Expertly Dyed: Art by Science

09/13/2026

Apologies for not getting this cross-posted earlier! I published the latest Fiber Talk episode on Shetland wool a few days ago, which I'll link here. I'll explain why there has been such a blip in content on Youtube in an upcoming Vlog, but for now, enjoy this lengthy review of a beloved wool breed!

Fiber Talk: Shetland woolIn this video, I provide some thoughtful...

08/22/2026

I'm loving this yarn, Deb! It was such a smart blend of wool and silk and like butter to spin. It's got some loft but not so much to sacrifice drape from the silk. It'll be a lovely, elegant shawl...which I'll knit once I unpack my knitting bag on the other side of our move! 🏡

I wonder how much yarn I've made in this house over the last two years 🧐 There will be lingering memories for sure, as it was our first home, but the next one is pretty great too (and I'll have my personal work room too!)

I'm totally grateful for all purchases made in the shop to help make our move a little easier. Discount codes applied at checkout.

08/07/2026

I finally decided what to make with this lovely gift from Debra Turner 😊 I have mostly subdued colours in my scarf and shawl collection, so this will become my newest addition. It will be a nice spin owing to its excellent combination of fibres (Falkland, cormo, corriedale, BFL, and silk).

I'm also chipping away at website updates--thank you to everyone who has stopped by for a gander. All products are 10% off during our house move period (until the end of August). I also want toto give a big shoutout to all my Patreon members who have been steadily supporting me each month while I focused on writing those publications. It's difficult to do everything in a business, so when sales and new content are slow, monthly support is essential!

www.expertlydyed.com or link in bio.

06/13/2026

My fiddlehead mittens are finally done! It's perfect timing, since it's pretty much summer now. 😂 That brings me to the question: does it really matter if your project matches the season? Not really. However, we will talk about the seasonality of prehistoric textile production in archaeology.

Would you like to hear more about that?

I finished writing my Spindling for Weaving draft and sent it for technical evaluation and feedback, so I've been busy and giving myself a break. It was basically like writing a master's dissertation! I'm using this weekend to tie up a few loose ends on other scattered projects, so I'll be posting a few interesting bits of the coming week!

05/10/2026

I'm so ready to turn these yarns into mittens! I'm really glad I chose to blend in silk into the green Shetland: I added blue/green and copper sari silk to it. There's a lovely little pop of contrast that should look great in the colourwork.

Also, on a bit of a whim, I carded about 10% cashmere into the Shetland for added warmth. Since switching which would be the main colour in the colourwork mittens, I figured I'd just blend in the cashmere since it'll also be the lining.

04/26/2026

I'm excited that this batt is even prettier than the first one I spun. I decided to add more blue sari silk to the mix and it helps the copper sari silk stand out even more!

For the fiddlehead mittens pattern, I'm using the green as the background and the white Shetland/cashmere for the design and inner lining
They will be so luxurious! I still love how well my ryeland version held up, so I'll be making another pair in neutrals (probably mix in some silky shetland/lustre cross from with the ryeland for the mitten lining).

Don't give up! Even if your original idea doesn't work out like you thought, try something else. I think I'll be much happier with my redesign. 😊😊

04/23/2026

I'm so pleased to have met so many of you over the weekend. I wish I had taken pictures of those who transformed my skeins of yarn, batts, and combed top into beautiful accessories. I absolutely adored it! Your creativity is inspiring.

Silly me, I didn't book any time off so I'm afraid I've been running on fumes during this work week 😅I'm finishing this Shetland for my colourwork mittens, and once this is plied (chain plied), I'll make the contrast colour. And having some bubbles to keep me rolling into Friday.

Apologies for all the delays to my blog and YouTube channel. I've cleared a bunch of deadlines and content will be forthcoming. 😊

04/19/2026

What a day! It was wonderful having so many lovely people stop by the yesterday. I really enjoyed all the chats I had over the course of the day.

Preparing your inventory for a show, packing it up, and being on your feet all day, I applaud every vendor for their efforts: the effect was breathtaking! There were so many beautiful and creative things to look at.

And thanks to Jo and Deb ( and ) for all their organisation of the event.

See you at Day 2!

04/16/2026

Well, it's the reality of spinning yarn after planning a project: sometimes it just won't work. And this is part of the learning process.

Despite having planned carefully, I didn't realise that gauge would play such a major role in how a colourwork pattern would turn out. Now I know. 😂😅

I'll use this beautiful in a different project and I'm spinning new yarn, at a thinner gauge, for my fiddlehead mittens. It's all good.