issue seven : michigan meet the dyers

Hi everyone!

When Becky and I were brainstorming the mission and purpose of Nomadic Knits, the main theme kept coming back to local. Local in the sense of the artists living and working in the region we’re exploring, as well as local in the sense of small businesses. Who are the people behind the scenes, the ones who are the backbone of the fiber festivals, the ones encouraging new knitters and new designers. We set out to find these artists so we can share them with you, and with anyone we meet. I hope that you’ll take a few minutes to get to know these indie yarn dyers, explore their colorways, and plan your next cast-on.

While Nomadic Knits is indie dyer-centric, we know that not everyone can afford this luxury, and we want all knitters and fiber enthusiasts to feel welcome in our community. As always, all of our patterns include fiber content and yardage so you can substitute with your stash or with less expensive big box yarns. When in doubt of a substitution, a quick swatch can make sure you’re on the right track.

Michigan knitters are especially lucky; they live in a state full of local talent! Every indie yarn dyer that we found in Michigan was so excited to collaborate, and it was wonderful to work with each of them. We had been hoping to meet some of these amazing women in person this summer to share a few cocktails, but 2020 happened… The fiber festivals in Michigan must be incredible with all this yarn goodness, and we look forward to attending one day.

We know, as knitters, that sometimes it can be challenging to picture how a particular skein of yarn or colorway combination will look knit into a particular design, so we thought we’d share some before and after pictures. You can click on each yarn photo to go to the dyer’s website, and on each design photo to go to its Ravelry pattern page.

In alphabetical order:

Adelaide Fiber Co. Victoria Fingering in Pebble:

Hank of yarn in a pale greige with dusky purple and maroon speckles; the indie dyed yarn was used in the Mackinac knitting pattern found in Nomadic Knits creative knitting magazine two hands against a denim skirt; hands are wearing mitts knit using pale brownish beige indie dyed yarn from Adelaide Fiber co. Mitts are Mackinac mitts by kate atherley; knitting pattern is available in Nomadic Knits knitting magazine subscription

AJHC Wools Yak Silk DK in Natural and NYX:

2 twisted hanks of indie dyed yarn from indie yarn dyer AJHC; the skein on the left is a beautiful gray/ grey and the one on the right is a deep navy. Both colorways were used in the Higgins Lake hat knitting pattern by Jodi Brown of Grocery Girls knit, and paired with a pom pom; found in Nomadic Knits knitting magazine subscription Higgins Lake hat, a grey and navy mosaic pattern with a floofy pom pom, knitting pattern by Jodi Brown of Grocery Girls knit, knit with AJHC indie yarn dyers yarn; found in Nomadic Knits creative knitting magazine

Aquarius Make Fingering in Speckled Wish:

Hank of pale pink yarn with blue speckles, displayed on a wooden surface with a bouquet of small pine cones. The indie yarn dyer is Aquarius Make and is the colorway shown in the Mackinac Mitts knitting pattern, found in Nomadic Knits creative knitting magazine

Briar Rose Fibers Sonoma in #1804:

Deep grey - slate blue indie dyed yarn from Briar Rose, in Sonoma base; as used in Petoskey knitting pattern by Ann Budd, found in Nomadic Knits creative knitting magazine. View from the back of a blond woman wearing a knitted cabled cowl in deep grayish slate blue; knitting pattern by ann budd in Sonoma from indie yarn dyer Briar Rose fibers; found in Nomadic Knits creative knitting magazine.

Driftwood Dyeworks DK in Cabin:

two twisted hanks of yarn in a pretty rose gold tonal yarn; the colorway was used on the Beautifully Basic henley knitting pattern found in nomadic knits knitting magazine subscription White woman against a wooden fence backdrop wearing a straw hat and a pinkish brown henley sweater; knitting pattern by Melissa Kemmerer using Cabin from indie yarn dyer Driftwood Dyeworks; found in Nomadic Knits creative knitting magazine

Graphic Dyeworks Widow Singles in Dioptase:

Indie yarn dyer Graphic Dyeworks yarn in a beautiful hank; greys, blues, a touch of brown; as used in Mackinac Mitts knitting pattern by Kate atherley, found in Nomadic knits creative knitting magazine  Two hands clad in greyish-green knitted mitts with cables, holding a mug filled with tea. The knitting pattern is by Kate Atherley and can be found in Nomadic Knits creative knitting magazine

Hawari Bazaar Yarn Nova in Whitby:

Indie yarn dyer Hawari Bazaar in Whitby, as used in Mile Road Tank knitting pattern by Tina Tse, found in Nomadic Knits creative knitting magazine Young blond woman looking over her right shoulder. She is wearing the Mile Road tank, a knitting pattern by tina tse, knit in indie dyed yarn by Hawari Bazaar. Mile Road tank can be found in Nomadic Knits knitting magazine. Picture demonstrates negative ease in knitting.

