Preorders for the 2023 ChemKnits Chanukah Samplers are still available and shipping will start soon! All of the yarn is dyed and I am currently wrapping and labeling miniskeins to pack up the samplers. Shipping should start the week of November 7, 2023. (Sampler shipping will happen in waves throughout the week, so don't worry if you don't receive a tracking number right away.)
Each night of Chanukah 2023, unwrap a 10 g miniskein of yarn and watch how the yarn was dyed in a new ChemKnits Tutorials dyeing video! New dyeing videos will be released every night of Chanukah on YouTube after sunset at 8:30 PM EST starting December 7, 2023. Choose between Fingering Weight or DK Weight Samplers for 8 Nights (100 g total) that will include 10 - 10 g miniskeins to open over the 8 nights. Samplers will ship in November 2023.
You don't need to be Jewish to celebrate Chanukah with me. Treat yourself to a delightfully wrapped miniskein sampler complete with a Chanukah card signed by Rebecca from ChemKnits. This unboxing will be an experience! All Samplers include 8-10 wrapped miniskeins (100 g total), some fun extras, and a hand signed card from Rebecca.
Some of the bonus full skein add-on options are currently sold out, but you can still preorder a Bonus Silk Sock colorway to your Chanukah Sampler. I will restock the Yarn Mops (DK, Sock, and Worsted Weight) and the DK Silk Sparkle Non-Superwash bonus colorway after I have shipped all of the outstanding preorders. All bonus skeins will be wrapped and labeled with the date they are featured in a YouTube video and come with a bonus progress keeper.
The 2022 ChemKnits Chanukah Sampler. Last year's samplers include 8 - 10 g minis and 1 - 20 g mini skein. The packaging and bonuses for the 2023 Sampler will be different.
There are more FAQ's on the 2023 ChemKnits Chanukah Yarn Sampler listing in the ChemKnits Creations Etsy Shop. Please check out the whole listing, or reach out to me via Etsy Messages if you have any questions about this year's series.
I will be in the live chat for the premiere during multiple of the episodes. It is so much fun to hang out and react to the videos while answering questions and chatting with you! Once we get closer to the start of Chanukah (December 7, 2023 is the first night this year), I will make a post here with the approximate run time of the episodes and any nights I will not personally be in the live chat.
Watch the livestream announcement of the 2023 Chanukah Sampler Preorders below:
How long are the videos? When premieres are scheduled you can't see the video length. I like to share these times so you know if the premeire (and therefore live chat room) will still be going on if you join late. Typically the countdown is 2 minutes long, so the video itself will begin ~8:32 PM.
Night 1 (6/5/2023) - 33 minutes
Night 2 (6/6/2023) - 40 minutes
Night 3 (6/7/2023) - 45 minutes
Night 4 (6/8/2023) - 45 minutes
Night 5 (6/9/2023) - 50 minutes
Bonus Full Size Skeins (Night 6; 6/10/2023) - TBD, likely around 45-50 minutes
Vlog (6/11/2023) - TBD, These can be on the longer side
What is a YouTube Premiere?
The first viewing of the video will air like a regular TV program that starts at a certain time. There will be a countdown clock at 8:30 (Thanks, YouTube!) and then the video will start playing. If you join at 8:45, the video will be in the middle, but you can rewind it to start from the beginning. After the premiere is over, the
The best part of premieres is the live chat room. I try to be in the chat during the premiers to react, answer questions, and occasionally face palm when I notice something I missed during editing.
SMSMS Yarn
Check out the ChemKnits Creations Etsy Shop to grab more Spring Mini Skein Mini Series yarn. I just updated the main SMSMS listing so you can pick the night of your mini skein set. If you first select a yarn base you can see what nights are available, or if you select a night you can then see the yarn bases that are available.
I love to dye yarn with dry acid dye powder. I love the subtle or vibrant speckles, and the soft control I can get without dissolving the dyes first. There is one small issue, it is hard to know looking at a dye color name or swatch online to see how it will speckle. Therefore, I dye crude swatches with acid dyes! I like to take a little bit of the dye powder and put it on wet yarn to compare to other colors. This way I know when I pick colors for speckles I am picking colors that will look different from one another.
This post is part 2 from a post I wrote almost two years ago sharing photos of crude acid dye swatches on yarn through April 2021. This post is going to be very similar - I will have the swatch images plus a caption with the acid dye brands and names below so you can search this post to find the colors you're interested in comparing. I have also linked the videos where I made the swatches so you can see how the dyes perform in a YouTube video.
Are there any other colors you would like me to swatch? I'm already planning on doing more in 2023!
