Cassandra Harada is an American living in Tokyo, and it’s no stretch to say she can turn her hand to anything.

We first stumbled across Cassie on Instagram, where her profile caught our eye for its brevity and mingling of pursuits that sounded very, ah, familiar. “Knitter, Tailor, baker, Tri. 糸人です。A tiny champion for the world of handcraft, and mediocre athleticism.” (糸人です roughly translates into “I’m a thread person.”) Among the many things we adore about Cassie, this is one.

A triathlete who has a wool business, knits gorgeous sweaters at an amazing rate, lives in Japan, is learning bespoke tailoring under Japanese masters and bakes with earnestness on the regular? I had to know more. (Full disclosure: I used to compete in long-course triathlon, promoted those triathlons and finished my journalism career editing a multisport magazine.)

I shamelessly reached out to Cassie and our friendly online connection grew into a business one. And now we are so delighted to say that we have a small import quantity of glorious Harada Wool to offer to our customers, saving you the international freight from Japan and helping spread the joy of small-batch wool to this corner of the world. 

Of course we had to put together an interview with Cassie, who was as delightful as ever.

Read on, and then please do give her a follow on Instagram at @cassandra_harada and check out her website at haradawool.com. While you’re wandering the interwebs, you can also read all about her collaboration with David Evans, also known as the Grey Fox (@greyfoxblog) on Instagram, on a gorgeous Fair Isle sweater she designed and knit for him in Jamieson’s Shetland wool (@jamiesonsofshetland), then sent across the world to him in the UK. (Spoiler: Of course it fit perfectly!!) She’s also working with Brycelands, a Tokyo and Hong Kong based menswear company that is selling some of her hand knits and sharing her guidance on looking after your woolens - check out her darning and woolen washing tutorials here.

Newtown House: Tell us a little bit about your background - where you grew up, how you learned to knit and sew, how you got into multisport…!

CH: The best way to describe where I come from is to mention the name “Tom Sawyer”. I was raised in a farm town (although my family weren't farmers at the time) in west central Illinois along the Mississippi River. My mother embodies “American frontier optimism” in that if she wants something, she does it or makes it herself. I grew up watching her, especially when she did “making jobs” for extra money. I remember that my mother wanted to start sewing so we could make some things to sell. We didn't have a sewing machine but we'd borrowed one from a friend and she taught me how to sew straight lines so I could help make hair scrunchies. I have always been interested in handcraft though, starting in elementary school with beadwork and chain stitch crochet. I was always making something!   

On multisport: I was never a very sporty kid or interested in athletics at all, but suddenly at 34 my switch flipped, I guess? I tend to do things to the extreme. "Just a little" isn't really in my vernacular. I started running about five years ago, and Ironman seemed like a logical conclusion! I'd always admired cyclists, and swam a little as a child. I don't know what my immediate future of racing looks like as almost everything for this year has already been cancelled, but I hope I'll get to attend an event again sometime soon.   

NH: And can you give us an idea of your journey into and through the fibre world - was wool, knitting and yarn production always a part of your family life? 

CH: I started knitting my first year at university. I remember going to a craft store and picking up a $10 "Learn how to knit" kit as a way to "rebel" against my grandmother who swore crochet was the better of the two crafts. I'm not sure why that sparked my rebellion, but I've never really second-guessed my reaction. She still makes the occasional rude comment!   

When I was 19 I was walking through a handcraft fair at my university. I saw a man sitting at a spinning wheel with a pile of wool in his lap…he took the tufts of fluff and magically turned them into string. I remember being SO taken aback by that and immediately scraped together every penny I could find to buy a used wheel. I imported it from Australia, waited every day at the door in disappointment while the postman rumbled past the house. I clearly remember the joy I felt at ripping that box open and watching the wheel spin the first time...after some serious assembly of course. It's a wobbly old wheel but learning on that monstrosity made spinning later in life so very much easier. While I was doing that I also started reading books about sock knitting and producing garter stitch scarves that sometimes randomly turned into stockinette stitch scarves, or got wider and narrower at various points. It was a fun point in my career. I was in art school then, and knitting was just something I did in the hallways while I waited for class to start. I loved the way it felt to build row by row, though.   

