Kristi of Birdie Parker Designs is a self-proclaimed fiber addict with a degree in metalsmithing. She uses cupric nitrate and electricity to electro-etch stitch stockinette and garter stitch patterns (crochet coming soon!) into sterling silver, brass and copper for earrings, necklaces, bracelets and stitch markers. If you’re going to Stitches United at the end of May/beginning of June, she’ll be there booth 709. If not, you can take 15% off your online order through June 30 with the code INDIEINTRO.
Sara of La Cave à Laine has fallen down the rabbit hole of linocut, which uses linoleum instead of rubber. She is now offering Linocut Totes, which feature her original drawings. These 100% cotton totes are limited, so act fast!
I’m not shirting you. Slipped Stitch Studios is debuting artist Cynthia Frenette’s less spicy fabric designs. Preorders open today at 9 a.m. Pacific and run through Monday.
Shanna of Lambstrings Yarn has opened up preorders for kits for Caitlin Hunter’s Navelli tee, with 12 possible color combos.
Eden Cottage Yarns is having an update on Tuesday at 8 p.m. UK time with sparkly yarn to mark Eurovision.
Heather of Sew Happy Jane has a new, limited-edition colorway, Tulips, that will be available in limited quantities in her shop today.
Kate of McMullin Fiber Co. has a gorgeous new colorway inspired by actress Molly Ringwald and she nailed it, with soft peachy pinks and deep auburn oranges.
Jennifer of Spirit Trail Fiberworks is having a Lucky Pot shop update, for which she’s dyed one-of-a-kind, never to be reproduced colorways (so once they’re gone, they’re gone). This installment of both springtime colorways and autumn-y/earthy shades is on her Aurora single-ply fingering-weight Superwash Merino base.
Slipped Stitch Studios is having a Super(hero) Fun shop update that will go live at 9 a.m. Pacific time today. These limited- edition prints are ready to ship.
Selena of Sweater Sisters has kits for her Nantahala shawl, which she says is “inspired by a summer day in the beautiful hardwood forests of the east coast areas of North America,” available on two skeins of WayfaringYarns’ Monaco, a single-ply fingering weight yarn of 100% Extra Fine Merino.
Robin of October House Fiber Arts has also been inspired by spring and has some new spring colorways. There are tonals, speckles and variegated.
All Points South is one of my favorite knits and all-time-favorite FOs, so I was excited to see that Casapinka’s design for LYS Day, Magical Thinking, was a very similar style. It’s a fun knit with varied stitch patterns that keep things interesting, but never too complicated. And I love the fact that I can make another one of these in a similar style, but that I won’t be knitting it all over again. Bronwyn has just kicked off a Magical Thinking KAL in her Ravelry group, so grab those three yarns that just look perfect together and fall in love.
If The Force is strong in you this weekend, then set your alarm for 9 a.m. Pacific today. Slipped Stitch Studios has bags and accessories in four Star Wars-themed fabrics, limited edition Millennium Falcon stitch markers and rare Star Wars Pattern Wallets. These items are limited and ready to ship.
If you’re the plan-ahead type, then you can order your yarny Advent Calendar from Marianated Yarns now to ship in November. Kits include 24 mini skeins in a few different base options, tons of goodies and a custom-dyed full skein.
Aimee of Pancake and Lulu is all about the purples and pale pastels, plus spinners can check out new batts with sparkly Stellina.
Sunshine of My Mama Knits has a variety of one-of-a-kind single batches available in various weights from lace to super chunky.
Lisa The Knitting Artist is having a clearance sale to make room for new bases and colors, with sock and worsted yarn $15 to $18 per skein.
Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival seems to have snuck up on me this year. While I don’t have a stashing plan in mind (which probably means I’ll do more damage than I planned), I’m looking forward to spending time with beloved fiber friends and meeting some of my favorite indie business owners.
To help you plan, here’s a roundup of the Indie Untangled vendors at both the pop-up at The Knot House and the Howard County Fairgrounds, and a peek at just some of the goodies they’ll be bringing.
