Today, I'm addressing questions that came up in last week's Midweek Ramble episode. Enjoy! ❤

To frog mohair, put it in the freezer for awhile. It will freeze the fibers and the will give easily!

Coming from someone who owns both alpacas and angora goats, I can tell you that my animals are spoiled rotten and we take great pains to make sure that we shear with the stress and well being of the animals in mind.

Knitting for Olive is using Cruelty free silk for their mohair and the rest of their yarn is also cruelty free. They have the RAF Certification. You can read about it in their “About” section

I put my energy into avoiding petroleum derived products as much as possible. I don't always have the additional energy to research the ethical nature of the animal products I use instead (eg wool and mohair) so it's really nice to hear more details from you about this. I am also very pro leather, specifically vintage and indigenous derived leather. It just lasts so much longer and isn't literal plastic, though there are some great strides being made in fruit and vegetable leathers that are very intriguing.

I read that alot of fashion houses banned the use of angora rabbit fibre because some videos came out with the bunnies being harmed and slaughtered. We are going to get an angora bunny soon and most breeds naturally blow their coats twice a year, like dogs. The blown coat is often removed by combing alone and they are very used to it because they get matted and have poor mobility issues if not regularly combed. A couple of breeds grow a continuous coat and are sheared with grooming shears or scissors up to 4 times per year to avoid matting issues. Even though they often live outside, the bunnies are rather spoiled with once a week grooming sessions etc. We all know of bad animal husbandry practice stories out there. However, there are lots of great owners too.

I raise Lincoln Longwools in Canada. The quality of their wool is directly related to the quality of their care including handling, nutrition,housing , fresh air, sunshine, water, outdoor shade, free from fear of predators.

I think its also important to remember that many of these animals were bred specifically for the fiber, and therefore need to be sheared. Their hair grows much longer and thicker than that of animals not bred for fiber. There is definitely an argument for the way the animals are treated when the fiber is harvested, but in many cases, its also cruel to not shear them as the hair will mat and can grow mold/fungus/maggots, causing health issues for the animal. So the options are 1) don't breed them at all or 2) breed/raise them responsibly and shear them.

I love this format! Regarding mohair mixed with nylon: the problem is that at the end of life of the garment, that nylon won't decompose together with other fibers. It'll slowly fall apart into microplastics, ready to pollute the environment. And if such distant future seems too abstract, think about the production of nylon and how much impact it has on the environment. I'd rather forgo mohair completely if I can't afford a plastic-free version.

The Knitting For Olive book that was recently released explains where they get their fibers. It’s quite in depth and very informative!

This was a great chat! The icecapades comment had me rolling! 🤣 Props for dipping your toe into the ethics conversation. I think you walked a good line of ethics and common sense. It’s probably already been mentioned, but, 774 comments is a lot to wade through… so in case no one’s mentioned it … knitting for olive uses Bourette silk and has this to say on their website: “Our Pure Silk is made of 100 % bourette silk. Bourette silk is made of silk waste created during silk processing. The short, leftover silk fibers are spun into a new yarn. It has a rustic and uneven look and is less shiny than other types of silk. This is the perfect yarn for summer tops and summer dresses, but it will also make a luxurious sweater combined with our Soft Silk Mohair.” I haven’t used it yet, but I don’t believe they’re the only company that uses the bourette Silk … so options are out there. Budget ones and less budget ones. 😉 Love these Q videos. 😊 Thanks, Tayler!

Thank you for this! It was extremely helpful as a vegan who has conflicted feelings about all the animal fibers available. I hadn't considered small business vs fast fashion, so thank you for that perspective. I'm on a limited yarn budget, so I will think more about what I want to use for what projects. I love this format, too. I love deep-dives.

