Instructional materials
A good pattern gets you started. A good teacher helps you see what to do next.
These are the books, lessons, and small resources we return to when a project calls for a little more confidence, a little more colour, or a new way of looking at the wool in our hands.
The main lesson
The Philosopher’s Wool method grew from making Fair Isle sweaters practical, generous, and possible to learn. This is the place to begin if you want to understand how the pieces fit together.
View the full lesson
Approx. 59 minutes
The complete lesson covers two-handed Fair Isle knitting, the three-tube construction we use for many sweaters, steeking, and the simple cut-and-sew method for cardigans.
The updated version comes on a memory stick. It also includes the Color Your Own sweater pattern used in the instruction, along with photographs of Philosopher’s Wool kits made since the original filming.
The library
Some are direct companions to our wool. Others are the kind of booklets that earn a permanent place beside the chair. Together they make a useful shelf of Fair Isle, shawls, accessories, and socks.
By Philosopher’s Wool
A visual, practical guide to the steps and techniques behind our sweaters, including two-handed knitting, working from three knitted tubes, and a simple cut-and-sew approach to cardigans. The book includes 16 sweater designs.
Patricia Kim for Philosopher’s Wool
Eight shawl and throw patterns, including Fair Isles knitted in the round, Arans, and a striped shawl for a total beginner. The 44-page booklet is full of quiet, useful details and photographs from the farm and Lake Huron.
Pair it with a shawl kit
Patricia Kim for Leisure Arts
A 12-page booklet with patterns for cabled mittens, a scarf and hat, plus miser mittens or fingerless gloves. The set uses two-ply worsted wool, with three-ply chunky wool for the mittens.
Joseph Madl for Philosopher’s Wool
The new edition of Foot Notes includes all 13 original sock patterns to match some of our sweaters. It is a lovely place for leftovers to begin, or a reason to make a colourway kit for gifts.
A companion for the work
The commemorative canvas bag was made from a woodcut designed especially for Philosopher’s Wool by Mary Azarian. Practical, sturdy, and quietly cheerful, it is ready to carry your wool and work wherever the day takes you.
View the knitting bag