Fiber Nation

Bonus Episode: "The Cloak of Invisibility"

What does it take to disappear? So-called cloaking technology is common on things like fighter jets, but recent advances at MIT have created flexible "fabric" surfaces ca

Everything Will Be Fine: Twisted Tales of Travel

You go on a trip, and stuff happens. You lose your luggage or miss your plane. But what if the stuff that happens is a little more epic? Like war zone, poisonous snakes,

The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire, Part 2

The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire lasted fewer than 30 minutes and killed 146 people, most of them young women. The disaster’s aftermath would lead to sweeping labor r

The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire, Part 1

On a warm spring day in 1911, a fire broke out at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory in New York. Within minutes it engulfed the top three stories of the factory building. 1

Fiber Nation Knit Night: Reindeer Recipes and Attractive Cowpeas

We’re excited to announce another Fiber Nation Live Knit Night! Bring your knitting, and join us Wednesday, December 8 at 6 pm EST for a talk with Danielle Dreilinger, fe

Lifting the Hem on Scottish Kilts

We look at the evolution of men’s fashion, and how it helped turn an obscure ethnic costume into one of history’s most famous garments. We talk about how tartan patterns

The Sheep & Cattle Wars

The American West is this mythic place…the land of Wyatt Earp and Calamity Jane, cattle drives, and cowboys. Myths aside, it's also the land of the western range wars, wh

The Crochet Coral Reef

In this episode, we dive into a place where art, ecology, science, and math come together into something extraordinary. And we learn how a 2300-year-old geometric system

I'm Sorry, Dave. I Can't Knit That.

Today’s episode is all about artificial intelligence—AI. What it is, what it ISN’T, what it can and can’t do. What happens when you try to teach a computer how to knit? C

Home Economics vs. Hitler

On today’s episode, we explore the radical origins behind home economics. Hear how it became important enough to have its own federal agency. And learn how one particular

Manx for the Memories: Saving a Sheep

We travel to the Isle of Man and hear the story of one of its oldest inhabitants: the Manx Loaghtan sheep. A sheep that’s been on the brink of extinction not once or twic

Lycra: The Fabric of Our Lives

Up to now, our daily dose of fiber has always focused on the woolly natural stuff. However, even the best diet has to succumb to a bag of Cheetos now and then. Consider t

Song Quilts: Stitching Together Women's Stories

Eliza Hardy Jones was a professional musician and an amateur quilter. Until a once-in-a-lifetime offer made her change her tune. Find out how she turns traditional folk m

Sheep, Wind, and Fire

In today’s episode, we talk to a shearer of sheep. And while there are all kinds of cool things to learn about wool and economics and how to make a sheep sit on its butt,

Hemp: The Fall & Rise of a Forbidden Fiber

From its roots in Asia to its importance in the colonial US, from WW2 to the war on drugs, hemp has a curious and complicated history. Plus, we talk a lot about smoking p

The Pig War

In 1859, a small island off the coast of Washington state was the site of a war almost no one has heard of. It lasted 12 years, involved 5 British warships, 14 American c

A Tale of Two Sweaters

In today's episode, we hear a tale of two radically different sweaters. But while we begin by exploring the world of luxury knitwear, we end up discovering something comp

Fiber Nation wants to give you yarn, again!

Did you know Oct 10 is I Love Yarn Day? Neither did we. but no matter. Listen to hear how you can win a box of fluffy goodness. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit me

The Forgotten Woman of Fashion

On the eve of the Civil War, Godey’s Lady’s Book was the most successful fashion and literary magazine in the US. That is, until its editor destroyed it, along with her o

Encore Episode: The Donner Party Revisited

Almost one year ago we released this episode, but its story of disaster and resilience has even more relevance today. As we prepare Season 3, we hope you (re)discover the