Being bprn and bred in the West Country of the UK it would be mis treatment of an animal if it wasn't sheared

Paton’s is an Australian company. They don’t answer questions about museling, cutting the flesh around sheep tails to combat insect infestation-it’s painful and prone to infection. Fiber users should email and let them know that it is not acceptable. It’s limited mostly to Australia because other countries do not have the bug issue. It has been outlawed in New Zealand.

I am so glad that you take the time and explain things whether it is yarns, patterns, processes, just anything that gets knitters a better idea of the craft. Thanks!

knitting for olive has cruelty free silk in their silk mohair! i use it for my friends who are vegetarian

There are ethical silk companies. It isn’t as long and shiny- but they wait for the cocoon to hatch first and then unwind it .

Your comments on the ethics of fiber and recycled yarns were excellent. Love how smart you are! I suppose finding a local farm that uses a local mill or sells their own fiber would be the most secure way to avoid supporting animal mistreatment.

I love the superwash wool / mohair Indoorsy Socks ❤ I'm currently knitting my 7th pair 😅

Considering ethical issues we need to balance treatment of animals vs environmental issues related to production of synthetic fibers which contaminate the environment, especially nylon which is a plastic base fiber. Strength derived from a natural fiber (like mohair, berette silk (silk worms are allowed to exit the cocoon) if ethically produced is better overall than synthetic fiber contamination.

I’m knitting a cardigan right now using mohair. I started it in 2023 lol maybe it’ll be done before 2025 😅

Hi, a note on using mohair for cables. I recall @MelMakesStuff using mohair with cables. She used a colour that was significantly darker than the main colour and it had the effect of really making the cables stand out. Just a thought that adds even more confusion. I've so enjoyed these two videos. Deep yarn geekiness!

I would say subject that I am always wanting to learn more about and you briefly touched on. It is cashmere and cashmere yarn. That’s my vote.

Australia uses muesling the Portuguese do not. The Navajo seem to have a close relationship with their sheep. Their sheep are almost like family I think.

I support sheep in general, they allow non-arable land to become productive. Especially up in the highlands of Scotland! Sheep everywhere, they roam free and seem to have a fab life.

If you're looking for a silk free kind of surri alpaca yarn, alpakka lin by rauma is a kind of surri that is blended with a strand of linen, it's so soft and strong and sheds much less than silk blends I have used.

Eloquent delivery! You've inspired me to create some mohair socks to skate across my wood floors on weekends 🙃

I really appreciate your take on the ethical aspect of using mohair yarn. I concur that the clothing industry in general, is more likely to be representative of the concerns over harvesting the mohair. While I have decided not to knit with mohair, I’m comforted by this new point of view. Thanks.

YES! Thank you Taylor. I really appreciate this follow up. Can’t wait to dig into this episode. 🙏🙏🙏

Another concern about silk is that it is industry standard that they harvest the silk by boiling the worms to leave longer strands. I only know of one supplier that waits for the silk moths to hatch; Knitting for Olive, used in their mohair/silk. I am wondering if any other yarn companies do this?

Absolutely love these type of videos!! I watch KZfaq on my tv so often don’t read the comments and there is so much wisdom there so I really appreciate you including everyone in the comment conversations with these type of videos. Please keep them coming ❤

Love your tips and information!

Another thing to keep in mind is that not all mohair is created equal. 75% mohair/25% silk will be “hairier” than one that is 70%/30%, so to get a less fuzzy, more defined stitch pattern (such as the cable sweater you showed first), choose a mohair with a higher silk content. Loving this mohair deep dive! Thanks for another great episode!

