends.
Wool every time!
Worsted spun wool. Woolen spun is okay but I love how worsted feels and how it behaves.
Favorite fiber-hardy merino from Australia or Peru or the mountains in the Western U.S. I believe that Peruvian Highland wool is a merino breed. LoVe!
Is there other yarn besides wool?
I am a wool girl through and through. I love buying fleece from small flocks and spinning in to yarn, but also love a wide variety of commercially produced yarns. Of course, my favorite has to be Atlas!!!
My first and last knitting love will always be wool.
I love the feel of alpaca. It’s so very soft. But a good wool is a magical thing.
It depends on the project. If I’m knitting for my own pleasure, wool is my choice. However, if I’m knitting to give away, such as the baby blankets, comfort shawls, etc., my go-to fiber is a good acrylic. It will survive years of use, abuse, and weekly trips through the laundry.
Without a doubt wool…over the past year or so one of the things I’ve really enjoyed is learning about different types of wool and their properties. It’s a fun adventure to start a project with a wool I’ve never used before.
Wooly, wooly wool. The stickier and lanolinier the better!
Wool, always wool.
My favorite fiber to knit with is NON Superwash wool. Silk and wool is always a dream.
Wooooooolllll!!!
I love to knit with wool, non-super wash, and in all weights, from fingering to Aran!
My choice is alpaca
Favorite fiber is wool and wool blends. Merino is my absolute favorite
I have recently been knitting in cashmere and am really enjoying it, it has great hand feel and is low stress on my hands, fingers and arms. I won quite a bit in a raffle, and dove right in afterwards to knit a couple of garments.
My favorite fiber is cashmere and also alpaca. Oh, so soft!!
Wool !!!
Merino wool
And cashmere too
I’ve been knitting since the age of 7 and it’s always been wool! wool! wool!
In my book there is nothing better.
I like to experiment with all fibers, but it’s hard to beat wool. Atlas is a beauty.
Wool and wool blends. In summer, I’m partial to linen.
Depends on what I’m knitting. Wool is lovely, of course, but for little dolls and animals, baby afghans and baby sweaters, chemo caps, comfort shawls, hats and mittens for children, wool blends, cotton, polyester, off the wall novelty yarns, and even today’s soft acrylics are also nice, and will suffice. (Thank you, Robert Frost.) I promise I would use two skeins of MDK Atlas wisely and well.
Just take that old wool off the shelf
I’ll sit and knit with it by myself
Today’s creations ain’t got the same soul
I want that old-time rockin’ wool!
Merino wool…any wool really!
I’m a wool gal through and through!
wool with a little cashmere
I knit almost exclusively with wool, going 80%/20% with nylon for socks and branching out with a bit of cotton for dish cloths, and Xmas ornaments. I am lucky in that I have an ancient (by North American standards) woolen mill close by my home and I mainly use their local yarn as it is convenient and lovely.
Wool!
My fave is wool now, usually a merino, or blend of it. My new fave brand could be Atlas, I hope to find out!
Dk weight Merino for a variety of garments.
Whatever suites the project!!
Wool-and more specifically one with a good twist and some grip. Maybe from Scotland.
Silk Mohair–I knit it alone to produce gossamer pieces as well as in combination with almost any other fiber to add, as Rowan has so aptly called it, “haze.” Adding silk mohair feels like adding love.
Lang yarns cashmerino for babies. I made a sweater for my grandson when he was 18 months and he is still wearing it at 3. He’s grown and the wool once rolled up around the sleeves, now sits comfortably on the shirt he wears underneath. He is very active and the wool washes beautifully. Best part, it’s his favorite, so soft, he wears it weekly:)
I do love knitting with wool. It’s elastic, it holds color beautifully, and it is infinitely variable. On the other hand, there’s a great deal to be said for the strength, drape, and sheen of silk. Lately I’m knitting with cozy, easy-care cotton for cardigans to keep my old bones warm. You know, it’s all good. Except for that cheap acrylic that feels like shredded pop bottles.
Wool, dyed, undyed, firm, soft, fine, bulky…..it’s all lovely wool. Thanks sheep!
Wool cashmere and silk blend is my all time favorite to knit. That said, my favorite to wear is linen and linen blends.
To knit with? Merino wool. To wear the finished product? Linen
Linen
I love a good wool – something with great stitch definition and easy to handle.
Wool (non-superwash) and wool blended with silk and/or cashmere.
Silk. Mulberry silk. If I could afford it, I would knit with nothing but silk.
