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When I announced to my friends that I was going to start dyeing yarn, most of them weren’t surprised. To me, dyeing my own yarn was always something that seemed like a natural evolution of the Blue Brick. I’m not selling any at present, because I’m still working out the best bases/colours, but I do already have my theme; yarn skeins based on my photography.
It was the natural choice for me–many of my other artistic pursuits have had their genesis in a photo, and yarn will be no different. I am still getting to know my processes, and finding the bases that I like best, but I’m having a blast choosing photos and making yarn to match! My first series is all from Ontario, but I plan to branch out to other places I’ve been as my colour journey continues.
Over the next few days I’ll share some of my first experiments, and I’d love to know what you think!
This photo was taken at a wind farm in Meaford Ontario, out on the Bruce Peninsula.
The inspired yarn carries the soft blues and greens from the sky, while adding just a hint of the yellow in the rapeseed field that you can see on the horizon, and the bales of hay in the grass.
This particular yarn is 600 yards of light fingering/heavy lace to 100g. It’s an 80/20 merino/nylon blend with good durability, and it takes the dye beautifully.
The problem is, it’s a 2-ply and feels a bit ‘ropey’ to knit with. It doesn’t full beautifully when blocked either, so I don’t think it’s where I’ll be ending up, though I do like the idea of slightly oversized skeins.
My search for the perfect yarn base will continue :) In the meantime, stay tuned to see my other colour experiments!