Artisanal Yarns: Hand-Dyed Options to Choose From

Crafters dedicated to their passion create not only with their hands. Part of their heart and soul is put into every piece they make. The artisans of knitting, crocheting, weaving, or macramé make magic, beginning with their materials. And among this community of artists, hand-dyed yarns are becoming popular.

Such lavish yarns are made from responsibly sourced wool and plant dyes. The rich and complex colors are applied in various techniques, creating various yarn types. If you are curious or a budding enthusiast, you can also explore the materials to create wonderful pieces.

What hand-dyed yarns to use?

Dyers choose to use the highest quality yarn. Creating new colorways, mixing and applying the dyes, and heat-setting take time. After that, the yarns are washed and packaged in hanks or skeins. So much time and effort are involved in the process, so all raw materials, such as dyes and fiber blends, should be of top grade. Dyers then develop these yarns that are both special and unique. Here are the various yarns to explore.

Speckled or Spattered Yarn

Yarns dyed in this method have been splashed with speckles, sprinkles, or random spots of different or a single color. Yarn skeins might differ greatly because of the randomness of the splatters. This yarn type is playful and fun, without any way to duplicate the pattern.

Variegated Yarn

This type means dyed with more than one color. Sometimes, the colors are of low contrast and flow into each other. On the other hand, some variegated yarn is high contrast, and colors just pop out. This type usually has three or more colors in a sequence.

Tonal Yarn

A tonal yarn is simply dyed with lighter and darker variations of the same color in one colorway. This gives it a watercolor effect since the yarn is not the same shade throughout. Projects will have a similar overall color without pooling or striping. Makers such as Ancient Arts Yarn Canada have online galleries you may check out for your needs.

Hand-Painted Yarn

As the name suggests, the skeins are painted by hand and not dipped for dyeing. Hand-painted yarn repeats colors; however, the colors barely blend into each other. Handmade yarn pieces will totally be one of a kind with these hand-painted yarns.

Kettle-Dyed Yarn

This is done by immersing the yarn in a shallow pot of water and then applying the colors. If one color is used, a semi-solid is produced. When several colors are used, the blending in between them is softer because of the water. This yarn has more subtle color changes than the other types.

Ombre Yarn

Ombre yarn is dyed with the color slowly going from lightest to darkest. Ombre yarns can be one dye color across the entire skein. However, it can likewise be one color that gently transitions to another color.

Learning More About Yarns

There is more to yarn than dyeing methods. There is the element of weight and the fibers that are used. There are even more varieties to discuss, like self-striping yarn and more. Using these can vary depending on the project, whether the crafter wants to make lace, gloves, mittens, cardigans, etc. These factors can affect the drape, stitch definition, and overall feel of the yarn. The best way to learn about the yarns is by trying to use them and acquiring all the knowledge essential can help you in your next project.