Swatching all of my purple acid dyes across multiple brands. Key: PC - PRO chemical and dye, D - Dharma acid dyes, J - Jacquard Acid Dyes, PF - Paradise Fibers acid dyes and GS - Greener Shades. Dharma Purple Pop, Dharma Plum Dandy, Dharma Eggplant, Dharma Amethyst, Greener Shades Amethyst Purple, Dharma Espresso Bean, Dharma Berry Crush, Dharma Antique Mauve, Dharma Twilight Gray. Dharma Intense Iris, Dharma Lilac, Jacquard Lilac, Dharma Electric Violet, Jacquard Violet, Jacquard Purple, Dharma Royal Purple, Dharma Deep Purple, Jacquard Periwinkle, Dharma Hyacinth, Dharma Delphinium Blue.
Swatching all of my pink acid dyes across multiple brands.Key: PC - PRO chemical and dye, D - Dharma acid dyes, J - Jacquard Acid Dyes, PF - Paradise Fibers acid dyes and GS - Greener Shades. Dharma Tangelo, Dharma Peach Blush, Jacquard Salmon, Dharma Pink Orchid, Jacquard Pink, Dharma Fluorescent Fuchsia, Jacquard Hot Fuchsia, Paradise Fibers Magenta, Dharma Deep Magenta. Dharma Valentine Blush, Dharma Ballerina Pink, Dharma Flamingo Pink, Dharma Plum Dandy, Dharma Berry Crush, Dharma Amethyst, Jacquard Chestnut, Dharma Antique Mauve, Jacquard Burgundy, Dharma Cabernet.
Swatching all of my Blue acid dyes across multiple brands. Key: PC - PRO chemical and dye, D - Dharma acid dyes, J - Jacquard Acid Dyes, PF - Paradise Fibers acid dyes and GS - Greener Shades. D. True Turquoise, PF Turquoise, Jacquard Turquoise, Dharma Caribbean Blue, Dharma Frozen, Pro Chem Sea Breeze. Greener Shades River Blue, ProChem Brilliant Blue, Jacquard Brilliant Blue, Jacquard Sapphire, Dharma Sapphire, Paradise Fibers Blue, Dharma Peacock Blue, Jacquard Sky Blue. Dharma Dkar Navy, Dharma Blued Steel, Jacquard Navy Blue, Jacquard Gun Metal. Paradise Fibers Green, Dharma Teal Green, Jacquard Teal, Greener Shades Coral Reef Aqua, Dharma Bright Aqua, Dharma Sea Spray. Jacquard Royal Blue, Dharma Extreme Blue, Dharma Indigo Blue, Dharma Alpine Blue, Dharma Baby Blue Eyes, ProChem Cornflower Blue, Dharma Electric Violet, Jacquard Violet, Dharma Delphinium Blue, ProChem Violet, Dharma Intense Iris, Dharma Twilight Gray, Jacquard Periwinkle.
Swatching all of my Blue acid dyes across multiple brands, class blue collection. Close up on Greener Shades River Blue, ProChem Brilliant Blue, Jacquard Brilliant Blue, Jacquard Sapphire, Dharma Sapphire, Paradise Fibers Blue, Dharma Peacock Blue, Jacquard Sky Blue.
July 2022 #ChemKnitsDyeAlong: Dharma acid dyes in Teddy Bear Brown, Pecan Brown, chocolate brown, and spearmint breeze.
2022 Chanukah Night 6 - Dharma acid dyes in Duckling, Bright Aqua, Sea Spray, Deep Purple, Pink Orchid
2022 Chanukah Bonus Night 9 - Dharma Acid Dyes in Pink (pink orchid?), hyacinth, electric violet, indigo, eggplant, deep magenta, berry crush, frozen, and spearmint breeze.
Dyepot Weekly #324 - Liquid dye stocks from Dharma acid dyes in Dark Navy, Indigo, Sapphire Blue, Baby Blue Eyes, Sea Spray, Radioactive, and Flamingo Pink.
Chanukah 2021 Night 4 - Sunset Colors Dharma acid dyes swatches in Fire Engine red, blazing orange, peach blush, honey mustard, brilliant yellow, sunflower yellow, golden poppy, tangelo, cherry bomb, flamingo pink, pink orchid.
July 2021 #ChemKnitsDyeAlong livestream - Watermelon yarn! Dharma acid dyes in poinsettia, Chinese red, cayenne red, oxblood red, cherry bomb, fire red, amethyst, fluorescent fuschia, flamingo pink, pink orchid, peach blush, chartreuse, sour apple, radioactive, emerald green, kelly green, forest green.
Mixing all 40 Jacquard Acid Dyes together, what color is the muk liquid? The muk color came from a combination of all 40 jacquard acid dye powders. The swatches are all powders unless otherwise noted. Jacquard acid dyes in - Chestnut, Brown, Burgundy. Dharma acid dyes in Cabernet, espresso bean, antique mauve, auburgine, teddy bear brown, twilight gray, pecan brown.
