YARN RABBIT

Textile Studies

Study the materials.

How they drape, how they hold, how they age. Resources for makers who want to understand their yarn.

Minimal editorial line drawing of a yarn cone with two crossed knitting needles, outlined in red on a soft off-white background with a thin red border.
Fibre Culture

A Different Fibre Culture

In some regions knitting and crochet became separated from industry. In others they remained connected to manufacturing, publishing and design. That difference helps explain how fibre culture evolves.

Read A Different Fibre Culture7 min read
Minimal editorial line drawing of a yarn cone with two crossed knitting needles, outlined in red on a soft off-white background with a thin red border.
Fibre Culture7 min read

A Different Fibre Culture

In some regions knitting and crochet became separated from industry. In others they remained connected to manufacturing, publishing and design. That difference helps explain how fibre culture evolves.

Read A Different Fibre Culture
Minimal editorial line drawing of fibre craft tools and materials — a crochet hook, two knitting needles, a shuttle, and a ball of yarn — outlined in red on a soft off-white background with a thin red border.
Fibre Culture4 min read

A New Generation of Fibre Makers

Across many countries, knitting, crochet and weaving are finding renewed visibility among younger makers through digital platforms, contemporary fashion and a desire for more personal clothing.

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Minimal editorial line drawing of a dress form with a textured knitted shawl draped over one shoulder, outlined in red on a soft off-white background with a thin red border.
Design Process4 min read

Designing Knitwear Around Fabric Behaviour

In knitwear design, garments do not begin with shape alone. They begin with fabric. Understanding how yarn behaves once it becomes textile helps guide silhouette, fit and longevity.

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Minimal editorial line drawing of a hand holding a ruler across a knitted swatch to measure gauge, outlined in red on a soft off-white background with a thin red border.
Design Process5 min read

Going Beyond Fit with Gauge

Gauge is often treated as a sizing requirement, but it also shapes density, drape, elasticity, warmth and durability. Understanding gauge as a structural property changes how fabric is designed.

Read Going Beyond Fit with Gauge
Minimal editorial line drawing of three knit garments on hangers — a crew-neck sweater, a textured cardigan, and a turtleneck sweater — outlined in red on a soft off-white background with a thin red border.
Design Practice5 min read

Knitwear as Contemporary Form

Contemporary knitwear is moving beyond traditional forms. Designers are using gauge, proportion and structure to create oversized, open, sculptural and modular silhouettes.

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Minimal editorial line drawing of a worn crew-neck sweater on a hanger, with visible holes and frayed areas, outlined in red on a soft off-white background with a thin red border.
Material Perspective7 min read

Longevity Is the Metric

Sustainability is often reduced to fibre labels, but no fibre is impact-free. A more useful question is how long a garment remains in use.

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Minimal editorial line drawing of a folded ribbed sweater, outlined in red on a soft off-white background with a thin red border.
Sustainability5 min read

Making Clothes Changes How We Value Them

Knitting does more than produce garments. It changes how materials, time and clothing itself are understood.

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Minimal editorial line drawing of two knitted swatches side by side, one showing a plain stitch texture and the other a vertical rib pattern, outlined in red on a soft off-white background with a thin red border.
Design Practice5 min read

Swatching Is a Design Tool

Swatching is often introduced as a way to check gauge, but it also functions as a design tool for testing colour, texture, structure and drape.

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Minimal editorial line drawing of a hand touching a hanging knitted scarf with fringe, outlined in red on a soft off-white background with a thin red border.
Material Perspective5 min read

Understanding Textile Hand

Many yarn descriptions rely on the word soft, but textile hand includes far more than softness. It describes how a fabric feels, moves, compresses and recovers in use.

Read Understanding Textile Hand
Minimal editorial line drawing of five upright yarn cones and one cone lying on its side, outlined in red on a soft off-white background with a thin red border.
Material Perspective5 min read

What Mottainai Means in Textile Production

Mottainai expresses regret over waste and respect for the value of materials. In textile production, it often appears through practical efforts to use surplus yarn and fibre generated during manufacturing.

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Minimal editorial line drawing of three yarn structures shown in horizontal rows — a bouclé-like looped yarn, a thick-and-thin slub yarn, and a smooth braided yarn — outlined in red on a soft off-white background with a thin red border.
Yarn Architecture5 min read

Yarn Structure and Fabric Behaviour

Twist direction, ply construction and yarn architecture all influence how fabric behaves. Understanding yarn structure helps makers predict drape, stability, texture and wear.

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