A few years ago, I would have said that I only purchase yarn from big box stores such as Joann, Hobby Lobby, or Michael’s. Hand painted yarn and other gradient yarns were just so expensive! However, my opinion on the matter has completely changed.
An indie yarn dyer is an individual that dyes yarn in small batches, independently of a large company. Similar to our own craft, hand painted yarns are a work of art and are unique from batch to batch. When working on a finely detailed project or making something truly precious, it can be nice to treat yourself to a beautiful hunk of fiber that is as special as your project. I save my indie yarn for my knitted projects so I can enjoy working with it for a longer period of time.
Below, I have curated a list of the indie yarn dyers currently in my stash, in addition to their contact information if you would like to learn more. Since I am located in Houston, several of the dyers listed are local to the area, but they do sell their yarn online. Please note that I did not receive any sort of commission or kickback by writing this post- this is purely my opinion and I have paid full price for the lovelies in my collection. Enjoy!
Hedgehog Fibers
What’s not to love about a squishy, hand- painted skein of DK weight yarn? This company is located out of Ireland but offers extremely affordable worldwide shipping. One of the things I truly love about Hedgehog Fibers is that every colorway I have seen is extremely rich and deeply hued. There are also several free patterns on her website that are worked up in certain colorways. Visit this link to learn more.
Round Table Yarns
Round Table Yarns is owned by Karen, and she is a delight to meet in person! I have visited Karen’s booths at fiber festivals several times and she has amazing products. My personal favorite is her self striping sock yarn. One unique aspect of Karen’s colorways is that all are based on Athurian literature, and it is really fun to see the connections that she makes with medieval culture. Visit this link to see her website.
Panorama Fiber Arts
This is another Texas local that specializes in ombre and gradient colorways. I am a big fan of her sparkle base (I’m guessing you can tell since I have two different colorways with the same base!) This small business also has hand dyed spinning fiber for those of you that enjoy hand spun fiber. Head over to this link to view the options Panorama Fiber Arts has to offer.
Barn Owl Yarns
I discovered Barn Owl Yarns in 2018, and fell in love with their gradient cakes. I especially love the silk type yarn base of these cakes. Barn Owl Yarns is another Texas local that would make an excellent addition to your stash. Visit this link to learn more about this small indie dyer business.
Vice Yarns
Vice Yarns was extremely popular in the Houston, Texas area about two years ago. Lately, I have not seen much from this indie dyer. However, I love the monochrome colorways available from this dyer and still wanted to show what I have in case she is still dyeing new colorways. Unfortunately I cannot find much information on the internet (I saw this first at the 2017 Houston Fiber Fest), but I did find an Etsy seller in Texarkana, TX named The Yarn Garden that has a few Vice Yarns in their collection.
Lazy Cat Yarn
Do you think the owner of Lazy Cat Yarn likes kitties? I bet she does. I have met the owner several times and she has a personality as vibrant as her yarn colorways. My favorite yarn base from her is called Luminosity, and I have this base in a deep yellow (pictured) and black to make the most epic Hufflepuff scarf ever. Lazy Cat Yarn, based in Texas, has colorways at extremely affordable rates and you can view her current collection at this link.
Blue Mule Fiber
Last, but certainly not least, is Blue Mule Fiber. Usually I have a project in mind when I buy yarn. The Texas Wildflower colorway, pictured, captivated me when I saw it. Next thing I know, it’s in my bag and on its way to my home. I am sure that I will find a lovely project fitting for this sparkly, beautiful colorway. I also love the backstory of this yarn: based in Texas, this yarn comes from a farm with sheep, rabbits, and more! See the collection of hand spun and hand dyed yarn on their website linked here.
I hope you enjoyed the sneak peek at what is currently in my yarn stash! Do you have a favorite indie yarn dyer? Comment below and share the details of other indie yarn dyers that you recommend!
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