Hawari Bazaar Yarn Scarab in Superior:

Two twisted hanks of yarn; pale blue speckled on the left and cerulean blue on the right; yarn is from indie yarn dyer Hawari Bazaar of Michigan; colorways used in Dearborn Cardigan and Mile Road Tank, two knitting patterns by Tina Tse; available in Nomadic Knits knitting magazine subscription American-born Chinese woman standing in front of a grey stone wall, smiling, hands on hips, wearing two knitted garments; a pale whitish yellow tank under a blue wide-sleeved cardigan. Both knitting patterns, knit in indie dyed yarn from Hawari Bazaar, can be found in Nomadic Knits creative knitting magazine

Knitterly Things Semi Vesper Sock in Blitz Blue:

Two hands wearing Mackinac Mitts in indie dyed yarn from Knitterly Things in Blue Blitz; found in Nomadic Knits creative knitting magazine

Mint Rain Soft Sock in Grey Skies:

twisted hank of grey tonal yarn; indie yarn dyer mint rain; colorway used on mackinac mitts by kate atherley; knitting design found in Nomadic Knits knitting magazine subscription mackinac mitts in grey on a pair of hands with a backdrop of bricks; knitting pattern by Kate atherley in grey yarn from indie yarn dyer; found in Nomadic Knits creative knitting magazine

Roberta Rae Fibers MCN Sock in Steel Fog:

a quarter circle of 4 pairs of mackinac mitts, a knitting pattern by kate atherley and found in Nomadic Knits knitting magazine subscription; indie yarn dyers shown

The Plucky Knitter Hazel Worsted in Tea & Sympathy and Keepsake; Halo Worsted in Antiqued:

twisted hank of dusty pink yarn; colorway from plucky knitter in knitting pattern Sakura from Nomadic Knits knitting magazine subscription Sakura sweater in plucky knitter hand dyed yarn, worn by a blond woman on a dock over a river; the sweater is pink with burgundy flowers; knitting pattern found in Nomadic Knits creative knitting magazine

The Plucky Knitter Plucky Feet in Boots & Faded Jeans:
Twisted hank of a dusky blue colorway from indie yarn dyer plucky knitter. Two blue socks in indie dyed yarn from the Plucky Knitter, in a delicately cabled knitting design from Tracie Millar of Grocery Girls knit, knitting pattern found in Nomadic Knits creative knitting magazine
This Craft or That Comfy DK in Meadow:

Two twisted hanks of pale green tonal yarn; colorway is Meadow from Indie yarn dyer This Craft or That, used in Agate Falls knitting pattern in Nomadic Knits knitting magazine subscription  

Twisted Fiber Art Yummy in Dusk Evolutions:

close up of a cake of gradient yarn; deep purple on the outside, fading through indigo to green to beige. indie yarn dyer twisted fiber art Blond woman in front of a river, wrapped in a tan and purple striped shawl. The knitting pattern is by Rizzaknits, using indie dyed yarn from Twisted Fiber art; found in Nomadic Knits creative knitting magazine

UP North Yarns DK Superwash Merino and Silk in Grand Sable Dunes:

pile of indie dyed yarn from indie yarn dyer up north yarns in michigan; grand sable dunes, a golden yellow color, was used in the third coast cowl and third coast pullover, both by Laura Dobratz of four purls local yarn shop; found in Nomadic Knits knitting magazine subscription Third coast cowl draped over a chair; a golden yellow from indie yarn dyer UPNorth; knitting pattern by Laura Dobratz and found in Nomadic Knits creative knitting magazine

UPNorth indie dyed yarn in grand sable dunes as used in third coast and third coast cowl knitting pattern by Laura Dobratz, found in Nomadic Knits creative knitting magazine 

Why Knot Fibers Spunky in Moss, Shoreline, and Pewter; and Ripple, Pewter, and Shoreline:

Four twisted hanks of indie dyed yarn, from bottom to top: Moss, Pewter, Ripple, Shoreline; these colorways were used in the Mother of Motors shawl knitting pattern found in Nomadic Knits knitting magazine subscription Green, silver and tan shawl draped over a dressform; knitting pattern by michelle grace, aka knitdraper; shown in Why Knot Fibers indie dyed yarn; found in Nomadic Knits creative knitting magazine

The Yarn and Us 80/20 in Greenware:

2 twisted hanks of pale green yarn from the yarn and us indie yarn dyer; colorway used in mackinac mitts by kate atherley; knitting pattern found in Nomadic Knits knitting magazine subscription stack of six pairs of Mackinac Mitts, a knitting pattern by kate atherley, shown in six different colorways from indie yarn dyers in michigan. The mitts are featured in Nomadic Knits knitting magazine subscription

To the incredible dyers of Michigan: We are so grateful to each of you for your generosity and enthusiasm in pulling this issue together! When Becky and I are finally able to get there, we’re taking you out for cocktails!

xo

Melissa

PS: Be sure to check out our latest issue, Michigan, and sign up for a knitting magazine subscription or pick out a beautiful pom pom for your next hat!

 

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