THE KNOT HOUSE INDIE POP-UP
This is the fifth annual indie pop-up that Cathy and Heather of The Knot House are throwing. In the spirit of the Indie Untangled Rhinebeck Trunk Show, it brings together a collection of dyers and makers from around North America. Unlike the IU Rhinebeck show, it runs all weekend, with a preview party on Friday night from 5 to 9 p.m.
Dragon Hoard Yarn is a one woman show run by Trysten out of Utah. Her style is inspired by pop culture, geeky fandoms, and witchy themes.
I’ll be bringing the entire Outlander collection, including:
Lallybroch (green), Red Jamie (Orange), Clan Fraser (blue), and Je Suis Prest. (Blue and brown). I’ll also be giving a sneak peek at a new design coming out in July! The Moondrip Summer Tee will be showcased, and I will be there to help people create kits!
Aimee & Brian are the dyers of Little Fox Yarn, based just outside of Richmond, Virginia. Their subtle, wearable colorways are inspired by the Blue Ridge Mountains where Aimee grew up.
We will be at the Knot House Indie Dyer Pop Up this weekend. We will have all of our usual lineup of tonal yarns including our new Vixen Lace base.
Bare Naked Wools offers natural, dye-free, artisanal yarns in single breed and wool blends, wool and alpaca blends, and unique luxury blends.
• The hat is the “Happy Dog Cap” which we will be selling at MDSW as a kit with Betty King Natural Dyes Merino DK.
• The pullover sweater is “Multigrain”
• The lace shawl is “Harrier”
• The yarn is Better Breakfast DK, a luxury alpaca blend
Bijou Basin Ranch provides sustainably harvested, high quality exotic yarns & fibers dyed by various indie dyers across the country. After 15 years of merchandising yarn, BBR will be closing its doors by the end of the year, so don’t miss your chance to see, feel and purchase at our last MDS&W Festival!
Pictured clockwise from the top left are:
Solids by MJ Yarns on Xanadu, 100% Mongolian Cashmere
The Valkyries Series by MJ Yarns on Gobi, 35/65 baby camel/Mulberry silk
The Mariposa Series by Colorful Eclectic on Himalayan Summit, 50/50 yak/Merino — brand new at the show!
Various colors by ModeKnit Yarns on Tibetan Dream, 85/15 yak/nylon
Dragonfly Fibers has been dyeing high-quality yarn and fiber in suburban Washington, DC, for more than ten years. We’re known for our vivid and saturated tonal and variegated colorways, and we have gorgeous neutrals, too! Come see all that’s new and beautiful in the Lower Outside Corral!
Our brand-new tote bag is free to the first 25 customers both days and all purchases over $125. Available for purchase for $12.
Our newest yarn, Faerie, an ethereal mohair-silk blend, is perfect for warm-weather knitting. The Jocelyn colorway (shown in Pixie, also in Jocelyn) makes for a beautiful spring Elton, by Joji Locatelli.
Our show exclusive colorway, Carroll Creek Park’s bright and happy colors make it perfect for spring! It will be available on multiple bases. Supplies are limited, so be sure to stop by early in the morning for the best selection.
We will also have three great kits for the brand-new Casapinka design, Magical Thinking, which made its debut last Saturday during LYS Day.
We specialize in British and U.S. rare and heritage breed sheep. We gain our inspiration from the sheep themselves and the beautiful countryside. For those participating in the Shave Em to Save Em and the 52 weeks of sheep programs we will have both natural spinning fibers and yarns produced from the sheep here at the farm.
Knittyandcolor specializes in eye popping bright, unique pastel, and fun speckled yarn and fiber. Her husband, Subterranean Woodworks specializes in finely crafted, exotic wood and hand dyed Turkish spindles.
Created by sisters, Helen and Mary Beth, Toad Hollow makes project bags and hand dyed yarn. Our products all have a whimsical sense usually based on books and fandoms we love. Limited quantities of our Maryland 2019 color, “Crab Pickin,” will be available this weekend.
