Knit Stars Season 6 Fiber Artists
May 05, 2021
Meet the Fiber Artists!
Have you ever been to a fiber festival and walked out empty handed? That’s okay… we haven’t either!
Each season, we invite our Stars to partner with an independent dyer to create one of a kind colorways and kits just for the event. This season’s theme, “Live Colorfully,” has really expanded the boundaries of creativity and has resulted in some seriously stunning colorways.
These optional yarns and kits are designed to enhance each course. They are not required to participate in the Knit Stars Masterclass Event. They do, however, provide a certain squish factor, and that is something we can get behind.
Now, let’s take a virtual walk through this festival and meet our artists. They have some pretty incredible fiber stories and we are so excited to share them with you here!
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Terri Haynes (@at.haynes.house.yarns)
AT Haynes House Yarns - Fort Washington MD.
Knit Stars Partner - Casapinka @casapinka
"It's amazing to combine ingredients, whether for a cake or a new colorway, and see the finished results of your work." -Terri
In 2018, Terri was working at a chain bookstore when her sister was diagnosed with cancer. “It was a hard hit because our family lost my mother, grandmother, father-in-law, and several other family members to cancer.” At the same time, her husband Brian started quilting, breaking a pact they had made not to begin any new crafts. He, a crocheter, taught Terri to crochet after they were first married. Terri had been knitting since she was eleven years old and taught Brian to knit in return. “The more we crafted, the more we wanted to know about others in the fiber industry. We joined several knitting groups, started watching fiber-related podcasts, and going to fiber festivals. Once he broke the rules, I decided that I was going to start dyeing as a hobby.”
She started dyeing after purchasing a skein of yarn that wasn't quite working for her, when a friend suggested she over-dye it. And immediately, she was hooked. "I felt the same calm and excitement about dyeing as I did about baking, another activity I love. It's amazing to combine ingredients, whether for a cake or a new colorway, and see the finished results of your work. I told my friends and family to give my dye supplies for my birthday, Mother's Day, and Christmas. After a while, I had a good amount of supplies to create and play with.”
AT Haynes House is a family business. Terri, Brian and their three children all work together supporting each other in “their outrageous ideas.” “It was so heartwarming when they all told me that they wanted AT Haynes House Yarns to be a family business. That they wanted to be a part of this journey with me. I consider myself extremely lucky to have them. Also, they generate my colorway ideas, so I need to keep them around.”
Haynesville Fingering is a 100% Merino fingering weight yarn (400yds/100g). All three of the colorways pictured below will be used to create Casapinka's super secret project called "Sushi and Snark." That is all the information Sharron from Security is letting out of the bag for now.
Candice English (@thefarmersdaughterfibers)
The Farmers Daughter - Great Falls, MT
Knit Stars Partner - Jennifer Berg @native.knitter
"Rich Native American roots, traditions, strength, and family ways drive us. It embodies all aspects of what we do.” -Candice
Candice began her fiber journey in 2016 from her small laundry room in her Montana home. As her business grew, she began to take over more areas of her home, expanding into her basement to accommodate her thriving business. In a mere 2 years, she had to make the decision to expand even further in order to keep up with the demand for her yarns. Her husband, Xander, left his military career and became the company's head dyer as they moved into a larger space. The Farmers Daughter now occupies an even larger space complete with a yarn store, where you can get the feel of a true Montana Yarn Shop.
“The heritage of The Farmer's Daughter is what inspires me. The early years of my life were spent growing up on a farm/ranch 30 miles east of the Blackfeet Reservation, where my Mother, Pauline Matt, was born and raised. Grandma Pauline is the foundation of our family, connected to the earth in immeasurable ways. Rich Native American roots, traditions, strength, and family ways drive us. It embodies all aspects of what we do.”
Squish Fingering is The Farmers daughter's soft, 4 ply, 100% Superwash Merino, fingering weight yarn (438yds/100g). Jennifer Berg will combine these beautifully saturated colorways to create a 3 color stranded colorwork "Sunrise" headband inspired by her Navajo heritage.
