July 30th, 2019

The Dyeing Process

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.