The Art of Indie Dyed Yarn
Have you ever picked up a skein of yarn so stunningly colorful that you had to stop and marvel at how it was made? Maybe the colors reminded you of a sunset, a forest after rain, or even your favorite dessert. Chances are, that yarn was lovingly created by an indie dyer — someone like me, who turns plain, undyed yarn into a work of art.
What is an Indie Dyer?
The term “indie dyer” is short for independent yarn dyer. I run my own small, one-person business where I hand-dye yarn in small batches. My daughter Vanessa dyes a few of the Yarn Clubs each year and some lovely Christmas yarns but for the most part it is a one woman studio. Each skein we produce is unique, bursting with character, and crafted with a whole lot of love and passion.
Where the Magic Happens
I work out of my home dye studio, which can sometimes be a colorful chaos zone! Currently my garage doubles as my dye studio, with yarn filled pots and trays simmering on cooktops right along one wall, while my drying racks take over any empty spaces and sunny spots along the patio. Shelves in the studio overflow with undyed skeins of yarn ready and waiting their turn to be dyed, while previously dyed skeins fill the shelves in my yarn room / office each one a labor of love, made for knitters and crocheters just like you. It’s a cozy, creative, slightly messy space where all the magic happens.
A Day in My Life as an Indie Dyer
You might think my days are all about playing with colors, sprinkling dye on skeins of yarn and then sitting and knitting while I keep an eye on the pots, and while that’s definitely the best part, there’s so much more to being an indie dyer and unfortunately no time to knit while the dye process is happening. It's all hands on! Here’s what a typical day looks like for me:
Prepping and Planning
My day starts early with breakfast and a cup of coffee while I check my emails and social media. I love connecting with customers, seeing what’s happening in the yarn world, and planning out my day. Before I can start dyeing, I soak skeins of undyed yarn in water to prepare them for the dyeing process, this happens the night before so they are well soaked to make sure the dye can penetrate the yarn fully. Once I head into the dye studio I mark out on the whiteboard what I need to dye that day then I mix up fresh dye solutions, carefully planning out the colors I’ll create.
Dyeing Magic
This is my favorite part of the day! I use techniques like hand-painting, kettle-dyeing, and speckling to bring my creative visions to life. Sometimes I plan every detail of a colorway, and other times I let the process surprise me and create OOAKs (One of a kind skeins). There’s something so satisfying about layering colors and watching them transform into a skein of yarn that just shines and is unique.
Rinsing, Drying and Organizing
Once the dyeing is done, the freshly colored skeins need to be rinsed and dry. This usually happens the next day or late in the afternoon as I like to allow the dyed yarns to cool in their pots to ensure all the dye particles have been taken up. After rinsing they are hung on racks to dry, and I've been known to use my pool fencing when dyeing particularly large batches. Depending on the weather, this can take anywhere from hours to days. My drying racks are nearly always full of beautiful unique yarns, each one telling its own story.
When I'm not Dyeing Yarn
While the yarn dries, I'm kept busy in my Yarn room / Office winding dried yarn into skeins, adding labels and printing the stickers and packaging orders.
On days that I don't do any dyeing there is always admin work to be done. Keeping my online shop updated, photographing new colorways to showcase in my shop and share sneak peeks on social media, keeping the bookkeeper happy with all the necessary paperwork and writing blog posts like this one. I also love brainstorming ideas for future projects and colorways. And of course, I try to end my day with some knitting or crocheting using my own indie-dyed yarn or yarn from my stash from other fabulous indie dyers — because my curiosity at seeing my hand dyed creations come to life in a project is the ultimate joy and I know you enjoy seeing samples as well.
Why Indie-Dyed Yarn is Special
What makes indie-dyed yarn so special is the heart and soul we pour into every skein. My inspiration often comes from personal experiences and travel, nature, art, or even a song that’s stuck in my head, a book I have just read or a movie I've seen recently. Every colorway has a story, and when you buy from an indie dyer like me, you’re supporting a small dream, a lot of hard work, and a whole lot of creativity and love.
Whether you have been knitting and crocheting for many years or are just dipping your toes into the world of fiber arts, exploring indie-dyed yarns is like stepping into a candy store. Next time you pick up a beautifully dyed skein, know that it was created with care, passion, and a little bit of magic. And who knows? Maybe it will inspire your next big project!
Xx
