Marketplace

It’s that time of year when reality hits indie yarn dyers: where am I going to put all that new yarn I ordered? That means it’s time for a sale on Flora Adora Fibers naturally-dyed yarns!

The Flora Adora Fibers sale collection has some out-of-the-ordinary choices, such as heritage breed Tunis Chunky and soft Targhee Polypay Silk DK. All items in the Sale Collection have been further reduced (no code needed). Here’s what you’ll find there:

Meadow Rustic Sport — Flora Adora Fiber’s best-selling yarn and rarely on sale. There were just too many different colors to manage, so some have been discontinued. Two skeins, one of each color is all you’ll need for the mosaic-stitch Pines and Needles shawl or the modular-knit Manty Wrap.

Heritage breed Tunis — A rare-breed, chunky-weight, woolen-spun yarn in naturally-dyed colors. One skein is enough for a Gathering Hat.

Mountain Sport — Made from springy and soft American Rambouillet, just two skeins will make the slip-stitch Springvale Cowl or classic Leipziger Hat.

Targhee Polypay Silk DK — Only four skeins left of this woolen-spun yarn, made at now defunct Zeilinger’s Woolen Mill in Michigan. One skein makes an eye-catching Gro Hat.

Peaceful Worsted — An Aran-weight mix of U.S. Rambouillet and Mohair, one skein of this soft, slightly fuzzy yarn makes two Elisbeth Headbands, or one Classic Ribbed Hat.

Coopworth DK — Grown in Wisconsin and spun in Michigan, this Coopworth yarn is undyed, highlighting its natural gray-brown shade, slight halo, and sheen. It has a wonderful drape, making it perfect for a Sophie Shawl or First Rhythm Wrap.

Take advantage of this sale and experience naturally-dyed yarns at super prices. All yarns are naturally dyed or undyed, and non-Superwash.

Where do natural dyes come from? Natural dye sources are all around us. But they may be invisible until they flower or set seeds. Black walnuts are an example: invisible until they drop from their trees and make a smashed mess along the roadside.

Black walnut hulls — the coverings around the actual nut (and the mess makers) — are great natural dyes, providing lovely browns. Reusing the dye bath (exhaust dyeing) provides a range of browns and tans. Here’s a sampling:

The darkest brown, Russett (on Donegal Tweed DK), comes from the first and strongest dye bath. It’s a gorgeous, slightly reddish brown. In the middle, on Meadow Rustic Tweed-Black Walnut, from the second dye bath. A nice brown brown. And finally, Latte (again on Donegal Tweed DK), from the last bath. The color strength is lessening so the yarn dyes a soft tan.

Natural dyes take a lot of time to prepare — collecting, cooking, etc. — so it only makes sense to get your money’s worth from each batch! And sometimes, exhaust dyeing is the only way to get certain colors. For example, there’s no Latte unless you dye Russett and Black Walnut first!

Hope you enjoyed learning more about where natural dyes come from. Use the link to shop yarns dyed with Black Walnut and other botanicals.

Looking for a simple, fun and portable summer project? The eye-catching Snaggletooth Scarf by Ambah O’Brien is ideal. A perfect first intarsia project with only one color change per row, It’s hard to stop knitting those triangles. Even simpler but still striking is the two-tone Star Scarf by Tori Yu which uses lengthwise knitting to make its point. Either scarf will add a pop of color to your summer wardrobe; try one as a headband, too. Or they’re great for gift giving.

Each Snaggletooth yarn set includes enough naturally dyed Donegal Tweed DK to make one OR the other of these patterns, plus an extra mini skein to jazz up your Snaggletooth if you’re feeling extra playful. Each set is unique, and the naturally-dyed colors are soft but bright at the same time. These are not your usual yarn colors.

