Alt Fiber: 25 Projects for Knitting Green with Bamboo, Soy, Hemp, and More

Like any modern, responsible citizen or fervent DIYer, you’ve probably been using salvaged materials for years. But did you know that the fastest growing trend in knitting and crochet takes reduce-reuse-recycle to a whole new level? In Alt Fiber, popular craft author, teacher, and blogger Shannon Okey presents more than twenty-five patterns for jackets, skirts, sweaters, wraps, socks, bags, and more using nonallergenic plant fibers. And these aren’t just any fibers . . . from the seaweed-derived Seacell yarn, which transmits vitamins and nutrients to your skin when you wear it, to soy-based yarns made from tofu manufacturing waste, alternative fibers are good for the environment, easy to care for, and more available than ever.

Since these fibers don’t work up or drape like wool or cotton yarns, Shannon channels her enthusiasm and expertise into teaching crafters of all skill levels about the properties of alt fibers, how to incorporate them into existing patterns, and even how to hand-dye them. And with contemporary designs contributed by Knit Brit’s Andi Smith, Acme Knitting Company’s Jillian Moreno, Julie Armstrong Holetz, Sivia Harding, Laura Chau, Kate Jackson, Keri Williams, and other up-and-coming designers, Alt Fiber is a must-have addition to overstuffed stash bags everywhere. Whether you make a pine wrap, a bamboo coat, a kenaf bag, or a corn T-shirt, knitting green has never been so easy.