Veronica and Nancy
Dream in Color - Tucson Arizona
Knit Stars Season 6 - Casapinka Wave 2 bonus dyer!
"Since we started out with our own yarn shop we really feel a deep connection and understanding of what small retail shop owners go through."
Nancy (Left) and Veronica (Right)
Nancy and Veronica have been friends since they were involved in starting a Waldorf school 28 years ago. Veronica taught handwork and kindergarten for around 12 years, teaching well over 100 first graders to knit over the years. Together they decided to open a knitting shop together to focus on our mutual love of handwork and community building.
“A close friend of mine was really into learning all types of handwork. Our children were just babies at the time and around the same age. We would get together once a week to learn a variety of skills. Somewhere along the way we decided to start naturally dyeing silks for children to play with for costumes and play objects. From there I was hooked on changing the color of just about anything I could get my hands on! Considering my love of knitting and crochet, and wool in general, dyeing yarn was a natural step forward.” -Veronica
“Since we started out with our own yarn shop we really feel a deep connection and understanding of what small retail shop owners go through. As such we have remained as a wholesale only business from the start. What makes our yarn unique is my love of super saturated jewel tones along with the very high quality of our yarns themselves” -Veronica
Vibrant and saturated and ready for fall… Casapinka style! Soft Gray, Mustard (this season’s “it” colors) and of course PINK! This MCN yarn is seriously soft with a 20% Cashmere Value. It’s a dream to work with!
Lindsay Vega (@fiveboroughyarns)
Five Borough Yarns - Brooklyn NY
Knit Stars Partner - Louis Boria @brooklynboyknits
“I wanted to be the designer who painted the yarn in all the colors and created fabric that would speak to all things New York City.” -Lindsay
Lindsay’s journey with color started in the Beauty Community - as a freelance makeup artist for about 10 years as @brooklynglama. Her love of yarn began when she was just a little girl, squeezing yarn in Woolworth's! She has been designing as @lulunstitch since 2016. It was during that period of creating that the road to Five Borough Yarns truly began to blossom. She wanted to be the designer who painted the yarn in all the colors and created fabric that would speak to all things New York City.
“I love the community I'm creating. My #FBYFamily is growing everyday. On Instagram I have created a safe place for my black/latina community, my plus-size and LGBTQIA+ communities, and everyone in between. I represent for all the people who look like me. It’s ok to be bright, bold, vibrant, and beautiful. That is what Five Borough Yarns is: yarn as therapy. It's just like New York City: diverse, and literally, a melting pot of color and fashion. The place where I'm at home.”
Lindsay says she considers herself a “one-woman show," but it is together with her husband that the creative ideas and unique themes are born. She calls that relationship her “secret sauce." “We spend hours talking about a collection from start to finish, and want each person that receives a package to feel like they are getting a gift personally from FBY Headquarters.” She says the driving force behind her whole company is her family and wants to build a legacy for her 4 sons. “It is extremely important that they see an example of someone who looks like them winning. And I'm their first source of knowledge. seeing me work hard is the best thing I can do for them as their mom.”
This 100% Superwash Merino yarn by Brooklyn based Five Borough Yarns is a super squishy 3 ply aran weight yarn (181yds/100g). It is the perfect fit for Louis Boria's masterclass on hat design. Follow along with Louis as he teaches you how to be the designer of you very own perfectly sized and fitted hat!
Stephanie Shiman (@wonderlandyarns)
Frabjous Fibers/Wonderland Yarns - Brattleboro, VT
Knit Stars Partner - Nina Machlin Dayton @ninamachlindayton
“I found myself almost in tears at this huge group of people that loved crafting and creating as much as I did. The sheep, and the colors, and all the different possibilities for learning, laid out before me in a muddy field. Absolutely magical." -Stephanie
Stephanie says that she accidentally ended up in yarn. She met a woman at her local library who invited her to join a knitting group, when she was spotted reading books on dying. She mustered up the courage to go, and, the awesome group of ladies from age 20 - 88 showed her how to knit. As her love for the craft and her interest in dying grew, she began to attend Sheep and Wool festivals. “I found myself almost in tears at this huge group of people that loved crafting and creating as much as I did. The sheep, and the colors, and all the different possibilities for learning, laid out before me in a muddy field. Absolutely magical.”