To folks who want to knit with only mohair - Don't be afraid, jump in and try it! I knit the plumetis by Pompom Magazine which is entirely mohair aside from the collar, cuffs, and hem, and (this will depend on your specific mohair) working up the lace and tinking was actually not so much a problem, as long as you have plenty of patience. I would recommend tinking back stitch by stitch rather than pulling and ripping quickly, as this usually causes the fibers to catch and become a mess very quickly. A tip given to me, though I haven't needed it yet, was that you can put your piece in the freezer to help reduce the stickiness of the halo and make frogging easier. Have fun and good luck! :)

Hi Tayler! Always love your videos. Just wanted to note re: the second question about knitting with mohair alone, not all mohair is lace weight. I knit the Kinikin cardigan (thank you for the pattern recommendation - love it - made two!) with the suggested yarn, Loopy Mango’s Mohair So Soft, which is 47% super kid mohair/53% extra fine merino and considered a bulky weight yarn - held single. Turned out beautifully-lightweight, open fabric, with just enough warmth for cooler days in central California

Thank you! Always so great & so valuable.

I love this format as well....please continue! :)

Thank you for answering my question! And for another lovely episode.

Great video. Love the way you give a thoughtful informative balanced answer

Another informative video. I always learn something new and I especially appreciate your comments related to ethically sourced yarn.

Love this indepth discussion. Appreciate all the research you do.

Such professional, intelligent, approachable delivery of information. Thank you so much, Taylor! Always enjoy your videos.

Excellent topic and coverage! Thanks 🙏🏻

LOVE these informational, question answering videos !!! THANK YOU ! .... I noticed the spinning wheel too ...... and I love your hanging Christmassy lights ....

I love this format Tayler. I have found both of these topics so interesting. ❤

To add to the ethical mohair topic, you can also visit farms and see how the animals are treated (some of them also have videos/vlogs). My friend worked on a government project analysing data about sheep farms, and found that there are many ethical smaller farms with healthy animals and sustainable practices. It's definitely possible to buy yarn and know the full supply chain.

Thank you for you lovely videos, I have learned so much from you and love your fire Pitt mitts!

I LOVE your presentations!!! Yours is quite different from most in that you move right along as you describe things; time flies and I find I like to go back and re-listen. AND yours is full of pertinent content! I do like that you really enjoy digging up answers to questions.

You are on fire Taylor!!!sharing so much with us is so fantastic for us that we have so many questions about Thank you 🙏 thank you for being so helpful with all you knowledge I’m making a sweater soon and adding for first time mohair and excited 😊 You are such a sweetheart I think I speak for many 😊🥰

I learn so much from your videos, thank you.

Thank you for answering all the questions I did not know I had 😊. This was extremely informative and will help me make informed decisions when buying yarn! Thank you!

Great info and very well presented. Thank you for this very useful information!! ❤

I love your sweater today! Thanks for telling us more about it.

You’re doing such a great job Bec. Keep going with your KZfaq channel. I really enjoy watching and catching up with what you’re up to.

I can definitely second the suggestion to use a lifeline with all-mohair wool! Lots of great information here! This will be a great post to return to when you need a reminder about mohair/suri. Thanks for sharing, Tayler!

It helped me to know that domesticated fiber livestock have to be shorn for their own well being.

I want to be surrounded by mohair at all times 🥰 it’s really boosted my knitting and inspiration. Great video!

Did you know that Texas is the 2nd largest producer of mohair in the world?! 1st is South Africa. Texas is the largest producer in the USA ! Go Texas. Loved this video!

Very interesting…I had no idea there were different kinds of mohair! 🫣🫢

Thank you... you answered my interrogation as if mohair could felt... In fact, I was convinced it would react differently. Your explanation was clear and surprising.. mohair does all the opposite of what I tought. Great video!

Thanks for this great deeper dive into mohair. This year’s resolution is to knit up my stash - and I am finding that by pairing some things with mohair, I can - oh, this is unethical - “kill two birds with one stone.” I’m using up yarn. Plus it’s really three birds, because I get this wonderful end-product. One thing I will say: if you do make a mistake when knitting with just mohair, it’s really visible. Sometimes other kinds of knitting is forgiving - say lace, when, if you need an increase and are clever, you can hide a YO. About 3 years ago I knitted a long rectangle in just kidsilk haze. Oh so beautiful, light and warm. But it was just garter stitch…very fine…and I twisted one of the stitches. You can see it. I have left it there to keep humble. Plus, whenever I wear this simple shawl, I move around in it and figure people won’t be scouting out for other people’s mistakes. I really need to move on if I’m going to knit up all this stash. Xx

I love your videos Tayler. You are always so informative and I have many of them bookmarked so I can go back to them. It seems like every time I have a question you cover it. It's almost like you are reading my mind! Thanks so much for your videos.