While I love a 100% wool knit, I also appreciate a blend of silk and wool as well. That needle slide is so delightful.
Wool! BFL, Corriedale, Cormo, Merino, Shetland, Wensleydale, Polworth, Atlas.
My hands and skin prefer wool and wool blends!
I love knitting with wool! As a teenager I raised orphan sheep from my family’s farm on the bottle. They can be rambunctious!
I used to knit only with acrylic yarn, because budget. But now that I can afford nicer yarns (at least now and then) I love a nice soft wool or alpaca!
Wool of course 🙂
I’m in South Florida, so my favorite fiber to knit with is linen. It’s a little rough during the knitting process, but the FO is light and gets softer with washing.
Love knitting with any wool…and most especially wool blended with silk.
Wool or wool blends
I love spinning wool, alone or blended with silk or alpaca,
Favorite: BFL finger weight
Bouncy merino for me.
Wool. Absolute favorites to knit with is alpaca, cashmere silk blend and MCN.
Merino wool
Absolutely wool!
Wool in any form from 100% to blends with alpaca, silk, cashmere.
While I find wool to have the most flexibility (and particularly love Blue-Faced Leicester), give me a beautiful alpaca and I’m in heaven!
Wool.
Cashmere. Spoiled me for anything else. Next is anything with wool. Gorgeous feel, wear, story. Color me organic and spoiled!
My favorite fiber(s) are blends of wool and cashmere or silk or yak. So beautiful and soft! Go Team Wool! That was a beautiful video, thank you for sharing!
Wool, it is so forgiving, the color range is incredible, and the variation in spinning, plying affords so many great yarns!
Wool is the fiber I love best, of course! We keep three Shetland sheep in our pasture and we make yarn with their fleeces! Love it!
Non-superwash wool is the best!
Wool. But Kidsilk Haze was also life changing!
I love alpaca cotton blends for summer knitwear.
For sure wool.
Nothing else is as springy or versatile.
I’m a new knitter (since October), so I’m still in the phase of learning about all the various fibers available. Too early to say I have a favorite, but I am learning what doesn’t appeal to me!
Wool blends with baby alpaca and silks.
my favorite is any type of wool, in any weight!
Wool, wool, wool!
My favorite is definitely wool – either merino or Rambouillet. A little cashmere blended with it is really nice. And I’ve increasingly moved away from superwash…
Such a beautiful video! Thank you for sharing.
Wool of course
Wool!!!
Wool fingering weight
Wool is my long- time favorite! But I just bought a skein of suri alpaca to try because i love the look of mohair but it makes me itch.looking forward to trying something new!
I love knitting with merino wool
Love you knit with baby alpaca
Wool, and alpaca
Wool, of course! I’ve knit with commercial wool, small mill wool, and my beginner spinning attempts. All amazing to work with.
I’m knitting my second item with LINEN, and while it has a mind of its own, the end product after washing is so NICE!
Definitely wool (not Superwash) is my favorite fiber to knit, and Shetland wool is my favorite to spin.
I love wool. And there are so many varieties, which is one of the many things I love about it.
Wool without question. A wool blend works also, as in sock yarn.
Qiviut—I can dream, eh?
my favorite fiber to knit with is a non super wash Merino or Cormo Wool
Wool
My favorite fiber to knit with is wool although I do like it mixed with silk sometimes.
I love wool and a cotton silk mix.
Huge fan of merino wool over here!
Definitely wool!
I have to saw worsted weight 100 % cashmere, so soft and so warm. And so easy to knit up and make my hands happy.
Wooly wools. Nonsuper wash. All day. All day all day. All night. All night! Cormo. #cantstopwontstop. WOOL!
I love wool combined with silk or cashmere.. so soft!
My favorite fiber – alpaca of course! We raise them on our farm (Berry Meadow Farm) in Orwell, Vermont
Well, wool, of course! I’m a total slut for superwash because I also have a life outside the laundry sink.
My favorite fiber to knit is wool, and if I’m really clear, my favorite fiber to wear is cashmere… 🙂
My favorite (to date) has probably been baby llama — incredible feel to work with.
My favorite fiber to knit with is wool.
What a fabulous response you guys get each time you have a giveaway! My answer follows the vast majority in listing any type of natural, sustainable yarn. My issue is also the comfort and feel of whatever I am knitting with and the necessity of avoiding those yarns that don’t play nice with my aging hands! So no or very little man made yarns. Wonder what my odds of ‘winning’ this prize is with 600+ participants!! <3
It’s a good point to remember that LOCAL wool is important. Festivals can serve this important function, but just a little research can give you leads in your area.
