When I ran my Indie Dyers opportunity in July, I didn’t expect to receive so many incredible entries. There is a vast very talented pool of people in the yarn business. I originally planned to make three Woolly bags, but I just had to select four and it’s been my pleasure to work with such talented dyers and their yarns.
The first Woolly bag to be made was for Ishrat of Fruitful Fushion. Ishrat is the Nottingham-based dyer behind Fruitful Fusion. She dabbled in yarn dyeing while living in North Africa and absolutely loved it! About a year and a half ago, she decided to make it her work, juggling it with taking care of her family and set up her yarn dyeing business. The colourways are inspired by places she's lived in or travelled to, childhood memories of 80s London and lots more in between.
Ishrat’s Woolly bag has been made using her 100% superwash merino 4-ply yarns in Red Sea and Cinnamon; and my Saltire Star design. The lining and handles fabric is from Fabric Focus in Edinburgh.
You can see all her beautiful yarns at the online Yorkshire Yarn Festival on 29th August at 2.35pm - 2.50pm (UK time); or her online shop at Fruitful Fushion.
The second Indie Dyer selected was Dwynwen of Loch Ness Knitting, a small business located in the village of Drumnadrochit on the shores of Loch Ness in the Scottish Highlands. Owner Dwynwen is passionate about creating original knitting designs and yarn inspired by this unique landscape. Her range of naturally hand dyed yarn colours is created by working in sustainable partnership with local cafés and woodland landowners to repurpose their waste materials into a full range of dye colours.
Dwynwen’s Woolly bag has been knit from her Café Collection, a 4-ply British BFL wool, in Earth and Straw colours which have been dyed using waste coffee grounds. The tessellating pattern is Callanish Standing Stones. The handle and lining fabric is a printed woven cotton from a Scottish Linen in Kirkcaldy.
You can purchase these beautiful yarns direct from the website, Loch Ness Knitting.
The third Woolly bag has been made for Brambles & Me, a natural dye business owned and run by Mia Malone, which is located within the heart of the North East of England. Mia focuses on hand-dyeing yarns and textiles using only natural dye extracts which are wash and lightfast as well as historically documented to produce naturally vibrant colours inspired by the great outdoors.
The fourth Indie Dyers’ Woolly bag has been made for Rachel of FLYYDyed, a Maker from Wolverhampton who enjoys a few fibre arts, mainly crochet, but recently discovered a real love and passion for dyeing yarn. FLYYDyed offers OOAK (one of a kind) One Skein Wonder in small batches - so when they’re gone, they’re gone!