Thanks so much for the info and insight!

Thank you so much for all of the information! This was exceptionally helpful, and I really appreciate that you took the time to and answer so many questions, including mine. I always look forward to learning more from you. Have a lovely day!

Taylor, Thank you for being a super researcher.... You save folks so much leg work especially if they use knitting as a stress reliever and/or a hobby. I really like when you give your findings, but also include your sources. Chances are that there may be other topics by this source that might just interest me to delve into. Keep us the mid-week rambles to generate questions, which also give you subject matter for in-depth additional information that you know has interest for your audience. Have a good w/e.

I knit a cardigan for myself with wool/mohair. I'll tell you, man it's warm! I wear it in -10C weather (14F)

Such a fascinating discussion! Thank you for your common sense advice about working with mohair. In addition to using sharp pointed needles, I would recommend to stay away from metal needles, too. I find it behaves better on needles with a bit of drag, like bamboo or even acrylic. And about mohair felting - you are probably right that the lack of scales in the fibre means it won’t felt. But it CAN shrink! I made a gorgeous Amiga cardi out of Louet Kidlin (mohair and linen, rather than mohair and silk), and foolishly put it into my machine on the delicate cycle. It came out just about big enough for my daughter’s American Girl doll. 😩😩😩

Thank you so much for this video! Washability is important for me, and the biggest reason I haven’t ever tried mohair is because I was worried about completely compromising the easy care provided by superwash yarns. This was super informative, and you’ve reassured me enough to give it a go!

Hi Tayler. Great video! I really enjoy this type of format and today’s episode was very informative. Thanks for answering all these great questions. 😊🤗

I love the pod cast. l❤❤❤ science guy meets knitting girl

Thank you! My mum is keen on mohair and I found some at a thrift store (500g for $5). It felt like fairy floss made from sand and was awful. Because of this experience I never understood why people would want it in a garment. Thanks for the explanation and education.

I made a dodo blending materials so now I don't know how to wash it. It's one strain of silk mohair and one strain of 50/50 superwash merino and cotton. Didn't think before but I love the sweater so I want it to last!

Thanks for answering my question about Mohair and sock yarn. I have a varigated blue and a mohair in blues, greens and purple. Those yarns will become my Northern Lights socks. Hopefully by May. Have other projects to finish first.

Thanks for a very informative episode. Would love similar info about suri alpaca.

I can never wear wool or even acrylic directly on skin, I need my cotton layer underneath, otherwise it's uncomfortable XD... Loved the episode, I accidentally learnt a lot on superwash wool and I'm using it for a project without anything else and I think I'll stay on the smaller size side as to compensate the stretch (it's 75% superwash wool and 25% polyamide).

This information comes at a right time, I've started working with superwash yarn and was wondering whether or not, and how, I should experiment with a strand of mohair to add that magic floof... I was worried that it would cancel the washability element and do weird things in the wash... I'll gauge to make extra sure anyway, but this gives me a bit more confidence that I'm not 100% going to waste material or money doing that.

Thank you. This was very interesting. Not crazy about using mohair as I find it itchy and irritating. That's just me though❤

Thank you so much for the in-depth episode! I love the midweek rambles :) I learned a lot and it is always so relaxing to listen to your videos. Thank you also for addressing the point that not everyone would choose to avoid using animal products/fibres and stick to plant-based or artificial fibres instead. This is a bit off-topic, so delete if undesired, but I was absolutely infuriated recently when I saw a polyester (or acrylic, not sure anymore) knitted dress listed as "vegan wool" and only when you looked at the materials did it become clear that it was plastic, which in my opinion (just an opinion) is worse for nature and by extension animals.

