Emma’s Yarn

You guys are going to want to read about these girls.

We met up with Emma and Aspen on a Tuesday morning, just a few hours after they had returned from Chicago, where they were vending at their first show, Vogue Knitting Live.  They had the rosy glow of happily exhausted youth, that wonderful fountain of energy that us oldies can only remember in daydreams.  And yes, you read that right; their first show was Vogue, and they loved it! Way to jump right in, ladies!

Emma and Aspen have grown up in their parents’ yarn shop, Four Purls, surrounded by fiber and the wonderful fiber community, so it seems only natural that they would pursue a livelihood in the indie dyed yarn world.  Last year, when Emma was a much younger fifteen, she explored yarn dyeing as a project for her homeschooling curriculum, learning simultaneously about chemistry and art.  As it turns out, Emma has an incredible eye for color, especially brilliantly beautiful blues and pinks, and she truly enjoys the dyeing process.  Aspen recently graduated college with a degree in Anthropology, and has joined Emma full time in the yarn dyeing business.  Aspen brought an eye for subtle neutrals and the calming earth tones of greys and greens, a perfect complement to Emma’s brighter palette.

Emma is in tenth grade, and while she wishes she could dedicate more time to the dye pots, she can also be found pursuing her love of dance.  Emma has been knitting for many years, and loves to start new projects.  Her favorite part of the dyeing process is bringing new colorways from the dye studio into the shop and enjoying the reactions of the knitters.  I can personally attest to the joy of the yarn frenzy, as I have been known to snatch up skeins before they have a chance to be labeled, or even named.

Aspen has been knitting as far back as she can remember; she loves knitting socks and other instant gratification projects, along with the feel of topping off a newly-finished hat with a beautiful pom pom, and hopes to further develop her knitting techniques over the next few years.  In addition to her time spent in the dyeing studio, Aspen is taking care of the business side of the process; creating labels, developing a new website, and pursuing wholesale accounts.  Her favorite part of the dyeing is watching the almost magical transformation of the colorways when they emerge from the dye pots and mature in depth and tone as they dry.

As for the yarn, it is a true testament to a picture being worth a thousand words, as the incredible colors speak volumes.  I could, however, go on for days about the squishability of their bases.  Emma’s Yarn currently has five bases, all in fingering weight (they have future plans to venture out into heavier weights), in a lovely selection of fibers.  Beautifully Basic is their 100% superwash merino wool; Practically Perfect Sock is a washable 80/20 merino wool and nylon blend, with just the right amount of stretch for perfectly comfortable socks; the Hella Hank is a 600-yard luxurious 80/10/10 blend of merino, cashmere, and nylon that begs to be squeezed and loved; Super Silky (my personal favorite) is a delightfully drapey 80/20 blend of merino and silk, and feels cool to the touch, both on the needles and against the skin.  It’s perfect for warm weather knits!  Finally, for the sparkle lovers, there is Seriously Shiny, a 75/20/5 blend of superwash merino, nylon, and stellina.

It was wonderful to watch these two beautiful sisters interact; they complement each other perfectly in both personality and style.  With Aspen’s warm and genuine grace and Emma’s bright and bubbly cheer,  watch out world, Emma’s Yarn is headed for greatness!