May 2021 #ChemKnitsDyeAlong Blue Jays! Dharma acid dyes in Sea Spray, Frozen, Caribbean blue, baby blue eyes, alpine blue, sapphire blue, twilight gray, platinum gray, true black, teddy bear brown, pecan brown, sand dune.
March 2021 #ChemKnitsDyeAlong. Dharma acid dyes in Sour Apple, Chartreuse, Lichen, moss Green, honey mustard, teddy bear brown, true black, and silver gray.
In this photo you can see the swatches fromt eh dharma swatch card along with the colors of the dyes. note how some of the colors look much closer with dry dye powder than they do on the containers. (Note: I cut up a poster and taped the swatches to the tops of the containers, they don't come this way.
2021 Summer Mini Skein Mini Series Night 1 - Dharma acid dyes in Avocado, Golden Poppy, Brilliant Yellow, Pecan Brown, Golden Straw, Sunflower Yellow, Honey Mustard, Sour Apple, Emerald Green.
Swatching My Green Acid Dyes (Video coming February 2023) - Dharma Forest Green, Jacquard Spruce, D. Emerald, J. Emerald, PF Green, D. Kelly Green, J. Kelly Green, G.S. Amazon Green, D. Chartreuse, J. Chartreuse, D. Radioactive, D.Lichen, D. Sour Apple, J. Olive, D. Olive Brown, D. Tobacco Leaf. D. Moss Green, D. Avocado, D Sage Leaf, D. Pistachio, D. Spearmint Breeze, D. Sea Spray, PC Seabreeze, D Bright Aqua, J teal, D Teal green, J. Spruce, D Muck Green, and ??? TBD - Jacqaurd Alligator Green
Swatching My Green Acid Dyes (Video coming February 2023) - Dharma Forest Green, Jacquard Spruce, D. Emerald, J. Emerald, PF Green, D. Kelly Green, J. Kelly Green, G.S. Amazon Green, D. Chartreuse, J. Chartreuse, D. Radioactive, D.Lichen, D. Sour Apple, J. Olive, D. Olive Brown, D. Tobacco Leaf.
Swatching My Green Acid Dyes (Video coming February 2023) - D. Moss Green, D. Avocado, D Sage Leaf, D. Pistachio, D. Spearmint Breeze, D. Sea Spray, PC Seabreeze, D Bright Aqua, J teal, D Teal green, J. Spruce, D Muck Green, and ??? TBD - Jacqaurd Alligator Green
Swatching My Orange and Yellow Acid Dyes (Video coming August 2023) - D. Golden Straw, D. Fawn, D. Tobacco Leaf, J. Salmon, D. Peach Blush, D. Tangelo, D. Persimmon, J. Deep Orange, J. Burnt Orange, D. Saffron Spice, J. Fluorescent Orange, D. Fluorescent Safety Orange, P.F. Orange, D. Blazing Orange, J. Pumpkin Orange, G.S. Sunset Orange.
Swatching My Orange and Yellow Acid Dyes (Video coming August 2023) - D. Champagne, D. Vanilla, J. Ecru, D. Ivory, D. Golden Poppy, J. Aztec Gold, P.C. Saffron, D. Honey Mustard, J. Golden Ochre, J. Golden Yellow, P.F. Soft Yellow, D. Sunflower Yellow, D. Duckling, P.F. Yellow, J. Bright Yellow, D. Brilliant Yellow, P.C. Sun Yellow, J. Sun Yellow, G.S. Sunshine Yellow, J. Fluorescent Yellow, D. Fluorescent Lemon
Swatching My Orange and Yellow Acid Dyes (Video coming August 2023) - D. Golden Straw, D. Fawn, D. Tobacco Leaf, J. Salmon, D. Peach Blush, D. Tangelo, D. Persimmon, J. Deep Orange, J. Burnt Orange, D. Saffron Spice, J. Fluorescent Orange, D. Fluorescent Safety Orange, P.F. Orange, D. Blazing Orange, J. Pumpkin Orange, G.S. Sunset Orange. D. Champagne, D. Vanilla, J. Ecru, D. Ivory, D. Golden Poppy, J. Aztec Gold, P.C. Saffron, D. Honey Mustard, J. Golden Ochre, J. Golden Yellow, P.F. Soft Yellow, D. Sunflower Yellow, D. Duckling, P.F. Yellow, J. Bright Yellow, D. Brilliant Yellow, P.C. Sun Yellow, J. Sun Yellow, G.S. Sunshine Yellow, J. Fluorescent Yellow, D. Fluorescent Lemon
Swatching My Orange and Yellow Acid Dyes (Video coming August 2023) - Dharma Fluorsecent Safety Orange, Jacquard Fluorescent Orange.