Wool, wool/silk, wool/cotton. You get the idea.
Lately my favorite yarn to wok wit is silky alpaca because of the amazing feel and drape.
It depends….. I often react badly to wool; at least when it’s rough. But wool blends are usually wonderful. And anything with silk in it. I was liking bamboo until I heard how the processing uses so many chemicals. I’m still searching for my perfect fiber.
Wool, and wool blends!
100% Wool or 85% Wool/15% Silk are my favorites.
I didan inventory recently, of my stash…90% of it is wool! I didn’t realize how I gravitted to this lovely fiber!
Wool. Always wool
Recently made a sweater out of Gotland wool which is lovely. Tied with Lopi for fiber I enjoy working with.
I love knitting with wool and also with cotton/linen blends. Wool is my favorite though!
My favorite yarn to spin, currently, is Targhee!
My favorite is wool or blends with other natural fibers and wool. Wool knits up and blocks nicely and there are just SO many choices available for weight, color, ply, and texture.
It has to be wool, and sometimes mixed with other fibers such as alpaca. I love non-superwash the best, but for grandkids have to five in a little.
Wool with a little bit of nylon for socks.
Wool! Wool and silk. Wool and alpaca. Alpaca. More wool. Rinse and repeat.
I love working with wool. I definitely don’t like working with mohair.
I do love wool. But also linen. And cotton!!
getting to love linen blends.
I am torn, I love knitting with wool but love, love, love the feel of silk. The best — a combo!
My favorite yarn to knit with is Swish from Knit Picks. I have yet to try Altas – will do soon! So enjoy these Saturday Snippets!
Wool, thanks. Broad-ranging, versatile, fad-proof, planet-friendly, toasty, cooling, protective, friend-making wool. I love you, too, alpaca, bison, quiviut, silk: you can play with my wool anytime.
Wool is so amazing!
My favorite fiber to knit with is any American raised, non super wash, wool. Even better is it’s from a farm within 250 miles of me.
I like to work with wool. Either 100% or a blend of something soft.
Love wool and cashmere. Enjoyed knitting with Possum as well!
Haven’t met a natural fiber I don’t like!
wool
I love superwash merino and nylon. it is great for everything. But I also love a MCN blend as a treat for mitts or a shawl.
I love it all – all of it – just not super bulky as my hands tire using it. Otherwise ALL of it!
I live in California & like cotton.
Definitely wool!
Love seeing this video and the process of shearing. I do not have access to a farm to watch to this in person. Thanks for this video!
wool, glorious wool!
I do especially love a wool/alpaca mix. When I knit toys for my grandbabies, I use soft cotton.
Wool!!! ❤️
Wool wool wooly wool wool.
My favorite fiber to knit with is a wool/silk combo, but that could change, depending on the next yarn I touch!
My fiber of choice is wool, real wool, not even superwash unless there’s a need for the project to be washable.
Wool with a bit of silk
Finn sheep wool is my new favorite. Feels great in the hand and looks great knitted up too.
Love wool!
Most definitely wool!
Definitely wool. breed-specific and non-superwash is extra-special, but any wool is good.
Wool! I think I’ll choose places to live in the future based on whether they have cool/cold weather like here in the midwest. Is it weird that I love to smell skeins of wool in a yarn shop – ahhhh.. that distinctive smell.
What I love to knit with: BFL. What I usually knit with: merino with nylon, for socks. 🙂
I love wool, but I haven’t had much opportunity to try wools beyond merino. I’d love to try corriedale and some of the others.
My favorite fiber is wool — especially machine washable wool.
I really like silk blends.
I love knitting with all sorts of natural fibers. Wearing is trickier since I can get itchy with wool.
Wool, naturally!
My favorite fiber is mohair. I spin with it and blend it with wool for homespun. It dyes beautifully and is very warm and fuzzy.
Baby alpaca.
Merino wool is my fave, to knit, to wear, to touch.
Wooooooool!
I love love love working with anything that has silk or cashmere mixed in. I mean, who wouldn’t want to work with that – or receive it?!
Wool id my go to. But I’ve been enjoying a mohair silk mix lately.
Wool is my fave, without a doubt, but I do like to knit with linen, too, when the temps are too high for wool.
My favorite fiber to knit with is worsted weight. It works up very nicely!
I really like to knit with wool, the finer the better, however I live in Texas. My favorite yarn for this climate is linen.
Wool squishy & soft
Love my wool and silk blends!
Right now I’m passionate about a DK wool held with a strand of mohair – heaven!!
