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.

Shannon Okey is the spokesperson for South West Trading Company’s “Go Green” campaign and the author or co-author of more than ten books. She has appeared on HGTV’s Crafters Coast to Coast, the DIY Network’s Uncommon Threads and Knitty Gritty, and several other shows. She writes a column for knit.1 magazine, is a frequent contributor to CRAFT and Yarn Market News, and teaches craft classes all over the country. She co-owns a studio workshop/store called Stitch Cleveland (www.stitchcleveland.com) and created Stitch Cooperative, a designer-owned pattern distribution network. Shannon lives in Cleveland, Ohio, with her boyfriend, Tamas Jakab, and three furry beasts. Connect with Shannon online at www.knitgrrl.com.


THE AUTHOR SCOOP

Who would you cast as yourself in a movie of your life?

My mother says it’s already been done: Reese Witherspoon in “Election.” I thought she (my mother, not Witherspoon) was going to asphyxiate herself laughing when she called to tell me I was “in” a movie.
 
Are you “six degrees of separation” away from anyone famous?

I’ve beaten a certain award-winning, NYT-bestselling novelist at Trivial Pursuit.
 
What is your favorite sandwich?

Wheat bread, Stonewall Kitchens onion & garlic jam, sharp cheddar, walnuts and roast beef, pressed in the panini maker. Oh my.
 
What’s the farthest you’ve ever traveled?

Czestochowa, Poland, to see the Black Madonna icon.
 
How long does it take you to write a book?

I once wrote 10,000 words of a draft book manuscript from scratch in under 12 hours. I type fast!