Swatching My Orange and Yellow Acid Dyes (Video coming August 2023) - J. Ecru, D. Vanilla Cream, D. Champagne, D. Ivory.
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Don't forget that the color intensity of a given brand and color can vary based on the amount of dye I added onto the swatch. So a color like Teddy Bear Brown may look different in different images. But pay attention to the hue and temperature of the colors as they compare to the others on the swatch.
Want to see all of the swatches in one video? Check them out here:
It is no secret that I love to dye yarn. While you can technically dye any yarn that is light enough to accept more color, sometimes you want a blank canvas so you have the most control over the final colorway. Where do you buy your bare yarns to dye?
In this post, I will list many online retailers of bare or undyed yarn as of January 2023. I will note in the descriptions which companies I've purchased from, received free product from, or am waiting to try out. The companies below vary from large yarn brands with dozens of different undyed yarn bases to smaller companies that maybe only have one or two options.
This post contains affiliate links which means that I earn a commission from sales made through these links. I will note my affiliation with the company in their bullet.
KnitPicks (Affiliate Link) - KnitPicks is the first company I purchased bare yarn from, and I feature this yarn frequently in yarn dyeing tutorials on the ChemKnits Tutorials YouTube Channel. You can purchase individual skeins of bare or natural undyed yarn through the retail site with a free shipping minimum of $65 USD. I love KnitPicks because you can also purchase solids of many of the same yarn lines to work with your hand dyed yarn. There are no longer bulk 20 packs of bare yarn on the retail website (see below for wholesale options), but you can save 10% off 10 skeins of many bare yarn lines with the code "MYYARNPACK" through 12/31/22. (See the KnitPicks website for full terms with the coupon. This doesn't work on every bare yarn base, but appears to work on multiple.) Full Disclosure, I became a KnitPicks Affiliate in October 2017, but I have been using these yarns for YEARS before I started officially promoting them.)
KnitPicks Wholesale (Affiliate Link) - KnitPicks now offers wholesale options where you can save 20-40% off the retail pricing. I'm making this its own category because the wholesale portal is a separate section of the website. The wholesale pricing is 20% off packs of 20 skein and 30% off 50 packs. Select yarn bases (some of the most popular ones) are available for 40% off packs of 100. KnitPicks coupons don't work through the wholesale portal, but it is awesome to be able to purchase my favorite bases at a discount that is better than it used to be through the retail website. Free shipping is available on orders over $400. Full Disclosure, I became a KnitPicks Affiliate in October 2017.)
Wool2Dye4 - Wool2Dye4 offers so many incredible yarn bases at fair prices. I think they have more variety in undyed yarn bases than any other brand listed on this page. Their customer service is incredible and their boxes are always shipped in a very sturdy way. Wool2Dye4 has wholesale discounts for registered businesses on orders of 5 kg or more, however their retail pricing is very fair. I love that they offer cones of bare yarn, skeins outside of the standard 100 g (10 g, 20 g, 50 g, and even bigger than 100 g in some cases) and also super long skeins that are perfect for self striping yarn. Chester Wool Co is the related brand that has warehouses in the UK and the Netherlands.
Paradise Fibers (Affiliate Link) - Paradise Fibers is a great source for undyed spinning fiber and undyed yarn. I've dyed a lot of their rovings and combed tops on YouTube. In 2021 Paradise Fibers released their own brand of acid dyes, and the dyes are super pigmented. When you are exploring the website, you can select "undyed" under search refinement to help you find what you're looking for. Their customer service is excellent and responsive. (Note, I became a Paradise Fibers Affiliate in June 2018 and they have sent me free products to review on multiple occasions. I also unbox their Fiber of the Month club subscription every month on YouTube.)
Knomad Yarn - Knomad offers a lot of staple bare yarn bases (100% superwash merino and Merino/Nylon blends) but they also have some unique bases that I love. Knomad sent me samples to dye in 2022 and I'm excited to try out some of their newer select yarn lines that have even softer merino wool. If you are a registered business you can set up a wholesale account for more discounts on Knomad Yarn.
Dharma Trading - I've never used any of Dharma's dyeable yarns, but they have multiple natural and synthetic bare yarn options. I know other dyers who have used Dharma's bare yarn and have been happy with the results. Dharma's acid dyes are some of my favorite dyes to use to dye yarn, and it is nice that you can also get undyed yarn at the same time. Dharma also has a wide variety of dyeable rovings that include cellulose and synthetic fibers. I've never dyed 100% cellulose spinning fiber, and I'm excited to give it a try.
