Crafters genuinely committed 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, starting from their materials. And amongst this community of artists, hand-dyed yarns are becoming popular.
Such luxurious yarns are made from responsibly sourced wool and plant dyes. The rich and complex hues are applied in various methods, creating various yarn types. If you are curious or a budding enthusiast, you can also explore the materials to make memorable pieces.
What hand-dyed yarns to use?
Dyers prefer to use the highest quality yarn. It takes time to produce new colorways, mix and apply the dyes, and heat-setting. After that, the yarns are washed and packaged in hanks or skeins. With so much time and effort involved in the process, all raw materials, such as the dyes and fiber blends, should be top-grade. Dyers then develop these yarns that are both special and unique. Here are the different yarns to check out.
Speckled or Spattered Yarn
Yarns dyed in this technique have been splashed with speckles, sprinkles, or random spots of several or a single color. Yarn skeins may vary greatly because of the randomness of the splatters. This yarn type is playful and fun, without any way to repeat 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, the variegated yarn is of high contrast, and colors just pop out. This type usually has three or more colors in a sequence. Makers such as Ancient Arts Fibre Crafts and more make skeins to die for, so why not check their websites?
Tonal Yarn
A tonal yarn is simply dyed with lighter and darker versions 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 general color without pooling or striping.
Hand-Painted Yarn
As the name suggests, the skeins are painted by hand and not dipped for dyeing. Hand-painted yarn repeats colors but hardly combines. You may visit makers online, such as Les Laines Biscotte yarns, to see their collections of truly unique hand-painted skeins.
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 multiple colors are utilized, the blending 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 throughout the entire skein. It can also be one color that softly shifts to another color. Why not do a quick search for local artisans from Nova Scotia to see samples of various ombre colorways?
Learning More About Yarns
There is more to yarn than coloring methods. There is the element of weight and the fibers that are used. Using these can vary depending upon the project, whether the crafter wishes to make lace, gloves, mittens, cardigans, etc. These factors can affect the drape, stitch definition, and general feel of the yarn. The best way to familiarize yourself with the yarns is by using them, and gaining all the essential knowledge can help you in your next project.
