Kate Larson, Farm & Fiber Knits

Editor, teacher, and shepherd Kate Larson makes the case that every knitter is already part of the farm-to-fiber story—whether they know it or not. Kate Larson is the editor of Farm & Fiber Knits and a beloved teacher of spinning, knitting, and weaving. She took time out from lambing season to talk about the magazine’s goals. Kate Larson isn’t making a magazine only for farmers and handspinners. In this episode, she talks about what Farm & Fiber Knits is really for: helping knitters connect with the natural fibers they love. Whether you’re buying wool at a yarn store, tracking down a small-batch skein at a farmers market, or dreaming about rare fibers from around the world, Kate makes the case that you’re already part of this story—you just might not know it yet. When developing new issues of the magazine, she looks for stories to bring that world to life, with armchair journeys to fiber traditions as far afield as the Faroe Islands and Madagascar. The magazine’s patterns are designed to work for any contemporary knitter using a wide range of yarns from one-of-a-kind to available everywhere. Nearly twenty years of teaching have shaped Kate’s approach to designing the new Farm & Fiber Knits retreats, including a recent trip to farms in New Hampshire and Vermont where participants met shepherds, handled fleeces, and watched the connection between knitter and fiber come to life in participants’ hands. Listen in to hear Kate push back on the myth that sheep are stupid, learn what Farm & Fiber Knits offers for knitters at every point on the natural-fiber spectrum, and hear the story of a shepherd seeing yarn from her own flock for the very first time. Links Farm & Fiber Knits magazine and website Farm & Fiber Knits retreats SpinOff magazine Spin Off Autumn Retreat (SOAR) This episode is brought to you by: Treenway Silks is where weavers, spinners, knitters and stitchers find the silk they love. Select from the largest variety of silk spinning fibers, silk yarn, and silk threads & ribbons at TreenwaySilks.com. You’ll discover a rainbow of colors, thoughtfully hand-dyed in Colorado. Love natural? Treenway’s array of wild silks provide choices beyond white. If you love silk, you’ll love Treenway Silks, where superior quality and customer service are guaranteed.