Naturally Hand-dyed Yarn From Appalachia
Natural Dyes, Colors & Yarn Bases
Yarn Bases
Our yarns originate from an ethical and sustainable mill in Peru. Our yarn is mulesing free, with transparent, ethical sourcing. Because of the nature of natural dyeing, some skeins will differ slightly from the other.
Our yarn comes in three sizes 25 gram, 100 gram & 50 gram skeins. Currently, our yarn comes in 6 weights:
- Lace | 1-ply Mohair & Silk 70% Super Kid Mohair, 30% Mulberry Silk. 50 g/437 yds/400 m. Wool Origin: Peru
- Fingering | 2-ply 80% Superwash Merino Wool and 20% Recycled Nylon. 100 g/399 yds / 365 m. Wool Origin: Peru
- Sock | 4-ply 75% Superwash Merino wool, 25% Recycled Nylon. 100 g/437 yds/400 m. Wool Origin: Peru
- DK | 4-ply 75% Fine Superwash Merino Wool, 25% Recycled Nylon. 100 g/246 yds/225 m. Wool Origin: Peru.
- DK 100% Merino | 4-ply 100 % Superwash Merino Wool. 100 g/256 yds/225 m. Wool Origin: Peru.
- Worsted | 4-ply 100% Superwash Merino Wool. 100 g/219 yds/200 m. Wool Origin: Peru.
Color Changes & Bleeding
Eventually, all colors fade whether they are synthetic or natural. Both colors also bleed which is why your mom told you to wash light colors with light colors and dark colors with dark colors!
As we use all natural dyes, we’ll give you some advice on how to take care of it but it depends on many things.
For instance, do you use a harsh detergent? Do you wash your dyed knitwear frequently? How often do you use the garment?
Natural dyes are natural, and we don’t want you to be surprised as the color of your yarn continues to age and mature.
After dyeing, we do rinse all yarn a minimum of three times, but the color could still bleed a little from processing.
With indigo, it’s quite normal for the dye to ‘crock’ off a little when knitting with it as pressure is applied- this is the normal wearing process of indigo and not considered a fault. You can put a dash of white vinegar into the rinsing bath to combat this as much as possible when you are ready to swatch and again when you block.
Blue Thistle Fibers is not responsible for any color transfer to light-colored garments. Please take care when first wearing the item, as friction can rub off the indigo onto other things (think new jeans!).
It is also possible that the pH of certain colors may change due to the different acidities of tap water around the world.
Embrace the nuances of natural dyes and get ready for lots of compliments when people see them.
Safety
During the dyeing process, Blue Thistle Fibers uses uta natural pigments and elements (salt, iron, soda ash, etc.) that could result in unexpected allergic reactions for the end user. We source our pigment materials from our own farm and from trusted natural dye companies in the United States and Canada. Our yarn is intended for craft and textile uses only. Blue Thistle Fibers can not be held responsible for uses outside of this context.