Brilliant winter sunlight illuminates this fuzzy kaleidoscope made of mohair, filling our minds with schemes for cozy knitting. Mohair is a wonderful yarn for winter knitting because it is one of nature's warmest fibers.  It absorbs dye exceptionally well and looks great on its own or knit along with other fibers. 

Mohair, spun from the hair of Angora goats, has been used in textiles from carpets to cardigans for thousands of years.  Angora goats were traditionally bred to favor white fleece, which changes in texture and quality as the goat ages. Kid mohair is the softest and most common among mohair for knitting.  In order to prepare wily mohair fibers for knitting, it must be spun with another fiber, usually silk or nylon, or a little of both.

TIPS FOR KNITTING WITH MOHAIR 

1. Mohair can make for slippery knitting, so choose your needles wisely.  Find needles that will allow the mohair to slide comfortably, but not too much.  You want the stitches to hang naturally without slipping off the needle. We recommend wooden needles - either bamboo, ebony, rosewood, or surina - because they are smooth without being too slick.

2.  Mohair is fuzzy!  That is its main characteristic, the reason people love it, and the reason people avoid it, too.  Before you embark on a project, be sure to test different mohair blends to make sure it won't irritate you.  These days many mohair yarns are made of luxuriously soft kid mohair which won't send you running to the allergist's office. If you are sensitive to long fiber yarns, but don't want to miss out on the benefits of mohair, try knitting it alongside other fibers that you love.

3.   Experiment with different needle sizes and yarn combinations.  Mohair is an exciting, versatile yarn that looks great in many different settings. Try a single strand on US size 10 needles for breezy lace, or blend it with other yarns on a smaller needle for dense fabric.

For beautiful patterns that highlight mohair, check out:

Alchemy's Femme Fatale Sweater

Iknitiative's Top Knot Tie Cardigan

French Girl's Isis Crochet Scarf 

Our collection of lace patterns