Fast-forward a couple years and a baby, and I picked my “hobby” back up, and added an Ashford Joy. As my daughter grew up, my urge to make became more difficult to ignore and I started designing some knitwear patterns for a Chinese yarn company between parenting moments.

My parents bought a 33-acre patch of land in my hometown and they started talking about a possible pasture. They knew I loved wool, so they said “Hey, let’s get some sheep!" I was never really sold on the idea until we went and picked them up. I spent a good amount of time talking with the breeder and became very excited by what she was doing with the wool she produced. I was scared we wouldn't be able to keep the parasites away, and absolutely terrified at the prospect of losing any to disease or injury, but the breeder was pretty supportive and my parents had really done their homework. It feels natural now, and I think my parents really enjoy keeping them. It's really difficult to find good shearers, but we figure it out. When I met my friend Christie, I was taken with her mohair goats and remembered seeing English sock yarn with added mohair for strength instead of nylon. It seemed like fate. Epic Sock seemed like the perfect culmination of our friendship and our love for fibre.    

NH: What brought you to Japan? And can you tell us how Harada Wool got started? 

CH: I moved to Japan six months after I graduated university because as an art major I remember my professors saying, “You cannot make art without life experience to draw on.” I had always wanted to travel, so I took the opportunity to go the moment I was offered a job at a Tokyo language school.  It was easy work and I had all the time in the world to explore, and grow up.  

 On how I decided to make Cormo yarn: About a decade into my knitting career I came across a yarn called “Elsa Wool”. I ordered a couple of hanks because I'd heard it was good. When it came in the mail I immediately thought, ”What is this magic????” and started reading and researching a little more about the Cormo sheep breed. Elsa has been raising and working in Cormo since the ‘70s, but she is one of the only large-scale producers I know of. As it turns out, half the magic was in the spinning (at Blackberry Ridge Woolen Mill).  

When my dad asked me what kind of sheep I might like to have on the farm in Illinois I immediately shouted that he MUST find some Cormos, and it seemed to me the only breed worth raising, as the yarn is quite rare. We figured out pretty quickly why that is, and we're still smoothing out lots of bumps in the road as we produce yearly.  

NH: Tailoring is another love of yours - what prompted your interest? Can you tell us a bit about what that study is like? What are your favourite garments to make?

CH: Tailoring is another opportunity to work with wool. Wool cloth is similar to yarn in lots of ways. Woolen-spun cloth, worsted-spun cloth, you can feel the life of the animals it came from in different ways. I love doing iron work and building beautiful garments out of all of my favourite sheep breeds.

The other thing that really draws me to tailoring is that tailored garments are like superhero capes. When a man or a woman puts on a well-tailored suit they are automatically more confident. There's nothing better than seeing a person smile when they look in the mirror after they've just put on their new suit. I love being part of that! I also love making clothes for other immigrants here that can't find clothes to fit them in the regular shops. There's absolutely nothing better than taking away the stigma of size and making a person feel whole when they slide on trousers that actually fit them. Every person deserves that. Helping people feel good about themselves is what makes all of the ugly parts of life worth it.   

NH: What's the woolly life like in Tokyo? For us at a distance, it looks like Tokyo’s climate has plenty of heat but also proper winter ... this suggests you can keep the knitting going year round, from wooly wools to linen and cotton. What trends do you see in knitting and knitwear design in Tokyo?

CH: Knitting in Japan is great! The heat is usually relegated to the month of August so knitting year-round is certainly a possibility! (I knit year-round anyway!). In Japan I see mostly oversized sweaters and simple boxy shapes. They don't look great on me, but If I see a stitch pattern I like I can usually modify it into a shape that suits me. My first couple of years as a shop owner, Ravelry exploded and knitting in English became very trendy. I think most Japanese knitters can now read the basics of English patterns without too much stress. Those linens and cottons that you speak of though, I know nothing of those! (wink, wink!)