Over the next few years, Stephanie’s home filled to the brim with dying supplies and fiber. She was able to secure a space in a building of artists studios, but that too became too small very quickly. She then was offered a larger space in the same building downstairs. One night a storm hit with widespread flooding. “When we got there, we found the building underwater. Cars washing away. Massive amounts of rain and water. All in all, we had lost about 75% of everything. But we hadn’t lost everything. I loved dyeing fiber. I wanted to dye yarn, and I don’t think I considered for more than a second that I wouldn’t put this little business back together."
17 years later and Frabjous Fibers now produces a full line of hand dyed fibers and yarns from their studio in the BDCC Book Press building in breathtaking southern Vermont. It also supports worker-cooperatives in Nepal with their inventory of recycled silk yarns and hand felted notions bags designed by Stephanie herself!
“Nina and I spent hours tweaking and swapping colors until we had created the perfect palette for her cowl. When we counted, we had 13 colors. Poor number 13. It gets such a bad rap! We tried to choose a color to take out and just couldn't. So, superstitions be damned, it's 13 colors! Triskaidekaphilia was born - not the fear of 13, but the love!
This yummy Mad Hatter yarn base from Wonderland Yarns is a 100% Superwash Merino sport weight yarn (1,118yds total!). Nina Machlin Dayton has cleverly designed a show stopping sampler cowl using this vibrant rainbow of color that teaches 15 different skills along the way.
Beata Jezek @hedgehogfibres
Hedgehog Fibers - Cork, Ireland
Knit Stars Season 6 bonus dyer!
"We like each other and have a close-knit team (pun intended.) Through this I’ve gotten to steal great people out of unhappy jobs.” -Beata
Beata Jezek was born and raised in Bratislava, Slovakia and moved to Cork, Ireland in 2005. She is the artist and owner of Hedgehog Fibres. She was drawn into the world of knitting and was not happy with the yarns that she was finding in the market. She began to research and eventually dye her own yarns for herself in her home. “I tried using turmeric once and made the entire house smell like curry for a week. I modified over and over, for years, out of my bathtub at home and on my kitchen hob.”
Along her journey, she joined a knitting group, who loved her yarn and offered to buy some. She decided this wasn’t a side hustle; this was it. "My boyfriend at the time leant me €500 for a percentage as collateral. I told him 'hell no' and just repaid him after I started selling on Etsy. Jezek in Slovakian means Hedgehog, so I branded Hedgehog Fibres, and off I went! I’ve never advertised. The product spoke for itself. People liked it and word-of-mouth picked up. I moved to my own website and opened a small studio in 2010. We’re a bootstrapped company, and employ a multinational team of mainly women who are mothers and young creatives. Eventually, I hired everyone in my knitting group. We like each other and have a close-knit team (pun intended.) Through this I’ve gotten to steal great people out of unhappy jobs.”
Beata has been a big part of the Knit Stars family from the very beginning, contributing colorful colorways at every turn. Hedgehog Fibres' stunning colorway for Season 6 is a perfect fit for our theme. Beata ALWAYS Lives Colorfully, she is involved in every part of the yarn dying process. Hedgehog is dedicated to creating "the brightest colours with the best materials, so each stitch you knit is a surprise, and each finished project looks as amazing as you feel.”
Bonus! Although there is not a project planned for this high contrast, high intensity yarn, we just know that you have the perfect pattern sitting in your pattern library waiting to become something fabulous. Beata Jezek has once again brought the color to the knitting table with this 90% Merino, 10% Nylon Superwash fingering weight yarn (440yds/100g). This is one of Hedgehog Fibres most popular bases for good reason!
