This is the sixth in a series of blog posts featuring the fabulous sponsors of Indie Untangled, taking place from October 15-24, 2021. Tickets are now available!
Three Irish Girls is a well-known name in the yarn world. In operation for more than a decade, it’s currently run by Duluth, Minnesota-based Erin McFarland, who creates bright, cheerful colors inspired by, among other things, pop culture — The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, The Beatles — and nature.
We’re excited to have Erin at the in-person event as well as the online show!
Tell me about how you got started dyeing yarn.
I started dyeing yarn in 2009 when my childhood friend, Sharon McMahon was moving back home with her yarn-dyeing business, Three Irish Girls, to our hometown in Minnesota at the same time that I was moving home from New Zealand.
What inspires your colorways?
This is a loaded question!
Anything from inspirational photos, artwork, nature, color palette photos from Pinterest, but sometimes from a feeling transposed into color.
Do you have a favorite color or colors, and have they changed since you became a dyes?
Currently, anything in the mustard realm and cool fuchsia like Midge from my Mrs. Maisel collection. Truly my favorite color changes frequently as is is sooo mood driven for me to which color I am attracted to…
I just say rainbow 🌈 most of the time.
Is there a color that you would love to dye, but that is challenging to create?
It is so funny, but a proper camel tan is extremely hard to get just right… still haven’t figured it out yet — but I will someday!
What are some of your most popular colorways?
I feel my top 10 include:
Space Oddity
Rocket Man
Fireside Chat
Everlasting Gobstopper
When Doves Cry
Magnolia
Bless Your Heart
River Delta
Skinny Jeans
Guinness
Can you share some of your plans for Indie Untangled?
I am featuring:
Designer Lisa Ross and her work with coordinating kits
Knitrino samples with coordinating yarn
A featured colorway from Northern Minnesota called Lake Superior Agate
My Mrs. Maisel collection of coloways
NEW, YET-TO-BE-RELEASED COLLECTIONS:
Across The Universe/Beatles Inspired
Anne of Green Gables
Fall
Spooky Halloween
Expect sweater quantities and a wide variety of variegated colorways in our custom base, Adorn Luxe fingering; Springvale DK, Worsted and Bulky; Dubliner Silk; Alpaca Merino DK and Claddagh Silk Mohair in semisolids and speckles.
When and how did you learn to knit?
When I was living in New Zealand, a kind woman at the local yarn shop showed me a few things. Then I used YouTube to keep learning as I tried different patterns.
What are some of your favorite FOs you or your customers have made with your yarn?
There are so many but if I were to choose one I love the Soldotna Crop by Caitlin Hunter that we had made with our yarn for a show sample and my Throwback Cardigan by Andrea Mowry that I made.
What’s currently on your needles?
I am currently working on Hearthstone pullover by Ysolda Teague in our colorway Arroyo (go figure — mustard gold and pretty speckles!).