I do like topics like these with answers to questions. I am working on my first suri plus fingering weight superwash merino sweater, and I have done one mohair plus another yarn sweater in the past. One thing I noticed (besides how very soft the suri is) is that just like other alpaca yarns, suri has a tendency to shed while you're working with it.

I don’t like fluffy yarn, (some woolen spuns are too fluffy for me) but I like mohair in woven cloth ! It gives it a nice structure and durability and sort of satin sheen. It’s a very nice effect especially on dark fabrics.

for the first question, i actually don't totally agree. i'd say it depends a LOT on how thick your _base_ yarn is, the yarn that you're holding with the mohair. a thin yarn, like lace, sport, or fingering weight, will be more overpowered by mohair (because there will be a more similar wool to mohair ratio) and thus will prevent cables from showing up well, but the same is not true for a heavier base yarn. holding a DK, worsted, or larger weight of yarn with a single strand of mohair will give it a much subtler halo which will not put the cables at risk of being lost. if you hold 2 or more strands with your base yarn though, that's a slightly different case. as is the case with most potential fiber combos, it's always best to swatch first to see how your combination works and if you like it.

“Sheds light on” love the accidental puns 😂

Wow! So Manu Nuggets!

Knitting for Olive's silk is harvested once the moths have left the cocoon. I don't know exactly how that works...

Also, mohair will absolutely felt! It will felt on the animal if you don’t get them shorn in time!!!!

Hello, thank you for posting another video! Is it possible to turn on the subtitle function? I'm not sure if this is a simple or complicated request, but I thought I would ask. Thank you for considering!

Thanks for this great informative video! You mentioned durability when pairing with superwash wool. I want to mention that even paired with untreated wool, pairing with mohair adds durability and strength in fabric, meaning less lint and pilling! Is that just my experience or is that normal? I mentioned this is the previous video and also the difference in softness in different mohair. Thanks for mentioning 😊

Love this video. Thank you so much. Why is mohair usually blended with something else like silk, nylon etc.? Is it not stable on its own?

Thanks for answering all these questions! I have another mohair question 😂 what does mohair do when paired with yarns that have a tendency to pull? I have some beautiful yarn that pills a bunch, but I was wondering if mohair would make it more wearable?

Is there an acrylic substitute to wool you’d recommend? I’m allergic to wool and have been thinking about knitting but don’t know where to start.

How do you deal with mohair that sheds? I made an all mohair cardigan and it's absolutely beautiful but it sheds really bad. I've already washes and blocked it and shook it out and lint rolled it and the shedding never ends. I dont want to not wear it because of this. Any thoughts?

Please tell me where I can get the mug you are drinking from, that says " Sloth Knitter." It is definitely a mug I need!

The neck of your sweater is very wide. Is that part of the pattern or your change? TY PS I never miss your videos they are just so good!

What about using alpaca/cotton lace yarn instead of mohair.?

Re: the spinning wheel in the back - Gord Lendrum is retiring, so I don’t know if you can get any new ones.

I have some mohair thar i want to hold together with cotton for a,pullover. Will this work ?

I find it completely unbelievable that there is NO ethically sourced mohair, meaning there are NO farmers who treat their goats with love and care. I don't understand how people can even make that claim.

I wish I could use mohair 😢 it is just too itchy.

Any suggestions or thoughts on using a yarn or combination of yarns that would have just a touch of a halo and chic for a man's sweater ? ❤❤❤

Could you explain the concept of a "sweater's quantity of yarn"? I know it seems self-explanatory but as a new knitter I'm trying to figure out if its a certain weight or yardage or number of skeins, what is it in different yarn weights, etc.