Wolle’s Yarn Creations will be at MDSW for the third year and we are bringing our amazingly soft and deluxe Cotton/Silk yarns as well as our new Cotton/Bamboo yarns. Also, new this year: DK Cotton yarns, perfect for all your summer tops. Stop by and touch our yarns — feeling is believing.
Sam of Lavender Lune Yarn Co. has created the ultimate low-comittment indie yarn club with what she has dubbed The Indie Project. Each month, she teams up with another dyer and each of them take a stab at creating one-of-a-kind colorways based on a common inspiration photo. For April, Sam is working with Nicole of Hue Loco to create a set of yarn inspired by the photo above that can be used for a summer top designed by Olga from Handmade Closet. Preorders will go live in Sam’s shop this Monday, April 1 and they will be open for only one week.
To make up for your fiber festival envy, Sheila of BigFootFibers is giving 25% off when you purchase any four items, including mini skein sets, like her Luck ‘O the Irish Mini Skein Set of the Month.
Stephanie of Rock Solid Designs just released these adorable Stealthy Sloth project bags. Because sloths are the new owls.
Augusta of adKnits has introduced new knitters’ mini sketchbooks, which are great for jotting down notes or sketching out a quick idea while on the go.
Elisabeth of Wolle’s Yarn Creations has new DK Color Changing Cotton yarns now available in six colors. They are perfect for summer tops that will actually knit up fast, at a gauge of 5 stitches per inch.
Julia of Pandia’s Jewels will be releasing her latest shawl pattern, called Winter’s Moon, in May and has created a Pandia’s Moon Box filled with everything you need to make the shawl. Preorders are open through this Sunday.
Missy of This Craft Or That has sets available for mug rugs, to hold your cup of coffee or tea and a small snack while you’re working on your WIP. The sets are dyed on Treasure Dust Minis a blend of Superwash Merino, nylon and Lurex.
Lisa The Knitting Artist has been busy creating new colors and designs. The biggest update is the addition of semi-speckled “paintwater” colorways and tonals that are perfect for fades and striping projects when paired with her original handpainted yarns.
Despondent Dyes has introduced a new non-Superwash sportweight base called Vintage Vixen.
There are still a few sweater quantities of Journey Worsted available (pictured above is Redwoods), as well as Christine’s new Merino Silk Single, her Merino Single, Mericash Fingering and Canonball Sock available in the Virtual Trunk Show — but not for long.
Jen of Porterness Studio is celebrating her 5th birthday as a jewelry maker and you get a present! Use the code IU5Years to get 25% off your order until this Sunday, March 3. You’ll also get a free sterling silver stitch marker with every purchase.
Michelle of Crafty Flutterby Creations has added dragonfly shawl pins to her shop. Use one to add some sparkle to your favorite shawl, cowl, scarf or cardigan.
Liz of HighFiberArtz recently launched a yarn collection that shows off her style of dyeing. Each yarn in Liz’s Inspiration collection is based on a photograph. She also recently started dyeing sock blanks.
Victoria of Eden Cottage Yarns is collaborating with Jaya of Apoorva Designs on the Four Seasons Collection, which will include four shawls or wraps inspired by Jaya’s favorite poems. Sign-ups for a subscription to the collection, which will include the yarn, pattern and other goodies, begin today at 7 p.m. UK time. At the same time, the next round of signups will open for The Potting Shed, a monthly yarn subscription club. And, finally, Victoria will be having a regular shop update featuring Oakworth 4ply, a 100% Superwash NZ Polwarth, at 1 p.m. UK time on Sunday.
At this year’s VKL NYC, MollyGirl Yarn is part of what has been dubbed the Megabooth, a collaboration between Angela, Woolyn, One Geek To Craft Them All, Yarn Over New York and Wee Ones Creations. Highlights include the City Windows kit, which includes a pattern by Rachel of Woolyn, and skeins from MollyGirl and Yarn Over New York, a new base called Boogie Woogie comprised of 85% Italian Superwash Merino and 15% nylon, Rock Star Sport for all those new sportweight patterns, signups for Volume II of Mollygirl’s Spotlight club, which is themed around the musical Wicked, and a new set of fun enamel pins featuring artwork by Xandy Peters — one of the folks Angela met during that first VKL four years ago.
