Know the fibre before the yarn
48 fibre sheets — where it comes from, how to recognise it, what it is good for, and its physical facts with their source. The engine consumes yarn only through your swatch; here is the story.
Translated from Italian. A native knitter has not reviewed this translation yet.
Plant
Abacá
Abaca / Manila hemp
The hard fibre par excellence: stiff, tough and almost legendarily resistant to water. It is not a yarn for garments but the material that …
Banana plant
Banana fibre
A lustrous plant fibre close to silk, with a fine sheen and a cool handle. It has very little elasticity: it brings lustre and lightness to…
Coconut palm
Coir (coconut)
The stiffest, roughest fibre in the plant kingdom, taken from the husk of the coconut. It was not born to clothe but to endure: it is pure …
Cotton
Cotton
Cool, breathable and surprisingly hard-wearing, cotton is the classic of the in-between seasons. It has no elasticity and is heavy when wet…
Hemp
Hemp
Very strong and cool, it starts out stiff and almost woody but softens with every wash. It is the toughest plant fibre: perfect for structu…
Jute
Jute
The rustic, raw fibre of sacking and bags: cheap, strong and full of body, but rough on the skin. It is made for objects that have to stand…
Kapok tree
Kapok
One of the lightest fibres there is: hollow, barely there and full of air, slippery like silk but very short and fragile. On its own it can…
Flax
Linen
Cool, with a lovely dry drape and a stiffness that creases with character: it is the summer fibre above all others. Don't expect stretch, b…
Lotus
Lotus (Lotus Silk)
The rarest and most precious of the plant fibres used in knitting: cool and light like linen but noticeably softer, with a dry, breathable …
Nettle
Nettle
The rustic cousin of linen: a cool, tough and surprisingly smooth plant fibre that comes from the stem of the nettle. Not very elastic but …
Paper mulberry
Paper (Washi)
The most unexpected fibre in knitting: a ribbon of Japanese paper twisted into yarn, extremely light and crisp. It has no elasticity, and p…
Pineapple
Pineapple (Piña)
Very fine, lustrous and translucent, obtained from pineapple leaves: a precious, ceremonial fibre, light as a veil but extremely delicate. …
Ramie
Ramie (China grass)
A glossier, brighter cousin of linen: cool, very light and remarkably strong, with an almost silky sheen. It has little stretch and is some…
Sisal agave
Sisal / Agave
The hard fibre par excellence: stiff, tough and structural, it does not spring back and is not meant for the body. You choose it when an ob…