Yarn Undyed / bareyarns.com - Bareyarns.Com is the website for US based shoppers, but they also have websites for UK and EU shoppers. There is a HUGE assortment of bare yarn options. I have never ordered any yarn from Yarn Undyed, but I know other dyers who order from here regularly. They offer free airfreight shipping on orders over $100 in case you are worried about expensive international shipping.
Ashland Bay - The website is available for wholesale accounts, but you may find Ashland Bay bare yarn through other online retailers. I haven't personally tried any of their bare yarns, but I know that they are popular with other indie dyers. They even provide sock blanks! Unfortunately, you can't set up a retail account with them. In order to set up a wholesale account, you have to commit to spending $750/year and send them a copy of your business license within the fiber/textile industry. I no longer can find the list of online/in person retailers of Ashland Bay Yarn through their website as of January 2023, but three online suppliers (who are also on this list) who offered Ashland Bay Yarn or Spinner Fiber in the past are WEBS, Paradise Fibers, and Fiber to Yarn.
WEBS America's Yarn Store - The local yarn store on the web that has the domain yarn.com, has a limited selection of natural undyed yarns. (Search their site for "undyed" for the results to come up.) They do, however, offer a wide selection of undyed spinning fiber as roving and top. I have ordered dyed yarn from WEBS plus a lot of spinning fiber in the past, although I'm not sure if I've dyed any of it on YouTube yet. I don't live that far from the WEBS warehouse but have never made a visit there, I hope to someday!
Woolery - I consider Woolery to be more of a spinning resrouce than a bare yarn resource, but they do have a few bare yarn options. However, they have a huge selection of bare and undyed roving. I have made multiple purchases from Woolery in the past including some dye-lishus treated cotton yarn that you can dye with acid dyes. They even have a whole dyeing section that includes seeds for setting up your own dye garden!
ACME Fibers - This Canadian company offer a variety of weights and fiber bases. All of the prices are listed in Canadian dollar. I'm not sure what international shipping would cost to the US - the recommend adding items to your cart to see what the estimate would be before checking out. There is free shipping on Canadian orders over $200 CAD. I haven't ordered from here personally, but I wanted to include a Canadian source for our friends to the North.
Elitespun - This is another Canada base company that offers a variety of yarn bases. I found a price list for the dyeable yarns on their site, but it doesn't look like they have pictures of the individual yarns. You will need to contact them directly for price lists, but it looks like they have options for you to order samples and set up a wholesale account.
Artigina is another Canadian retailer that sells dyes and single skeins of bare yarn recommended to me in the ChemKnits Lab Facebook Group. The have dozens of bare yarn bases plus sock blanks. They offer free shipping over $89 for most places in Canada. It doesn't look like the offer international shipping, but I'm happy to include more resources for Canadian indie dyers!
Indie Dyer Yarn - I was a bit confused by the title of this company at first because it sounds like it could be a market place for indie dyers to sell their yarn, but it is a bare and undyed yarn supplier! They offer a lot of staple bare yarn bases and some really unique ones. There are wholesale options available but as of January 2023 I couldn't determine the terms.
Maritime Family Fiber - Bare yarn from a small family farm and a small mill located in Maine. The offer wholesale pricing, bulk bare yarn, and even a sample kit you can get where you can see a 4 oz skein of a lot of the bases.
Fiber to Yarn - They have limited 4 oz skeins in stock, but they also sell some dyeing kits. It looks like this might be a good place to try out some single skeins of Ashland Bay yarns before committing to a bulk order.
Pacific Wool and Fiber - It looks like Pacific Wool and Fiber currently is only stocking bare unspun fibers, but they certainly have a lot of wheel and wheel accessory options. They carry a nice variety of wool breeds so you can have some choices for the fiber types you want to dye and spin.
Quince & Co - Quince & Co offers many beautiful commercially dyed yarns, but almost all of the lines also have an undyed option. There is no bulk pricing, skeins are sold individually. I always love when I can buy a pure solid to go with a skein of the same base I dye myself. They no longer have a category specifically for bare yarns, so you will need to look through the yarn bases to find what you're looking for. This is a great option for undyed yarn if you've ordered from them before - it is awesome to start dyeing a yarn base you already are familiar with.
Thirteen Mile Lamb & Wool Company - This small company offers a variety of natural wool yarn colors in addition to some plant dyed colors. With their natural colors, you can specify whether you would like sport, worsted, or bulky weight in the given natural undyed colorway. I'm not sure if there are other minimums, but this company also does have a wool mill for spinning yarn from fleece
Laxtons - A UK based yarn shop that offers a lot of bare and undyed yarn options. I'm not sure if they ship internationally or not.
Rooster Yarns - This is another UK based company with undyed and bare yarn. You need to become a wholesale customer to order through the website. I've heart others talk about this company but I have no personal experience with them.
