Friday, 10 May 2019

A Beginning Knitter's Guide To Using Indie Dyed Yarn

By Henry Patterson


If you are an experienced knitter, chances are you have experience using a wide variety of different fibers. A beginning knitter may not have this experience and may be looking at the wide variety of indie dyed yarn options on the market without knowing how to select the right product. If you are just beginning and need some guidance, here are a few things that you might want to consider.

When someone buys a product from a big-box craft store or even many smaller, more independent knitting supply shops they are often purchasing materials that have been made on a very large scale. A particular dye lot may have been used to color thousands of skeins of yarn. The color is consistent and there is consistent labeling that lists the weight of the yarn and what kind of fibers have been used to create that skein. Independent dyed products are usually produced by individuals or smaller companies and are made in smaller quantities.

Exotic fibers can be a lot of fun to work with and many of them have qualities that sheep's wool can't match. Some options can be better at insulating against moisture or cold. Others will be better for individuals with sensitive skin. If you are set on using an exotic type of fiber you may find that indie dyed products are your only option.

One thing that can be frustrating no matter where you are buying from is running out of material to work with. Every knitter has had at least one experience where they had to go back to the shop to buy more skeins to work with. If you are going with a small batch or hand dyed product this may be a big problem. You may find that there can be a huge color variation between dye lots in smaller batch products.

As with mass-produced materials, indie dyed options should also describe the weight, how many strands, what the fiber content is and swatch information. This will help you decide whether a particular product is too thick or thin for the item you are working on. Many times it will be listed on the label although if you are buying right from a producer they may pass on that information verbally.

If you are just beginning to experiment with independently produced fibers you may want to do your buying from physical stores rather than online. An experienced seller should be able to discuss which options will be right for your project and give you important information on how to care for your garment or project when it is completed. Different fibers will need to be cared for in various ways once your project is done.

It can be difficult to find independently produced fibers if you are living in a smaller town or in a more isolated area. In this case, you may want to look online. A number of websites offer products that are hand dyed or made in small batches by artisans and you should be able to find out any needed information about the product you are buying.

Another option is to dye your own fibers. This can be fun as you can experiment with different color combinations and fiber types. Just make sure to read any instructions carefully before beginning and be prepared for your first few batches to be works in progress.




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