NH: You've also got substantial experience in translating Japanese knitting and crochet designs and books into English. What are some fundamental differences in how knitting and crochet patterns are presented in Japanese charts that Western knitters could benefit from understanding? 

CH: In 2015 or so I met Gayle Roehm. She's the real master on this topic but I'll give this a go. Japanese knitting and crochet patterns are mostly visual.  As a veteran craftsperson whose hands understand what to do, I really appreciate this but I know many people prefer written patterns.   I love big charts and schematics rather than being glued to long strings of text. I think that might be because at 38, my eyes are starting to go! My favourite thing about Japanese charts is how simple they are. Even more difficult patterning is simplified down to keep fields of reverse stockinette or stockinette clean so the areas that need visual attention are obvious. When you're knitting a Japanese pattern, look for the two or three keys scattered around a schematic that will tell you what sort of field you're working on (if you're making cables or lace) so you can just get on with the actual ornamental bits.  

NH: Tell us about your favourite uses for a skein or two of Harada Wool. What are the highlight properties of this special yarn for you?

CH: Cormo is soft. I think it makes good anything really, but especially socks, shawls, and lightweight sweaters. Last year I knitted "Poplar" by Ayano Tanaka in Harada Wool, and it turned out beautifully. I like that this yarn is sock weight as you can knit it densely for a more utilitarian garment but because of the mohair halo, you can also knit it at a bit lower gauge and get a light fabric great for sweaters.   

NH: You and I have talked a lot about our shared love of sheepy wools, in particular Shetland wools that are so perfect for colourwork and long-wearing garments. What draws you to these yarns, and do you have a favourite style of knitting or design approach for these yarns?

CH: I've been asked my “why” a lot lately. I'm not sure what draws me to the sheepier wools, aside from the fact that I get really bored with “soft”. I also love the fact that the sheep understand the climate much better than we do. Because hardwools are mostly from more humid places, their wool is great for wicking and keeping dry. I often feel a bit soggy in a soft wool sweater during rainy season, but hard wool is like a rain coat. It's a great layer of protection! Ultimately my favourite thing to knit in Shetland is traditional drop-sleeve fairisle. Perhaps I'm boring but I tend to stick to the basics!  

NH: What has kept you going through the pandemic? 

CH: This is a great question. I've been thinking about this a lot lately and I'd have to say that I am at a large crossroads in my life that happens to coincide with this horrible world pandemic. I'm trying to make smart decisions that will keep my life interesting. Peeking around the next corner and wondering where I'll be in five years if I keep working really hard is probably what has carried me through. We haven't had a ton of serious “lockdown” though, so It's been easier to muddle through than in other countries. I'd say most of what keeps me going though is focusing on gratitude. I have so very much to be grateful for!

NH: We're guessing that it has been very challenging to keep Harada Wool going from a distance during the pandemic. If you're willing to share some of those, I think people could benefit from hearing about the challenges so they can get an idea of what the last year or so has been like for so many yarn producers. 

CH: Hmm, it's such a low-volume business, but I'd say the thing that keeps it going well is keeping the story alive. I'm so lucky to have a large following of lovely people who are interested in small-batch, quality products. Also, I've been lucky enough to befriend some really talented designers that help me sell the yarn with their beautiful work.   

NH: Here's a question that might be difficult for one of the busiest, most creative people we know: What's next for you? 

CH: Goodness, I have so much lined up for the next year. I'm selling some of my knit work in a really gorgeous menswear store that has branches in both Tokyo and Hong Kong.   

Since our yarn was delayed this year due to the pandemic, we've decided to make cloth with our next shearing! I'm very excited about that!

In the in-between I'll keep tailoring and knitting as much I can!

All photos courtesy Cassandra Harada