Mountain Meadow Wool - There are three yarn bases with a natural (and therefore undyed) option in each of them. This doesn't appear to be specifically a bare yarn company, but there are at least a few options.
Jagger Spun Yarn - You need a wholesale to buy the natural and undyed yarn directly from Jagger, but you can also find a list of retailers on their website where you can purchase from with retail pricing.
A Child's Dream - Child's Dream only has 3 different options for undyed yarn as of January 2023 and include single ply undyed wool or wool/mohair blends in worsted, bulky, and super bulky weights. The yarns appear to come the Brown Sheep Yarn Company in Nebraska.
Darn Good Yarn (Affiliate Link) - They offer a limited selection of dyeable yarns that vary from wool to silk sari ribbon. As of January 2023 there is only the sari ribbon yarn available. You can purchase the yarns in individual skeins. (Note, I became a Darn Good Yarn Affiliate Marketer in February 2018.)
Lion Brand Yarn (Affiliate Link) - While not really an seller of undyed yarns, I need to include Lion Brand on this list since the first ever yarns that I dyed were Lion Brand Wool Ease in the color Fisherman. This yarn is 80% acrylic, 20% wool but it still takes up food coloring surprisingly well. I know that a lot of my followers like to use Sock Ease in Marshmallow (75% wool, 25% nylon) because it is something that they can find in big box stores without needing to shop online. Sometimes I struggle to find some of the dyeable yarn lines in retail stores, but you can find them directly through the Lion Brand Website or even sometimes WeCrochet. (Note, I became a Lion Brand Affiliate in January 2018.)
WeCrochet(Affiliate Link) - A sibling company to KnitPicks, there are limited bare yarn options here now. One perk of WeCrochet is that they also offer Lion Brand yarn and have lower minimums for free shipping ($45) thank KnitPicks ($65.) However, the only bare yarn left on WeCrochet are the Chroma, Wonderfluff, and Curio lines where the bare yarn options are on the same page as the dyed options. (I am a WeCrochet Affiliate)
Your Local Yarn Store (LYS) - Not all local yarn shops sell bare or undyed yarn, but there is no harm in visiting your local shop to see if they sell any. While online shopping is convenient, it is always wonderful to support brick and mortar businesses. Your LYS isn't the best source if you want to buy a lot of bare yarn in bulk for dyeing, but it can be a handy place to find a pastel or natural colored skein to start dyeing.
Big Box Stores like Michaels and JoAnn's - While you won't come up with many yarn options (or any at all) if you search of bare or undyed yarn at these two major US retailers of craft supplies, you can find some dyeable yarn in the stores. (However it is hard to find 100% wool yarn in person at these retailers.) The first yarn I ever dyed with Lion Brand Wool Ease, and this is a line you can sometimes find in big box retailers. If you want to dye yarn with food coloring or acid dyes, I recommend looking for yarn that is at least 20% wool or another animal fiber. 100% acrylic/polyester yarn is a lot harder to dye.
Did I include your favorite place to purchase bare yarn in the above list? Let me know and I can update the list!
What do you make with your Chanukah Yarn? Your advent calendar yarn? Collecting 10-20 g mini skeins can be a lot of fun, and there was a time when I was trying to get as many as I could possibly find for the beekeepers quilt. (This isn't a free pattern, but one of my personal hibernating scrappy projects!) Below I'll try to collect some options for fun scrappy projects that are free patterns. Even if you don't want to make the exact pattern I've linked, it might inspire you how to use the yarn with another of your favorite designs. I am also going to include some of these patterns of examples of what you can do with one of your favorite existing patterns.
Scrappy Marl Hat - A stockinette hat with a ribbed brim that is a great way to show off a lot of colorways. Knit with two strands of fingering held together (or DK weight yarn)
This hat shows off how a lot of fun stockinette hat or sock patterns can be used with remnant yarn. If your yarn has a lot of speckles or color variation, then a stockinette pattern can show it off well.
Scrappy Socks - This pattern is a free Ravelry Download. A simple stockinette ankle sock knit with fingering weight yarn. The pattern shows off two socks that are knit in different colorways, so you can visualize a pair of mismatched socks.
Scrappy Ski Hat - Knit with worsted weight yarn, this is a fun colorwork pattern for blending different yarns.
Scrappy Bias Shawl - uses 200 g of fingering weight yarn. It looks like it is knit in garter stitch. I love blending different yarns together with garter stitch projects.
Happy Scrappy Fingerless Mitts - This pattern is a free Ravelry Download. This patterns shows off solid yarn, but imagine the fun you could have with the Chanukah Sampler yarn! This pattern is written for fingering weight with a self striping yarn, but you could put your won stripes into it.