But if you’re not in NYC this weekend, don’t sweat it — everything shown on Angela’s Indie Untangled post will be available online on Monday, January 28!
Liz of HighFiberArtz, an Oregon-based IU newcomer, dyes colorways inspired by things around her, on high-quality bases in weights from lace to worsted.
Sew Happy Jane has a new base for the new year: Springy Sport, because sport is the new fingering. And get 10% off when you spend more than $100 with the code OVER100.
In plenty of time for V-Day, the Pandia’s Jewels Romance Collection features new colors, stitch markers and kits. There are several yarn bases to choose from, from fingering to DK weight.
Michelle of Crafty Flutterby Creations is opening sign-ups for her Enchanted Forest Shawl Pin Club. It includes a monthly shipment of an exclusive shawl pin, notions, as well as yarn, pattern and book suggestions.
It’s that time of year again, when Times Square gets overtaken by knitters on a mission, dodging tourists and glaring at the Starbucks line, hoping to make it to their 9 a.m. brioche class on time — or just to the Marketplace to shop for yarn.
The Marketplace at this year’s VKL NYC — taking place at the Marriott Marquis in Times Square from January 25-27 — looks to be the busiest it’s ever been. To help you prepare, I’ve put together a guide to the Indie Untangled vendors that you need to visit. Each vendor has introduced themselves and is offering a sneak peek at some of the yarns and products they’ll be bringing.
Will you be there this weekend (and on the subway Saturday)?
Asylum Fibers focuses on in-your-face, vibrant tones and one-of-a-kind colorways on over 15 bases, both versatile and luxurious. The brand name was thought up in order to incorporate the playfulness of horror flicks while leveraging the other meaning of the word “asylum,” acknowledging that crafting is such a wonderful, meaningful form of therapy and comfort.
Stop by to “embrace your crazy” with a photo shoot and check out some new 2019 colorways. Available will be an event colorway called Sidewalk Reflections, a new base called Brainless Bulky and The Brainless Beanie, a free pattern corresponding with the release of this new base, and a 2019 mini set featuring new colors, including I’m Alive, inspired by the Pantone color of the year.
I dye everything out of my home’s basement in New Jersey and I’m inspired by all things cute and pink.
I’ll be bringing more than 20 new colorways, some of which are one-of-a-kinds and will never be repeated again. A ton of new colors are inspired by Sailor Moon, which is a show I religiously watched growing up.
Dragonfly Fibers has been dyeing high-quality yarn and fiber in suburban Washington, DC, for more than 10 years. We’re known for our vivid and saturated tonal and variegated colorways, and we have gorgeous neutrals, too! Come see all that’s new and beautiful in booths 807 and 809!
Pictured above is the Plumpy Shawl by Andrea Mowry. Sample shown in the Starry Night colorway of our Traveller Fade Color Pack (plus one additional skein of Starry Night). Four other fade packs are available — Fade to Back, Reds to Browns, Blues to Browns and Blues.
Nightshift shawl by Andrea Mowry. Sample is shown in one of two kit options of six two-ounce skeins of Traveller: Jocelyn, Mossy Glen, Into the Woods, Hot Pants, Arya, and Limelight The other kit is Cheshire Cat, Airport Hot Sauce, Titania, That Ol’ Chestnut, Silver Fox, Velvet Underground.
Garment District, our show exclusive colorway! Shown in Djinni, our fingering weight MCN. It will be available in multiple bases but supplies are limited.
Most of my dying revolves around themes. At VKL in NY I will have Disney Men, Disney Villains as well as a few added colorways to series I currently have, plus many new semisolids in fingering/DK and worsted weights.
Pictured are Pittsburgh Steelers, Cast Iron, Hyacinth and Beth.