John Arbon (@jarbontextiles)
Knit Stars Partner - Felicity Ford @knitsonik
"Little did I know when I headed Southwest, in a second-hand old blue metro with bald tires and rather a lot of records, that my vague plan of setting up a textile business would prove to be so fruitful.” -John
John Arbon Textiles is based on a very simple concept: a return to old-style textile manufacture by sustainably sourcing raw fibre locally, wherever possible, and converting it in the UK into high quality tops and yarns, rather than racking up air miles by chasing the cheapest available labour. John has painstakingly collected and lovingly restored every one of his machines – rescuing many from old, traditional mills as they closed down.
“Juliet looks at me these days and says, 'Do we have everything we need now?' I just give her a wry smile as there is always just one more machine! So here we are, coming up to 20 years of messing about with yarn and fibre! I never dreamt I would end up with our magnificent, marvelous Worsted Spinning Mill complete with an extraordinary compliment of the most talented staff. Little did I know when I headed South West, in a second-hand old blue metro with bald tires and rather a lot of records, that my vague plan of setting up a textile business would prove to be so fruitful.”
Things have grown steadily and slowly over the last few decades, but one thing remains the same: as much as possible John Arbon uses the fiber which is reared and sheared locally. John also sources organically farmed Merino from the Falklands, taking the utmost care to ensure that the animals are farmed with respect and are mulesing free.
These amazing 25 gram mini skein kits by John Arbon include 12 "Knit by Numbers" shades curated by Felicity Ford herself. These yarn pallets were inspired by famous artists and are made using 100% Merino 4ply DK weight yarn (440yds/100g).
Jake Kenyon (@isthatkenyarn)
Knit Stars Partner - Visuvio’s Crafts @visuvioscrafts
"I am well known for my love of intensely saturated colors and my quirky and often hilarious collection themes, inspired by everything from witchcraft to Regina George." -Jake
Jake was first introduced to crocheting by his mother during a snowstorm, when the power was out and there wasn’t much to do. As soon as he held that hook in his hand, he knew he had found his creative outlet. In 2015, Jake began experimenting with 2 dye pots on his kitchen stove and slowly transformed his creative outlet into a full operation right in the city!
“Hand dyeing yarn combines all of my favorite things! Color being the most important, but also science, chemistry, problem solving, and repetition. I truly feel myself whenever I'm creating new colorways inspired by things that bring me joy. I am well known for my love of intensely saturated colors and my quirky, and often hilarious collection themes, inspired by everything from witchcraft to Regina George. I try to never take myself too seriously, and love for my collections to make my customers chuckle!”
Jake is a fierce advocate for LGBTQIA+ and anti-racism work and firmly believes that everyone has a place in the fiber community. Each year he dedicates the month of June to raising funds for various LGBTQIA+ organizations.
Stratus DK from Kenyarn is 231yds/100g of fully saturated and fun color! This 90% Merino, 10% Nylon Superwash fingering weight yarn is both bold and vibrant. Vincent Williams Jr. of Vesuvios Crafts will be demonstrating his tips and tricks for cables using the tonal green color. He will also be integrating both colors with some super fun intarsia cables! (yea.. you heard me colorwork cables!). This option is available only in Single Skeins. (below)
Stratus DK from Kenyarn is 231yds/100g of fully saturated and fun color! This 90% Merino, 10% Nylon Superwash fingering weight yarn is both bold and vibrant.
This option is available only as a kit of 2 skeins, one Tonal solid and one Variegated yarn. (below)
Option 2 - Kit Available - One Variegate and one Tonal Solid!
Kim Russo
Kim Dyes Yarn - Virginia, USA
Knit Stars Season 6 - Casapinka Wave 2 bonus dyer!
"When I create new colorways, I am capturing a mood or a vision in my mind of something gorgeous that I try to translate to yarn.” -Kim
Kim has always been a maker. She was bitten by the knitting bug, in her early childhood years and wanted ALL OF THE COLORS to work with. As an artist she already knew how to mix colors to get exactly the shade she wanted from working with paint, and was sure she could do the same with dye and yarn.
“I dabbled in dyeing a little bit before I knew I wanted to become an indie dyer, but when our family made the move from Illinois to Virginia I decided to try dyeing as a full time job. I was kind of burned out on the academic library world and wanted to see what I could make happen with 100% of my focus on dyeing and getting the business up and running. I just refused to accept it wouldn’t happen.”
