Tweeds, Heathers, and Marls—What’s the Difference and What to Knit

Plus, The Quest for Local Linen: Chico Flax ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

SUBSCRIBER EXCLUSIVE Tweeds, Heathers, and Marls—What's the Difference and What to Knit Classic yarns, complex colors. By: Spin Off Editors

Just the mention of tweed or heathered yarns can turn many a knitter's head. These classic woolly skeins often appear as complex solid colors from afar and brilliantly multicolored when inspected up close. Heathers, tweeds, and marls, too, are traditionally "dyed in the wool." This means that the dyeing steps happen before the yarn is spun into its final form. Continue Reading

SUBSCRIBER EXCLUSIVE The Quest for Local Linen: Chico Flax If cotton is the king of cellulose fibers, then linen is the queen. In Northern California, farmers are working to bring back local sources of this fundamental fiber. By: Jacqueline Harp

Harvested and processed from the hardy yet temperamental flax plant, linen yarn has long been a treasure to knitters with a taste for fashionable, summer-friendly knits. Yet the more miles a yarn travels to reach our needles, the less earth-friendly it becomes. In the United States, there is a notable lack of domestically produced linen yarns. Most linen yarns available at your local yarn shop are imported from Italy or China. Fortunately, there are fiber producers who are solving the lack of local linen yarn. Expert weaver Sandy Fisher and her partner, Durl Van Alstyne, are at the heart of Chico Flax, an organization located in Chico, California, that seeks to bring sustainably produced linen products to North America and beyond. Continue Reading

Textured Tweed, Textured Stitches: 4 Tips for Knitted Bliss Does your textured yarn outshine your cables? We're here to help. By: Kate Larson

Perfectly imperfect yarn so often has a natural charm—maybe it has a bit of thick and thin, some undulations of color, or slight variegations from skein to skein. When we encounter a combo of gentle texture and tweedy colors, how will it affect the knitted fabric. Continue Reading

More Stories & Patterns You'll Love Explore your new digital source for knitting expertise, fiber stories, farm explorations, and more. Join us in exploring the world of natural fiber, must-knit designs, and the essential community of knitters.

5 Reasons Why You Should Knit a Vest Whether you call it a vest or a waistcoat, the versatility of this sleeveless, multi-seasonal layering piece cannot be beat! Continue reading.

SUBSCRIBER EXCLUSIVE Shorn in the USA How one Oregon ranch leads the way to traceable, sustainable, responsible wool. Continue reading.

SUBSCRIBER EXCLUSIVE V-Neck Shaping Tricks Whether you're working from the top down or bottom up, Corrina makes shaping a V-neck easy. Continue reading.

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