Katrinkles makes buttons, wearable accessories, tools for fiber artists and custom products out of durable wood. Each piece is lovingly designed, carefully crafted and hand-finished in our Providence, RI, studio.
[Editor’s note: You can preorder some special VKL items (not the stitch marker pins, unfortunately) to pick up at the show on the Katrinkles website through the end of the day today.]
Lady Dye Yarns has specialized in hand-dyed, vibrant and saturated yarns since 2010. I believe in promoting a more diverse crafting community through my actions and building collaborations with others.
In addition to tons of new colorways, I will have my limited-edition Fingering Merino Cashmere yarn just for VKL in my Black Panther colorway and in all of my new colorways. Also in my booth will be Alex Creates, Crochet Luna, Fully Spun and Alasdair Post-Quinn, all representing diverse backgrounds culturally, but also in their work.
Aimee and Brian are the dyers of Little Fox Yarn, based just outside of Richmond, Virginia. Their beautiful, wearable colorways are inspired by the Blue Ridge Mountains where Aimee grew up.
MollyGirl Yarn is a rockin’ yarn company featuring exclusive yarns inspired by music! Their Vogue lineup includes 2 new yarns, tons of new mini bundles, new enamel pins featuring art from designer Xandy Peters and signups for Volume II of the Spotlight Club!
This is mYak: Born in Tibet, Crafted in Italy.
A natural fiber unique in the world.
Born in one of the world’s most extreme locations.
Made with Italian artisanal quality.
At VKL we are going to present our line of Baby Yak and Tibetan Cashmere in both kits and single skeins with the beautiful designs created for us by incredibly talented designers.
We’re Katie and Kara of Nice and Knit — sisters, best friends, knitters and color enthusiasts. We work hard to bring you the very best of what we love, from our creative patterns to our quality hand-dyed yarns. We love working together in our light-filled Connecticut studio, dyeing yarn, shipping orders, and brainstorming our next big idea. Thank you for being a part of our dream!
We’ll be featuring an VKL color way called Times Square and custom City Lights bags from Sandy by the Lakeside.
One Geek to Craft Them All makes stitch markers, notions pouches, project bags, and jewelry for all crafters. Inspired by music, movies, books, history, and more I bring a nerdy flair to all I make. My designs are to inspire everyone’s inner geek.
[Editor’s note: Marsha will have exclusive Indie Untangled yarn ball earrings in her booth!]
Ritual Dyes is an independent Dyehouse out of Portland, Oregon, that focuses on wearable, subtle colorways of hand-dyed yarn. We also offer a line of modern project bags including the Knitter’s Backpack.
We will be bringing along kits for Caitlin Hunter’s Alyeska pattern, kits from our new, sign-specific Zodiac Collection, an exciting version of our popular Knitter’s Backpack – the Knitter’s Sling Bag (in leather!) as well as our new American Rambouillet line.
Shelli designs enamel pins, apparel, and other accessories for fiber lovers. She’ll be releasing an exclusive VKL design (pizza!) on a variety of items along with some collaborations by Tuft Woolens, Havirland, Katrinkles and Bunny & Toot.
Based in Rochester, N.Y., Yarn Culture brings yarn, inspiration and designers from around the corner and around the world.
Meet Åsa Tricosa and see her beautiful collection of Ziggerats Sweaters.
Participate in a VKL-NYC exclusive preview of Rosy Green Wool’s new Manx Merino Fine collection and be the first to see Melanie Berg’s newest shawl design, Glückauf.
We’ve got a gorgeous selection of garments and yarn from Rochester, N.Y.’s own Renee from Spun Right Round, including the exclusive colorway ROC City Blooms.
Youghiogheny Yarns, pronounced “yock-i-gainey,” is the creation of husband and wife team, Todd & Keri Fosbrink. Color is everywhere in the Youghiogheny River Valley no matter the season, and Youghiogheny Yarns wants to help you bring some of that color into your life and projects.
Pictured above are their colorways Blueberry Lemonade, Coral Cove, Chinese Fireball and a preview of their 2019 show exclusive, I Beg Your Pardon!