Scrappy Block Socks - This pattern is a free Ravelry Download. Knit in fingering weight yarn 400-490 yards. Want to go a bit beyond stripes or a fade? Pick minis that have some contrast and work them in this fun colorwork pattern.
Super Scrappy Socks - This pattern is a free Ravelry Download. This is a super fun pattern that includes some contrasting colorwork between color changes to really make the different sections pop.
Sideways Scrappy Scarf - Knit in garter stitch with DK weight yarn, you can use up remnant yarn for a fun vertical stripped pattern.
Scrappy Bias Scarf - Knit in Aran weight yarn, but you can adjust the number of stitches to do this with fingering or DK weight. A bias is a great way to blend different colors because the diagonal stripes are super fun to wear.
Scrappy Cowl - This pattern is a free Ravelry Download. This is a fade to blend different minis together. The pattern is written for fingering weight yarn, but it wouldn't be hard to adapt for a DK weight project. The Chanukah Samplers aren't designed to be a fade set, but you could still blend the transitions in a super fun way.
Remnants Shrug - It is written as a one size fits most pattern, but I did look at the pattern and it would be easier to make bigger or smaller since it is knit as a rectangle. I would personally double check my arm span measurements and then also measure a towel across my back to get a sense of the dimensions that would work for me personally. However, I'm including this in the list as an idea of what you could do with another stockinette shrug or even sweater.
Garter stitch projects are wonderful for blending different yarns together, even if they aren't intended as a fade.
Free Scrappy Crochet Patterns
Scrappy Corner-to-Corner Crochet Blanket - I haven't doing any C2C crochet projects yet, but I've always wanted to do a colorwork version. I love the idea of a scrappy blanket to use up remnant or miniskeins! The sample was knit with DK weight yarn.
Scrap Yarn Crochet Basket - I adore this pattern. It is written for you to hold multiple strands of yarn together, which I don't love to recommend for the Chanukah yarn... BUT I love the idea of taking remnants from a bunch of projects and including them in a basket you use to hold yarn or other works in progress.
Scrappy Blanket 2 - This pattern is a free Ravelry Download. A chevron throw blanket that features so many different colorways. Since it is a blanket you could use almost any yarn weight.
Scrappy Bucket Hat - written for worsted weight yarn, but you can imagine how you can combine different colors for a more structured hat.
Granny Square Projects - In general yarn scraps are wonderful for projects made out of these fun blocks. I'm not linking to a particular pattern, but a lot of scrappy granny square projects are available.
Welcome to the 2022 ChemKnits Chanukah Special! Every night of Chanukah (plus a few nights beyond) there will be a new yarn dyeing video on the ChemKnits Tutorials YouTube Channel published at 8:30 PM Eastern Time.
Each video will air as a live premiere, so we can watch the video together and react in a live chat in real time. After the video is finished it will be available on demand like a regular YouTube video. To help you know what to expect, here are the runtimes and nights I will be in the live chat room:
I will pop into the live chat but I may be a bit late and it might be a short visit in the chat room. (I'm celebrating the first night of Chanukah in person with family and friends! I won't have footage of this for the vlog, but I'm super excited!)
12/19 Night 2 - Runtime 36 minutes
I will be in the premiere live chat!
12/20 Night 3 - Runtime 32 minutes
I will be in the premiere live chat!
12/21 Night 4 - Runtime 30 minutes
I will be in the premiere live chat!
12/22 Night 5 - Runtime 35 minutes
I will be in the premiere live chat!
12/23 Night 6 - Runtime 33 minutes
I will be in the premiere live chat!
12/24 Night 7 - Runtime 34 minutes
I will not be in the live chat for night 7. Christmas Eve is our big family Christmas celebration with my husband's family. I grew up celebrating Chanukah, and my husband grew up celebrating Christmas. We are a blended family now and celebrate each other's traditions together.
12/25 Night 8 - Runtime 34 minutes
I will try to be in the live chat but it is tentative. I will update closer to Christmas Day!
12/26 Bonus DK Colorway - Runtime 31 minutes
I will be in the premiere live chat!
12/27 Bonus Sparkle Colorway - Runtime 32 minutes
I will be in the premiere live chat!
12/28 Chanukah Vlog (behind the scenes) - Runtime 53 minutes
I will be in the premiere live chat!
The entire schedule of when I will be in the live chat is subject to change, so see the pinned post on the upcoming premiere in the YouTube chat for the latest updates. I'll also try to update this post as I have notice.
The 2022 Chanukah Samplers have sold out, but you can still pick up some awesome hand dyed ChemKnits yarn on Etsy. Want to make sure you know when I launch special preorders in the future? You can follow me on Patreon even if you don't sign up for any of the tiers. I always announce in a public post when new preorders are available and you can get an email notification that the post is up.