Kim Dyes Yarn doesn’t stick to a single dye style. “I get bored easily and need to feed that thirst to learn and stretch my boundaries. When I create new colorways, I am capturing a mood or a vision in my mind of something gorgeous that I try to translate to yarn.”
Autumn has arrived on the East Coast - home to Casapinka and her cat Menagerie. Kim Dyes yarn offers this autumnal array of mesmerizing color for the “Sushi And Snark” pullover Shawl. Dyed on the luxurious Flan yarn base, this Single Ply, Superwash Merino/Silk blend offers stitch definition, drape, and a silky soft touch to your finished garment.
The Landra Family @koiguwool
Koigu - Ontario Canada
Knit Stars Season 6 bonus dyer!
"Happily the three of us, three generations of Landra women love working together, and appreciate each other's insights and creative ideas.” - Kersti
The Landra Women - Made, Taiu and Kersti
In 1972, Maie Landra purchased a farm in South Western, Ontario, with the goal of living off the land. Maie bought 5 sheep and Koigu was made. Her love for fiber came much earlier than the purchasing of the farm. In essence, she was born with it.
The Landra family has always been working with fiber. Having originated in Estonia, handicrafts have always been within the family. In 1992, Taiu Landra and Maie founded Koigu Wool Designs. Taiu brought her educational experience in Agriculture Business to bring Koigu yarns into stores. Today, Koigu remains a small family business, with a focus on quality and colour. Still based on the Koigu farm, they take the landscape as a constant inspiration.
“What makes Koigu stand out to many, is the longevity and family orientation of the business. Many lifetime makers, remember buying our yarn in the 1990s. While some things have changed since then, mainly suppliers and the environment (i.e. climate impacts our dying quite a lot), many things have not. We still hand dye all of our yarn with a team of three hand painters, and Koigu is still a family business. Happily the three of us, three generations of Landra women love working together, and appreciate each other's insights and creative ideas.” -Kersti Landra; third generation of Landra women in the family business.
You may recognize the Koigu name from seasons past. This year, we challenged them to Live Colorfully and boy, have they delivered! This beautiful collection of mini skeins was curated especially for Season 6 and is only available to Knit Stars Owners in this exclusive yarn and Kit sale. So, get creative and use all the colors in the Koigu Pencil Box for your next ever so special project. A previous Knit Stars favorite, "Rising Scarf" pattern by Knit Stars Founder/CEO Shelley Brander, will be included free with your pencil box purchase.
Bonus!
A Koigu Pencil Box contains 870 yards of 100% Merino wool over 10, 25 gram skeins.
Need even MORE color? Koigu has created a "Crayon Box" to up the ante! Your Koigu Crayon box contains a glorious 2,175 yards of 100% Merino wool over 24 colorful 25 gram skeins!
KPC (Knit Purl Crochet) Yarns (@kpcyarn)
Australia
Knit Stars Partner - Jacqueline Fink @jacquifink
"Our label can be used again as a gift tag - there’s even space to write your own name or message”.
The KPC journey started over seventy years ago in Shanghai. After a move to Macau in the 1950s, the successful family tailoring business grew into Novetex, one of the first completely vertically integrated textile companies in Asia. Their ultra-fine merino wool is from Australia, where they spin and dye all their fleece, and oversee where every ball of wool is wound and packaged.
KPC strongly believes superior quality yarn should not compromise the precious environment. Their collection has evolved to bring the most sustainably sourced fibres available, helping to preserve our world’s natural beauty.
“Once you have finished your project, our ribbon can be reused by sewing on to the project and you can write on it for example the name of the knitter for when gifting the receiver has a sentimental knowledge of who made it! Our label can be used again as a gift tag - there’s even space to write your own name or message”.
This warm and inviting collection of colors was curated especially for Knit Stars by Jacqui Fink to help you tap into your emotions and well being through the act of knitting or crochet. KPC Yarns has come through with fourteen, 50g balls of Glencoul DK weight 70% Merino, 30% Cotton yarn (126yards/50g skein).