Zen Yarn Garden’s dye studio is based is Ontario, Canada. Our yarn is special. We take pride in providing the most luxurious fibres and dyeing them in a range of beautiful semi-solid, splatter and one-of-a-kind colourways. We know every yarn you buy is destined to have many hours in your stash and on your needles. With each skein we strive to reflect the same passion that you have for your projects and craft in our yarns.
We will have a myriad of colourways available in several bases and will be offering free patterns with yarn purchases. Be sure to check out our Lux Blanx which knit up and express colours in unique ways!
Stephania of Three Fates Yarn takes a different, less speckled path than other indie dyers, and her semisolids and gradients are perfect for colorwork projects that require the colors to stand out from one another. Enter her Helios mini skeins. Comprised of 60% Superwash Merino, 20% yak and 20% silk, they are a great match for items that require a bit of luxurious warmth with next-to-the-skin softness. Stephania has moved from Etsy to a new home on a new website, so step in and take a look around, and get to know her and her lovely yarns a little better.
Tamy recently debuted her Harpers Ferry shawl, which uses a main color contrasted with mohair and mini skeins (see above on where to get minis!). The result is a beautiful melding of high-contrast color, though you can also use a gradient for a more subtle look.
And speaking of minis… Jen of Porterness Studio has a new mini double-sided Yarn Life and stockinette motif sterling silver necklace. It’s designed to show flip as you wear it during the day to show off both sides. It normally retails for $125, but Indie Untangled readers get an introductory price of $95 with the code IndieYarnMini25 through January 24.
As the Outlander series comes to a close, so does Inner Yarn Zen’s Season 4 Outlander Unclub. Pictured is a photo of the yarn from Round 2, which is available on its own or as part of a package with all three rounds.
This is going to be Jennifer of Spirit Trail Fiberworks’ new view in New Mexico and it’s inspiring her New Beginnings yarn club. This quarterly club will ship in March, June, September and December and you can get one skein to up to four skeins per shipment.
Amanda of Wild Hair Studio has one of the few flocks of Romeldale/CVM sheep in the southeastern U.S. This breed, which is considered endangered, will be highlighted in her quarterly fiber club, which is now accepting members. Each club release will include roving, batts or smidgens (mini batts) of a Romeldale/CVM wool and/or Romeldale/CVM wool blend from her studio. If you’re more a knitter than a spinner, there is also a handspun option!
Slipped Stitch Studios is bringing you some enchantment under the sea. No, not the dance in Back To the Future, but a collection of project bags and other goodies featuring mermaids, sharks, narwhals and more. They’re on sale today at 9 a.m. Pacific time.
Kate of McMullin Fiber Co. hosting a winter make-along with prizes and loose rules. To enter, you can make a project using 50% or more of McMullin Fiber Co. materials and post about it publicly on social media. She’s kicking off the MAL with a sale: use the code TREATYOSELF for 25% off everything in the shop until January 24.
One of the best things about running Indie Untangled is getting to work with talented dyers to come up with exclusive colorways, whether it’s for the Rhinebeck Trunk Show, the Knitting Our National Parks project or the Where We Knit yarn club. And while I love collecting hand-dyed yarn as much as the next knitter, I truly enjoy seeing those colorways put to use in beautiful sweaters, shawls, cowls and more.
For the 2018 Indie Untangled Year In Review, I’ve compiled some of my favorite projects that use Indie Untangled exclusives.
Pictured above is Cecilia’s Sunset Highway with La Bien Aimée Merino Singles in Automne à Rhinebeck, Asylum Fibers Solitary in Rhinebeck’s All The Craze, Dark Harbour Yarn Port in Davy Jones Locker and La Bien Aimée Merino Singles in Yellow Brick Road
Aimee’s Rainshadow in La Bien Aimée Merino Singles Kingston and Hudson
Janet’s Local Yarn Shawl with The Farmer’s Daughter Fibers Foxy Lady in Kiowa
So many indie dyers. One email.