Indie Dyers!
My Sister Knits has something in the works that we can’t wait to show you! Julie has a passion for finding notable yarn from small independent dyers. My Sister Knits is focused on providing breed specific, non superwash, unique yarns to our customers.
We have yarns coming from two such dyers in the next few weeks and we are so excited!
Essence of Autumn
Sheryl Cox dyes her yarn in her home in Ontario, Canada. She has two excellent youtube videos that take us through her dying process. We have given her permission to choose colors for us; opening up that box of yarn is going to be fun!
Blue Faced Leicester
We are getting her 3 ply Pasture Sport/DK, a 100% Blue Faced Leicester yarn. BFL is valued for its luster, strength, drape, and excellent stitch definition. This is a wonderful all-purpose yarn. The strength makes it perfect for socks, sweaters, and mitts while its drape and sheen are magnificent in shawls and cowls.
The gorgeous speckled yarn we have coming will be not be superwashed and, therefore, will be free of chemicals and plastics. It takes the dye a bit differently from superwashed yarns. It will have beautiful softer hues and blurred splotches of color rather than more vibrant hues and highly defined speckles.
Sheryl hand dyes each skein of yarn; no two are the same and they are all works of art. Hand dyeing is the only way to get the subtle to bold color variations.
Dyer Carol Jones lives and dyes outside of Dallas, in North Central Texas. Julie has also given Carol permission to choose some of her favorite colors for us!
We are getting something truly unusual from Carol, 100% Polwarth yarn. Polwarth sheep are not found in North America; this 4 ply yarn is from New Zealand! Polwarths originated in Australia and are a mix of Lincoln and Merino sheep. They have the softness of Merino combined with the hardiness of Lincoln.
Polwarth
Be sure to swatch this yarn because Polwarth ‘puffs up’ when washed and you’ll want to see what your finished fabric will look and feel like. This yarn is sturdy yet soft enough for babies' next-to-skin garments. It’s ideal for sweaters for children who are more used to fleecy fabrics than wool. Even better, this yarn is not prone to pilling! It’s also smooth and silky and will show off your textured stitches beautifully.
Two weights are coming: Talons is Fingering and Wings is DK. In order to give our customers a choice between non-superwashed and superwashed, these are superwashed yarns. It will be educational to compare their colors and feel with the Essence of Autumn yarn!
Independent dyers create works of art with every skein. They’re like snowflakes; no two are exactly alike and that’s what makes them so special. Be sure to watch for the arrival of these distinctive yarns!
Julie’s Finds
Washi Tape! With alpacas, no less!