My favorite fiber to knit with is wool. As a new spinner, I love spinning with BFL.
Wool-definitely wool. Love it combined with silk too…
Shetland wool!
I love knitting with bamboo!
My favorite type of fiber to knit with is WOOL. So lovely in the hands. Great stitch definition.
So many uses. What’s not to like about wool.
My favorite fiber to knit is a wool cashmere blend!
My current favorite is Mohonk light because it’s so much more versatile and skin friendly than I anticipated but I’m a sucker for Blue Sky organic cotton, Rowan, MyYak and Freia – and all the leftovers work well for Franklin Habit’s crazy quilt squares.
Norwegian wool. The real thing.
Cotton
Super soft wool! Merino and rambouillet!
My favorite fiber is wool, hands down.
Wool! Always wool.
It’s always been wool. I started knitting with synthetics but quickly switched to wool. Not overly fond of blends either, 100% wool is where it’s at for me. I like a toothier wool myself, one with a bit of backbone. Also, here in New Zealand we grow the best wool in the world!
Wool is wonderful to knit, but I like a few blends too – silk and wool, wool and mohair, especially handspun
I should say wool… And I live knitting with wool, but cashmere is probably my favorite!
I like to knit with wool or a wool mix. However my grandkids seem to oppose that so I’m learning the joys of non-wool!
Wool, alpaca, or a wool-cotton blend
Wool! Wool alone; wool with alpaca; wool and silk; even wool and cotton.
Superwash Merino
Wool!!
I love to knit with Merino wool. I love the soft feel, the way it takes up color and the delight of knitting with it. Even my sensitive-skin husband can wear his Merino beanie and not break out in itches.
So far my favorite is a mixture of merino and silk.
I am tempted to knit with other fibers but I truly love to knit with wool. I love the feel of it.
My favorite fiber is wool. I love how tactile it is and how, as you knit each individual stitch, the yarn hugs to its companion around it like a long-lost friend.
Wool! I will use blends but just prefer wool.
Merino and nylon sock yarn especially if someone throws in a little cashmere for cush – yummy!!
Wool!
Wool with alpaca is a favorite for me.
Quite simply – 100% Superwash Merino is my go to!
Wool!
It’s wool all the way – mix it with something or leave it as basic as can be. Wool does it all!
Wool, wool, wool – and even more wool.
Wooly wool!!
We raise angora goats in South Hero, Vermont – I love spinning their fiber mixed with some wool – mohair blend yarns!
Love 100% wool, but also love wool blends.
I’m a wool girl. Recently though I’m knitting two at a time socks so that’s a wool/nylon blend. You have to appreciate those sheep for providing us with their beautiful wool.
My favorite yarn has to be woo. I love the different textures and softness, and I love its smell too. Being wrapped in wool is like being wrapped in love.
I love to knit with silk, cotton, mohair, merino, pretty much any natural fibre.
Wool of course!
I love wool with a little silk for shine
I love wool, but I also use mountains of good quality acrylic for afghans.
I love Atlas, I have enough to make a sweater. I also love life in the long grass. The colors are stunning.
A blend of wool and cashmere!
I love to knit with wool, a bit of alpaca in it is lovely too! I’m always into branching out into new and interesting fibers and textures though!
I love working with wool!
Team Wool, all day. Since I took up spinning (in 2017) I’ve acquired an even greater affection for our sheep friends and the many breeds they come in. I stan for Jacob!
100% non-superwash wool
wool not superwash
Number one: Wool. (But I also enjoy a little silk.)
Wool blends, or cotton/linen blends cause it makes such a lovely drape.
Wool — all kinds of wool!
Wool with a bit of cashmere and a bit of silk!
Absolutely wool??
Any natural fiber – I mostly knit with merino wool as that seems to be most of what yarn is available and affordable but I do have some yarn made with yak, silk or even cashmere goat. The cashmere goat one does have a particular scent to it, even after washing it! I have a yarn that is a blend of alpaca, silk, and cashmere and while very soft, I’m finding it slightly slippery to work with – at least, compared with the merino wool I normally knit with. I’m sure it will make a lovely hat and mitten set though!
Wool
Wool!
Wool. Always wool.
I love knitting with wool, silk/mohair, linen, and alpaca!!
Wool! Any kind
I prefer to knit with wool.
Merino Wool
My favorite wool is merino. Soft and it is easy on the hands. I’m anxious to try blends with silk or alpaca. The video was a real education and a joy to watch. Thank.
I love knitting with wool!
Wool, Solitude Wool!