Dye Tripper!

*Picture heavy post*

I never really thought about the whole colorful, messy business of dyeing and distributing yarn. I learned a thing or two during the Hyde Park Knitting Guild's behind the scenes glimpse into life at Lorna's Laces. It was exciting for me to see how yarn moves from color concept

to realization

to a yarn scavenging frenzy. We got our pick of mill-ends, one-of-a-kind and the occasional oops dyed yarns - some as low as $1 per skein. Believe it or not, I left empty-handed, merely chronicling the event.

I think I was most surprised that the operation (and the people) behind this now-famous brand is nothing fancy or pretentious. Owner Beth Casey and her sweet Great Dane Pearl welcomed us as we reached the 2nd floor landing at the door of their space in this sprawling warehouse.

Pearl roams around the main rooms beneath the high ceilings and suspended PVC poles holding freshly dyed and drying yarns. Bare yarn lies in wait next to dye pots and utility sinks. The walls are lined with yarn-filled wire baskets fronted by handwritten signs bearing the names of a yarn shop near you.

Perhaps that is part of the appeal of our crafting adventures. It is humble. It is imperfect. It is one REAL thing in a culture often consumed with artifice. It is the work of our hands.