Welsh Blankets
5 Reasons to Love Hand Dyed Yarn with Natural Dyes
Hand Dyed Yarn UK
Natural Dyes and FelinFach
There are two types of dyes, Natural Dyes and Synthetic Dyes. Natural dyes are derived from animal, insect or plant sources while synthetic dyes are manmade chemicals. In 1856, the first synthetic dye was made and from that time, the synthetic dye industry was created.
We only use natural dyes to dye our hand dyed yarn. Our yarn is dyed in small batches in Pembrokeshire, Wales, UK.
Natural Dye Experience
With over 15 years experience with natural dyes, Karen Morgan speaks to the Knitter Magazine about hand dyed yarn and natural dyes. The article title is, "Taking inspiration from the landscapes of the Pembrokeshire coastline, Karen Morgan of FelinFach produces gorgeous, natural hand-dyed yarns". The Knitter's article is in the series on Artisan Yarn makers and explores our processes for hand dyeing yarns with natural dyes.
5 Reasons to Love Hand Dyed Yarn with Natural Dyes
- Slow Living: There's no one universal definition of the concept of slow living, but maybe you know it when you see it. There are many different words associated with slow living but they include hand crafting or making things by hand as well as natural and seasonal. The making of hand dyed yarn using natural dyes is a craft, indeed an ancient craft. Every skein is crafted by hand with individual care and attention to make the final product. This is 'slow living' and nothing is mass-produced.
- The Beauty of a Handmade Product: Hand dyed yarn can be repeated with the same yarn bases and dye processes, but it will never be exactly the same. The natural dyeing process will depend on where the dyestuff was grown, how and when it was harvested, the fibres being dyed, and the method of application we use. Any knitting project with hand dyed yarn will always be one of a kind, part of the beauty of a handmade product!
- Natural Dye Colours: The colours from naturally dyed yarn are enthralling. Natural dyes can produce a range of colours from subtle to vibrant with remarkable depth and richness. These colours are almost impossible to replicate with commercial dyeing processes – that's the magic of hand-dyed yarn.
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Eco-friendly and Sustainable: All our hand-dyed yarns are produced in small batches using eco-friendly natural dyes and sustainable practices. We aim to minimise our carbon footrpint by sourcing our yarn locally and more generally, almost all our yarn is UK sourced. Natural dyes are usually made from plants, flowers or insects and are a more a more sustainable choice than chemical dyes.
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Storytelling: Every skein of our yarn is a handmade product. In many cases there is a story to tell about these skeins. With some skeins, we know where the farms where the fleeces came from, where the sheep lived and grazed - fleece to fabric or farm to yarn!. In others, there are stories about the natual dye processes. Storytelling brings a product to life and every skein of hand dyed yarn, dyed with natural dyes has a story to be told!
Our FelinFach Hand Dyed Yarn UK
Love Wool Love Yarn
We love wool, we love yarn and we specialise in making hand dyed yarn. This yarn is dyed in small batches from Welsh and UK yarn together with some specialty fibres. All our yarn is hand dyed with natural dyes in Pembrokeshire, Wales, UK - we do not 'buy in' any dyed yarn for resale.
Hand Dyed Yarn Pages
About FelinFach
Located in Pembrokeshire Wales, our ethos is defined in the three words...
NATURAL TRADITIONAL HANDMADE.
- Hand woven iconic Welsh blankets.
- Hand dyed yarn, dyed with natural dyes only - no exceptions!
- Hand poured candles, candle accessories, Candle Making Workshops and soapery.
- Natural Dyeing Craft courses.
- Yarn shop, yarn bowls, project bags, tools and accessories for knitters and crafters.
- Welsh Gifts, souvenirs, made in Wales, handmade in Wales.
We are a proud supporter of Americymru, the Campaign for Wool, Global Welsh and Red Dragon America.
Last updated 24th June 2024