Rachelle Au-Dickey (@moondrakeco)
Moodrake Co. - Oklahoma City, OK
Knit Stars Partner - Ambah O'Brien @ambahobrien
“'I want to see how far I can go' - that is always in my mind, no matter what I try to achieve." -Rachelle
Rachelle Dickey of Moondrake Co., an indie yarn company, comprises a tantalizing array of colors and fibers. A Canadian now living a creative life in Oklahoma, and a proud Asian maker who loves knitting/crocheting/sewing, she is always interested in finding new materials and trendy colors for her dye work. As a Fashion Design graduate, designing knitwear will be her next goal.
"I was looking for a specific color for my first colorwork sweater, then learned about hand dyed yarn from my knitting group. After some research, I bought my very first batch of undyed yarn, pans and dyes. I love playing with colors. It is very interesting to see how colors evolve, twist, and turn in the water."
Rachelle credits the encouragement of friends and family with her entry into the fiber world. She started to dye for a local yarn shop, and met Knit Stars Founder/CEO, Shelley Brander, in 2019, and the rest as they say, is history! “'I want to see how far I can go' - that is always in my mind, no matter what I try to achieve."
Moondrake Co.'s uber soft 100% Superwash Single ply fingering weight yarn is the perfect compliment to Ambah Obrien's "Shawl Love" design. With a generous 437yds/100g skein these colors work beautifully together to create a generously sized shawl.
Rowan @rowanyarns
London UK
Knit Stars Partners - Kaffe Fassett and Brandon Mably @kaffefassett @brandonmably
“As local to our roots as we are, our influence has become global.”
Established in 1978, Rowan started life above a grocery store in a village near Huddersfield, in West Yorkshire, England. In 1982, a chance meeting between Stephen Sheard and Kaffe Fassett steered Rowan in a new direction — to creating designer-led projects for their growing number of followers.
“Rowan is committed to ensuring that no animals are caused unnecessary suffering to create our products and materials. We expect high standards of animal welfare and will only work with suppliers who have a good track record in this area. We insist all animals be protected from unnecessary pain, suffering, injury or disease, and they must be free from unnecessary discomfort, fear, and distress as a result of farming practices.”
The Rowan name was inspired by the beautiful shrubs lining the banks of the Holme River in Yorkshire, an area deeply entwined with the British textile heritage and traditions. The Rowan leaf has in some way been a part of their logos as they have evolved over the years. After 40 years, the studio has moved and grown, but has remained rooted in Yorkshire. “As local to our roots as we are, our influence has become global.”
Rowan partnered with Westminster Fibers to take the brand to the US in 1985, and has since expanded even more to reach over 30 countries worldwide.
Rowan did not hold anything back when creating this amazing kit curated by Kaffe Fassett himself! It includes Fourteen 50 gram balls of Rowan Felted Tweed Yarn (50% Wool, 25% Alpaca, 25% Viscose) at 191yds/ball. Kaffe and Brandon will demonstrate many techniques and walk you through creating your very own Gridlock Wrap.
Leila Bux (@theurbanpurl)
Knit Stars Partner - Jeanette Sloan @jeanettesloan
"I love that I can weave my many interests of ancient history, mythical gods, Sci-Fi, and cosmic entities into my inspiration for dyeing up new colours." -Leila
Leila’s journey into indie dying started out as an experiment. She purchased yarn from an online dyer and was disappointed with the look of the yarn. It was not what she expected. Instead of complaining to the company or trying to return it, she decided to over-dye the skein herself and turn the experience into a positive one. The results were fantastic, and needless to say she was hooked!
“Creating colourful blended landscapes on yarn is my dream job. London has been my inspiration, I enjoy telling the story of the city where I live, translating my interpretations into colour. I love that I can weave my many interests of ancient history, mythical gods, Sci-Fi, and cosmic entities into my inspiration for dyeing up new colours. Dyeing yarn fulfils my creative expression and practically it allows me to have a very flexible working life, enabling me to juggle hand dyeing and my other work as a therapist.”