• Includes two pre-wound cakes of naturally-dyed, non-Superwash yarn with fun tweed neps, so you can cast on right away
• Mini skein included for jazzing up your Snaggletooth
• Enough yarn for either the Snaggletooth scarf OR the Star scarf
• Patterns NOT included, but available on Ravelry: Snaggletooth Scarf by Ambah O’Brien, Star Scarf by Tori Yu

Spring has sprung! We’re welcoming happy tulips, cheery daffodils and perfumed hyacinths underneath softly fragrant cherry and apple trees. But those breezes are definitely cool. It’s still “sweater weather” or at least cowl, shawl, or vest weather.

Naturally dyed Farmstead Worsted makes beautiful spring projects. The naturally-dyed colors sing spring: soft pinks and yellows, purple and lavender, fresh green. It’s lightweight due to its woolen-spun construction. And due to that construction, it works up more like an Aran or bulky weight yarn, giving you a finished project in no time.

Add an extra layer of warmth to your spring with one of these projects:
Cappuccino Cowl, April’s Vest, Vest No 42, Nordic Bloom, Cassandra Vest Adult, Brookdale vest.

Feeling down because it feels like everyone but you is visiting this weekend’s Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival?

Cheer Up! This collection of naturally dyed, farm-sourced yarn is a mini fiber festival all on its own! And it’s only available online from Flora Adora Fibers.

Sourced from small farms in Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania, the fleeces were custom spun at small mills in MI, PA, IL, & VT by people who really know wool.

There’s rare-breed yarn (Kelly’s Tunis), bouncy Rambouillet (Mountain Sport), woolen spun skeins (Farmstead Fingering and Worsted), single-breed yarns (Kelly’s Tunis and Coopworth DK), and luxurious Targhee Polypay with silk DK.

Some skeins are undyed, but most are botanically dyed with foraged, home-grown or sustainably produced materials including goldenrod, indigo, madder and Lac.

Everything is non-Superwash, meaning it hasn’t been chemically or mechanically treated to prevent felting.

What does non-Superwash mean for you?
• Better structure & grip
• Warmer & more breathable
• More elastic & resilient
• Felting ability (if you want it to)
• More natural / less processed

What you see listed in the Flora Adora Fibers shop is all there is. Some of these yarns are nearly out of stock-and on sale, so take advantage of super prices on these uncommon yarns.

And all that money you would have spent on travel and hotels? You can spend it on something really special and memorable, like beautiful yarn.

Brand new Farmstead Fingering is the little sister of Farmstead Worsted. Like sisters, they share the same roots and character, but each has her own personality. Farmstead Fingering is the lighter and more playful of the pair: similar at heart, but with her own spunky ideas.

The wool comes from the sheep of my former Ohio neighbor, Debbie. I skirted and washed the raw fleeces before sending them off to Vermont’s Green Mountain Spinnery to be woolen spun.
Because I ended up with considerably fewer skeins than expected, Farmstead Fingering is a one-batch wonder. When it’s gone, it’s truly gone.

Botanically dyed, these unique and vibrant colors are derived from plants and other natural materials. This yarn is minimally processed and non-Superwash so you’ll experience that real wool feel.

What will you make with this bouncy 2-ply? How about a cushy pair of socks, a fun mini scarf, or an eye-catching multicolor shawl?

Available online, or shop in person at the Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival (Barn 3).

When you’re a natural dyer, it’s so easy to get swept up by all the possibilities. What color will this plant make? How about this bark? Next thing you know, there’s been a yarn takeover!

That explains how I ended up with 52 different colors of naturally-dyed Meadow Rustic Sport — WAY too many to manage. So it’s time to free up some space.

Every color was created with natural materials. Some foraged on my property, including black walnut and chestnut hulls (see Red Splash Black Walnut). Some homegrown, such as coreopsis flowers (summery Orange Sherbert). Soft corals and pinks from new Madder techniques.

And a handful of One-of-a-Kind Wonders you won’t see again.

You definitely won’t find these colors at your LYS.

Meadow Rustic Sport is Flora Adora Fiber’s best-selling yarn and almost never goes on sale. Here’s your chance for a great price combined with special colors on a magical yarn.

Wondering what to make? Just a few of so many possibilities are: Tearmann Shawl, Mapledown Vest, Missoni Accomplished Pullover, Pines and Needles Shawl.