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.

Many people who craft like the idea of using environmentally friendly, sustainable products in the items that they create. In this case, indie dyed materials may be the right choice for you. They often use natural dyes, do not use the same chemical fixing agents and may be kinder on the environment than mass produced materials may be.

Many people love the idea of using something other than cotton wool but cannot handle something made from sheep's wool. An indie dyer will often work with exotic fibers such as alpaca which can be tolerated by many people. If you know that you are dealing with allergies, an independently produced skein may be just what you need. Just make sure that you read the fiber content to make sure it is not blended with sheep's wool.

You should know approximately how many balls or skeins you will need to complete your project. It is very important to try and get the proper number of skeins from the same dye lot. This is important when using mass produced options and it is even more important with independently dyed fibers. This is because there can be more color variation between dye lots or there may only have been a certain number of skeins produced in the first place.

One important piece of information that you need to look for is the weight and the type of yarn that you will be buying. Options range from soft, fine sock yarns to thicker, chunkier options that are better for sweaters, blankets or other bulkier options. If you pick materials that are too fine or too thick your project will not turn out and you may end up getting frustrated.

Some beginning crafters will prefer to buy their materials from physical stores or stalls at yarn or fiber festivals. This is a good idea especially if you are at all unsure about which yarn to buy. An experienced seller should be able to recommend different weights and styles of fiber that will suit a project best and can also look at a project that is being worked on in order to give you advice.

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.

If you don't really see any options that have the colors you are looking for there is always the option to dye your own. You might want to try taking a class first or starting with synthetic colors as they may be easier to work with. Then, over time, you can begin to experiment with different dyes and see which you like using the best.




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