In 2019 Leila responded to a post on Instagram from Stephen & Penelope in Amsterdam. They were on the hunt for new and upcoming designers and dyers from diverse BIPOC backgrounds and in the LGBTQ+ community. They of course saw her talent and began to stock her yarns in their store. “I was thrilled to bits but somewhat overwhelmed. S & P selecting me, really boosted my confidence and helped me to continue developing my style.”
Merino Sporty 262 is the Urban Purl's 100% Superwash Merino yarn base. This sport weight yarn boasts a full 287yds/100g skein. Leila's earthy colors are lush with unexpected pops of color throughout. Jeanette Sloan has paired 3 full skeins with 4 different colors of beads to create an intricate knitted cushion that dreams are made of!
Geraldine Yang (@thewanderingflock)
The Wandering Flock - Brooklyn, NY
Knit Stars Partner - Dana Williams Johnson (DWJ) @callmedwj
"My hope is to create a line of yarn that’s classic, yet contemporary, and knitwear patterns that will fit into your everyday wardrobe.” -Geraldine
Geraldine began her career in the Fast Fashion industry. While becoming an indie dyer was not where she thought she would end up, she soon discovered dying and design gave her the creative outlet she craved after leaving her fashion roots behind. Her approach to dying is very intentional and focused on the final product.
“In the summer of 2019, I took a leap of faith and decided that I would start The Wandering Flock, a knitwear design studio and hand-dyed yarn line. At the same time, I also took a chance and submitted a couple of sweater designs to PomPom Quarterly. I never expected to hear back, but miraculously they chose one of my designs for their Winter 2019 issue, and gave me an opportunity to not only showcase my design, but my yarn as well. My hope is to create a line of yarn that’s classic, yet contemporary, and knitwear patterns that will fit into your everyday wardrobe.”
Geraldine and DWJ (and don’t forget about Jellybean!) have joined forces to partner for a Masterclass in Fearless Sweater knitting! The Wandering Flock’s Merino yarn, in the aptly named “Jellybeans” colorway, is a DK weight and is perfect for sweater knitting of either the human or canine variety!
The Wandering Flock's DK weight Merino yarn has 230yds/100g skein. It will be offered individually (single skeins) so that you can create your own sweater quantity kit to knit along with DWJ or even knit up a sweater for yourself AND your favorite canine companion. Twins!
Katie Franceschi
Yarn Love - Adel, Iowa
Knit Stars Season 6 - Casapinka Wave 2 bonus dyer!
"There’s something both mentally & physically satisfying in creating bold, beautiful color on luxurious yarns" -Katie
Katie got into yarn dyeing in the strangest way. She was recently married, and had brand-new twin daughters. They were terribly allergic to commercial diapers. In order to prevent severe diaper rash they had to wear cloth diapers with soaker covers. Soakers are knitted or crocheted wool diaper covers – they look like a tiny pair of wool underwear which slips on over a cloth diaper. Pretty soon she was custom dyeing wool yarn for their soakers. This branched off into her first business: Bungalow Buns.
“I find so much creative satisfaction in turning ideas into colorful yarn! I usually start with a picture as inspiration then grab out my dyes and get to work. There’s something both mentally & physically satisfying in creating bold, beautiful color on luxurious yarns.
A huge bonus of being a yarn dyer is seeing the lovely projects my customers knit, crochet and weave up. It’s wonderful and a little bit humbling seeing Yarn Love used by such talented crafters.”
Yarn Love focuses on bright, bold colors. “I’m pretty sure the word “subtle” isn’t in my artist’s vocabulary.” Katie also LOVEs to combine dyeing styles – so often you’ll find kettle dyed skeins with dry dye speckles. Or a hand-painted skein with a kettle-dyed glaze over top for added depth.
“Recently, I’ve fallen in love with stranded colorwork knitting, and I keep over 60 solid colors of sock mini-skeins in-stock for everyone else who loves colorful projects”
Yarn Love went all in on the Casapinka vibe and brought all the pinks! Two of the skeins are dyed on an uber soft MCN and the other is dyed on a Merino/Cashmere/Stellina yarn base to add a little bling to the project. Cashmere sparkles? Yes please!
