Raku Bowls

Raku Felted Bowls by Terry Morris

What Is Being Made

Raku Felted Bowls are decorative fiber art containers inspired by the traditional raku pottery process. These are knitted bowls that undergo felting to create unique, one-of-a-kind finished pieces. The design draws inspiration from raku pottery, where potters place red-hot clay bowls in buckets of dry leaves to create unpredictable, beautiful results. Similarly, felting multicolored knitted yarns produces distinctive patterns and textures that cannot be precisely replicated, making each bowl truly individual.

Techniques Used

The primary technique is felting, a wet finishing process that transforms knitted fabric into a denser, more structured material. The bowls are knit in the round from the top down, a construction method that creates seamless cylindrical forms ideal for bowl shaping. An optional embellishment technique involves adding bobbles to the fabric before felting by tying small objects—such as river rocks or marbles—into the knitted material using rubber bands. This creates a freeform, textured appearance as the bobbles leave impressions in the felted fabric. The multicolored yarns used contribute to the unpredictable aesthetic, as colors blend and shift during the felting process.

Stitches and Construction

The pattern emphasizes simplicity in stitch work, described as simple-to-knit, making it accessible to intermediate-level knitters. The bowls are worked in the round, which typically involves basic knit stitches and increases for shaping. The rolled-edge detail is a natural characteristic of stockinette stitch when worked in the round without binding off, as the edges curl inward to create a finished appearance without additional finishing work.

Materials

The recommended yarn is Kureyon by Noro, a 100% wool fiber in worsted weight. Sample bowls were knit in Noro colorways #32 (blues) and #55 (browns), though any heavy worsted weight wool yarn is suitable. The pattern calls for US Size 13 double point needles. Optional embellishment materials include 10 to 15 small smooth river rocks, marbles, or other hard objects measuring approximately ½" to ¾" in diameter, along with rubber bands to secure them into the fabric. Gauge is noted as not important for this project, allowing for creative flexibility in the finished bowl size.

Difficulty Level

This project is rated as intermediate difficulty, making it suitable for knitters with some experience beyond the absolute beginner level. While the actual knitting is straightforward, the intermediate rating likely reflects the felting process itself, which requires understanding how to properly wet-felt wool yarn to achieve the desired finished texture and structure.