I often get asked what it’s like to be an indie dyer and what my process is like.

When it comes to indie-dyed yarn, so much goes into the planning process. One of the most important aspects of the hand-dyeing process is choosing the yarn base and the colors.

What is a yarn base? A yarn base is the bare yarn that gets dyed. Many dyers have several bases to choose from, ranging from merino wool, to wool/nylon blends, to bamboo, silk, alpaca, cashmere, and even yak! Yarn bases also come in different weights, ranging from the very lightweight lace yarns, to fingering weight, sport weight, DK weight, worsted weight, Aran weight, and chunky or bulky yarns. The base of the yarn will affect the type of dyes needed and the processes for getting the dye to bend with the yarn.

The fun really starts when it’s time to pick out dye colors. Color theory and artistic inspiration are what drive the choices dyers make when they dye their yarn. Finding colors that work well together is both challenging and fun. Every dyer has a method (or two, or three) for applying the dye to their yarn and producing skeins that are unique to their shop. The exact dye recipes are often a closely guarded secret for each indie-dyer.

After the yarn is dyed and dried, it needs to be skeined up and photographed before it is listed for sale. After the yarn is purchased it needs to be safely packaged and shipped. The best part of this process for a dyer is seeing the great projects you knit, crochet, or weave with our yarns.

Five amazing new collectible enamel pins now join our original two enamel pins in the shop. We've got two great new crochet-related pins, along with our logo yarn heart, and two great "It's Not Hoarding if it's Yarn" pins to go along with our original I Love Knitting and Rainbow Sheep pins. Right now you can get them while they're all on sale AND use the Fibreshare Coupon Code BFFsFOREVER to get them for the lowest cost you'll ever see them. These fabulous enamel pins are professionally made and look great on your project bags, jackets, shirts, and more. Show off your Fiber Flair even when you can't be knitting or crocheting! Find all of our amazing pins here. Sale and coupon code end on July 31, 2019, so hurry up and get yours before they sell out!

Tina's Toasty Toes is proud to have been selected to be a Featured Vendor on Fibreshare again this round! Now through July 31, 2019, use code BFFsFOREVER during checkout for 15% off of your entire purchase. This code is valid whether you are participating in Fibreshare or not. So go ahead, find something great in the shop for your Fibreshare partner, or for yourself (we won't tell!).