Welcome to 2025

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Kia ora, How are you all? I hope that you have enjoyed the Christmas break, especially the love and company of your special people. Thank you for following along here and encouraging me in what I do. I hope to make it worth your while in 2025 with more posts and enjoyable reading. I often think of things I want to talk about but drift off task and, well …….the focus dissipates. I actually enjoy writing so I should make it happen!

So, what’s news ……

Despite the damp and dreary end to 2024 I finished the year on a high note getting my outstanding knitting projects finished and gifted. In particular my Lana Vest is a gift to me!

I bought the Pakihi yarn for this project in February 2023 when we were on a campervan holiday in Golden Bay. I was on a mission to acquire some very special yarn from Ruataniwha Dye Studio – a blend of Polwarth and Arapawa sheep wools from her family farm. It is a natural grey, maybe grey-brown, colour which I overdyed with a natural dye blended brew of coreopsis flowers plus Saxon Blue (indigo extract) to achieve a marine blue-green colour.

I had imagined this sea-turquoise colour right from the outset as a memento of the beautiful Golden Bay seascape we enjoyed on our holiday. Each day as the tide came in and out we saw sea and sky colours ebb and flow. With the sun shining the blue-greens were brilliant emerald while in the fading evening light as the sea crept in the blue-green was just a wash of colour over the taupe grey of the sand. I kept that picture in my mind’s eye when I made the dye blend. I waited until I felt sure and confident I had the colour blend spot on and the vibe of the day felt right. (The vibe is an important ingredient for me ….lol).

As for the knitting, this project was always a pleasure. Knit top down in pieces and joined below the v-neck and armholes it progressed quickly. I found the pattern with cables and texture easy to remember through each repeat. I did pause for a while as the near-finished garment was too big to take as travelling knitting, and then I picked up the momentum again as my end of year holy grail goal. I’m really glad I did as the cold weather meant I’ve even worn it a few times already – I consider that a bonus. Now I have a precious new handknit that works as well in my wardrobe as I hoped and every time I wear it I am transported back to Golden Bay where I sat and soaked up all the colour inspiration.

At the moment I’m keeping the dyepots and skein winder busy as I’m preparing for this year’s yarn festivals. Here’s a quick run down, I’ve also put all the dates and information here.

First up Martinborough Fair (Saturday1st Feb and Sat1st March) I’ll be helping out on the Palliser Ridge stand located on Kansas Street this year, and will have naturally dyed yarn there.

Next up is the Wairarapa Wool Weekend 20th – 23rd March 2025. This is a new event and promises to be a wonderful weekend. I’ll be trading and also giving a botanical dye-bundle demonstration. Do check out the details on the event website here.

May is Capital Fibre Festival at Whirinaki Whare Taonga Upper Hutt on Saturday 10 May, and Woolfest Auckland Saturday May 24th at Kumeu Showgrounds, Kumeu (Auckland).

I’ll write again soon, meanwhile go well, enjoy getting outside in nature and happy crafting.

Keiry

Thank you…….

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In a nutshell, THANK YOU! The last time I posted here was to say I would discontinue The Kindly Dyer website. I’ve had a re-think and will continue for a while yet with renewed enthusiasm thanks to the rather lovely feedback from blog readers and all those people I’ve met who have admired or bought my natural dyed yarns. Your words of appreciation and encouragement make all the difference.

Last weekend I attended Woolfest Auckland as a trader again.  It was the 10th anniversary of Woolfest and I’m sure it gets better and bigger every year.  I am immensely grateful for all the purchases, and moreover, for the chance to connect with customers; to hear about and see what people create with Kindly Dyer yarns, chat about project ideas, and of course about natural dyeing. I have once again come away filled with joy and energy to make beautiful colours again.

I want to say a special thank you to someone I first met at Woolfest last year. We got chatting about the use of Tanekaha bark and twigs for dyeing.  This native tree, commonly known as Celery Pine, grows only in the northern half of the North Island, so not in Martinborough where I live.  My customer had commented on a small sample skein I had dyed with Tanekaha twigs picked up while on holiday in the Bay of Islands.  Upon hearing of my desire to find more Tanekaha he said he had a Celery Pine tree in his Auckland garden and he could save me some twigs.  Last Saturday he searched me out at Woolfest and said there was a box of Tanekaha twigs ready for me! We arranged a time for me to call in the following day and collect the precious bounty. I am beyond delighted and cannot say thank you enough for such kindness and generosity. I can’t wait to brew up some vibrant rich Tanekaha colour.

I’m grateful too for your purchases of the last couple of Bunny Odile yarn packs at Woolfest and I have made a donation to Womens Refuge with the proceeds. I will be making more bunny yarn kits and will advise when they are available again.

All in all, the last week has been full of joy. I was in Auckland to help look after our grandchildren.  That meant supervising outside adventures, playing duplo, reading stories – Granny McFlitter the Champion Knitter and another of Nana’s fave’s ……Marmaduke Duck – and then once Woolfest was done and dusted, going tutu shopping.  So. Much. Fun.

 I’m actually enjoying writing this post and outwardly expressing my joy and appreciation for all these good things in my life.

Nga mihi nui……………Keiry

Onwards into 2024

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First of all, Happy New Year! I wish you the very best that 2024 can bring to your lives.

After a lot of thought I’ve made the decision to scale back my natural dye work. I can’t bear giving it up completely just yet, but I won’t be trading at yarn festivals in 2024 as I just don’t have time for all the dye work to prepare. I have really enjoyed trading at both Woolfest Auckland and Capital Fibre Festival in the past and really appreciate the kind feedback and enthusiasm shown for my yarns. But I have other important and enjoyable activities with special people filling up my life. Being Nana is a privilege and delight and I want to make the most of this time.

I am intending to join Lisa on the Palliser Ridge stand at the Martinborough Fair days on 3rd Feb and 2nd March 2024 and will have a range of Kindly Dyer yarns available for sale including Merinos in DK and 4-ply weights as well as Palliser DK yarn cakes.

In the meantime I am continuing to supply natural-dyed Palliser DK yarn cakes for The Land Girl Cafe at Pirinoa and the Palliser Ridge woolshed shop.

As part of simplifying things I will be closing this website down early in 2024, and I won’t be selling on-line via Etsy or Felt marketplaces. However, if you have a question or yarn request you are welcome to contact me via e-mail, or Facebook or Instagram messaging.

While I am feeling a bit jaded about social media I will aim to post from time to time to let folks know about Kindly Dyer yarns and news. I thank you for continuing to follow me – I really appreciate your likes and comments - they give me a little buzz and provide the encouragement for me to keep going.

Here’s a few of my favourite projects and dye batches from 2023