Many of you have met Liz, Fiber Fever's owner and the dyer behind our house yarn. If you've ever wondered about how Liz got her start as a dyer and how she does it all, we've got a treat for you! Let's meet Liz and learn all about what inspires her colorways. Enjoy part 1 of our look behind the scenes with Fiber Fever's hand dyed yarns.
What motivated you to start dyeing yarn?
My initial motivation was simply that I wanted more colorful super bulky yarns to knit with. I’ve always loved knitting hats and working with chunky yarns, but at the time I wasn’t finding many dyers using super bulky bases. I love Malabrigo Rasta, but it wasn’t always easy to find locally, and I prefer to see and touch yarn in person before buying it.
What started as a search for more options quickly turned into fascination with the dyeing process itself. I’ve always enjoyed both science and creative pursuits, so dyeing yarn felt like a natural fit. It combines experimentation, problem-solving, and color in a way that I immediately found engaging.
Do you have a favorite colorway? What about them is your favorite -- the end result, the process, the inspiration?
This is a tough question because there are so many that I love. If I had to choose, I’d probably say Azahar and Luna de Valencia.
Both colorways were created in collaboration with Pam of Azahar Knits. Pam had a vision for a shawl pattern inspired by colors and memories of her home, and it was incredibly fun to help bring that vision to life. She shared several inspiration photos for Azahar, which means orange blossom in Spanish, and together we worked to capture those warm, vibrant tones in yarn form.
Once we had Azahar created, I decided to have a little more fun and take those same dye colors but apply them differently. The result was Luna de Valencia, which Pam named after her hometown of Valencia, Spain.
What inspires you when developing colorways?
Sometimes, I’m inspired by a theme, like Summerween, a favorite movie, or a special event at the shop. But, honestly, most of the time I just dye what I’m feeling in the moment.
One of the things that I love most about yarn dyeing is that it’s so expressive. I can create something bright and energetic one day and something soft and moody the next. Whether it’s a tonal or a variegated colorway, it usually starts with a color, mood, or feeling that I want to explore.
Do you have a favorite base to dye or to stitch with?
My non-superwash super bulky is still my absolute favorite base to dye and stitch with. It was the base that inspired me to start dyeing yarn in the first place, and I love how it takes color. More recently, though, I’ve been gravitating toward our Shaniko Sport base. The colors are beautiful on it, and it’s a joy to work with. I especially love how the stitches glide over my needles and create a strong, bouncy fabric with excellent stitch definition.
Stay tuned for part 2 of this BTS, where we'll talk successes, happy accidents, and what bases might be coming to the shop in the future.