How To Create Wool Yarn Collections

How To Create Wool Yarn Collections

So. To make a long story short, my “job” is such that I never really know when I will be called in. It could be a couple days a month, it could be more. Or less. As it turns out, the day I get in my first large shipment of yarn (or maybe it was the day after), and decided to go full force dyeing until all 250 skeins were finished and fabulous, I get a call and realize I am to be on the job full time for the next 4 months.

Soooo…. I’ve been dyeing every spare second I can squeeze in. I could have someone do this for me, but in product creation I prefer to do the work myself. I want the colors to be just so!

Here’s the way this process is working for now:

1. I am creating 4 collections out of my luscious, silky washable light-fingering weight wool yarn. The four collections are in sum entitled: The Elements. Each of the individual collections within that main collection are (can you guess? 🙂 )
a. Air- light and “airy,” these colors are fluid and cool-toned
b. Earth- an inspiring mix of subtle, earthy, warm tones
c. Fire- a gorgeous mix of reds, gold, brown, aubergine and more.
d. Water- swirly, water-colory turqoise, blues, purples…yum!

Here are some of the fire colors:

2. Each collection will consist of:
a. 6 semi-solids. Or as I think I might call them, Subtle Solids. These are not completely solid, but flow softly in and out of lighter and darker tones of the same color. Truly luscious. So the overall look created when knitting or crocheting with these will appear solid from a distance, but up close, you’ll be able to see the soft variations. I love this! It makes it so much more fun to knit with.
b. 3 or 4 multi-colors, using shades from the semi-solids.
My purpose in creating the collections like this is so you can easily mix and match shades within the same collection. Maybe you want to create some colorful socks, but want a toe and/or heel and/or trim to be a solid, matching color. Then you easily can! Just select any number of shades from the same collection and you will have instantly matched yarns! I really love this idea!

3. As it stands now, I have all the semi-solid shades dyed up, except one. One little pink shade needs over-dyed into a luscious purple for the water collection and then the semi-solid shades are done. Hurray!

Here are a few shades, including some I had to over-dye, as they just weren’t right (the second photo):

4. I haven’t started on the multi-colored yarns yet, but hope to tonight. I bought a tray I’m going to try, which has 3 slots in it. We’ll see how it goes for quick, efficient dyeing. I LOVE efficiency. I live for efficiency!

So that’s the update on the collections. They are moving along a little more slowly than I thought, but mainly because I over-dyed quite a few of the semi-solids, trying to get them just right. Some were too bright. Some were too pale. I wanted them to be gorgeous, because selling anything less than luscious perfection just wouldn’t suit me.
Dyeing yarn is my passion and I believe that if you’re going to do anything, do it right. Otherwise, why do it?

In other news, I think I have decided to go ahead and venture into the wholesale yarn business.

I did offer wholesale in my previous, cosmetic business and enjoyed helping others create businesses for themselves.
If I do decide to do such (I’m pretty much already decided. We’ll say 99%), I will be listing the wholesale options on my site when I begin listing these new collections.

Projected time frame for all of this to be completed? I would love for it to be done…NOW.

But that isn’t reality.

I could guess around 3 to 4 weeks?

I still have to:

a. Dye 96 more skeins (all the multi-colors)
b. Let them all dry (this cold weather isn’t the greatest for that, but it’ll happen)
c. Wind them into skeins (FUN!)
d. Create labels for them/print labels/apply labels to each skein
e. Take pictures of each skein and edit the pictures
f. Write the description for each color
g. List each color on the website/eBay/etsy
h. Decide on wholesale options/take pictures/list them on the site
i. I almost forgot! My wool and silk rovings. Labels, pictures, braiding, descriptions on site, etc. Same as for the yarns.

Etc.

So lots of fun and lots of time!!

I adore each stage of the process and will continue to do my best to keep you updated with the process.

I’m so wildly in love with knitting and crocheting and spinning and weaving that my heart swells up just thinking about it all!

As you know I have a passion for living and dream-creating. Just imagine the world if everyone did what they loved all day. Wouldn’t it be glorious? I think so.

So be looking for these amazingly delicious yarns and rovings soon!

If you’re a yarn shop owner and would be interested in carrying any of our products, just give me a holler on our contact page!

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Until next time, here’s a quote by Albert Einstein that I love:

“There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.” – Albert Einstein