The ChemKnits Creations Black Friday sale is here! Over 100 colorways are 10-40% off plus there are some fun mystery bundles available.
Sale ends 11/28/22 at 11:59 PM EST. Prices are as marked deals are available while supplies last - some deals are more limited than others. Etsy doesn't let you use coupon codes on top of sale items, so check to see which will give you the biggest discount.
In addition to the above deals, there are a lot of new colorways and even some new merch that I just listed. Thank you so much for checking it out!
Extra Special Black Friday Deals
Extra Special Black Friday Deals: Buy a skein of "Thanksgiving Berry" yarn and you can add a mystery skein of yarn for just $10! This mystery skein will be a surprise yarn weight (sock-bulky), fiber content (will be at least 50% animal fiber), and could be either superwash or no superwash. (mystery skeins may come from current shop inventory. There are no progress keepers with this mystery skein.) Watch the video to see me dye the Thanksgiving Berry Yarn and to here me talk about more of these deals.
300 g Mystery Yarn Bundle - Buy a project bag stuffed with at least 300 g of hand dyed yarn and fun extras. Full retail value is over $100. You can pick between sock weight, DK weight, or non-superwash worsted weight yarn, but the colorways will be a complete surprise. This isn't intended to be a fade set, so the 300 g may or may not coordinate together.
Add a Mystery Surprise Skein to the 2022 ChemKnits Chanukah Sampler! If you order a Chanukah Sampler during the ChemKnits Black Friday sale you can add a mystery skein for just $10! This mystery skein will come wrapped with a progress keeper. This mystery skein will be a surprise yarn weight (sock-bulky), fiber content (will be at least 50% animal fiber), and could be either superwash or no superwash. (Mystery skeins may come from current shop inventory.)
Please note that this is a new listing! The original ChemKnits Chaunkah listing is still there and doesn't show the option for the add-on mystery skein.
Stitch Marker Bundles! 6 stitch markers in either a new surprise bundle or a bundle you can see from last year. All of the progress keepers have a lobster claw clasp. The mystery bundle may overlap with the 2021 bundle but also have new items.
You can find all of these special listings under the "Black Friday" shop tab. Sale yarn up to 40% off can be found under the "On Sale" Tab.
All of these deals are available while supplies last or thought Monday 11/28/22 at 11:59 PM Eastern Time. Unfortunately Patreon coupons do not work on items that are already discounted, Etsy will override the sale price to use the coupon. So please check to see which is a better discount!
Watch the Black Friday Video
In today's YouTube video, I will talk a little bit about my Black Friday specials, plus you can watch me dye the "Thanksgiving Berry" yarn that is featured in one of the special offers above.
ChemKnits Creations Holiday Shipping Update
Any orders placed through ChemKnits Creations between 5 PM Friday 12/2/22 and Monday 12/12/22 will ship after Tuesday 12/13/22. The shop processing times will be updated to reflect these changes and the shop will remain open so you can place orders. Thank you for your understanding. Everything purchased during the ChemKnits Creations Black Friday Sale will ship next week.
This means that for the best chance to receive your ChemKnits Chanukah Yarn Sampler before the first night of Chanukah (12/18), order by the end of November! (Note: this link will take you to to the regular Chanukah Sampler listing, not to the Black Friday option with the mystery add on - see that link above or in the Black Friday shop section!)
Other Yarn Retails Black Friday Deals
The following list includes affiliate links to KnitPicks, WeCrochet, KnitCrate, and Paradise Fibers, and I make commissions from purchases made through these links.
KnitPicks & WeCrochet - Save 25% off sitewide with the code "CARTFULL25" 11/24/22 - 11/25/22 for Black Friday! See websites for full details.
Which site should you shop with? There are a few things to make the decision:
WeCrochet has a lower minimum for free shipping ($45 in the US) vs KnitPicks ($65 for US customers.)
Most bare yarn is only available at KnitPicks.
WeCrochet carries Lion Brand Yarn
There are some other exclusive tools and patterns that vary between the websites, too.
Save 20% off KnitPicks and WeCrochetSitewide with the code "GIFT2U22" 11/26/22 through 11/28/22. See websites for full details.
KnitCrate - Use the code "BLACKFRIDAY22" to get 50% off the Black Friday collection of yarn. This stacks with active member discounts. Sale ends 11:59 PM EST on Wednesday 11/30/22 and cannot be combined with any other coupon codes. See website for full details.
Knomad - Save 50% off your favorite yarn bases (prices as marked) plus free shipping on US orders over $250.
I haven't tried their new select lines yet, but I hope to try them out in 2023! I am not an affiliate with Knomad, but I have received product for free in the past.
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