Supporting independent dyers is a feature of Baaad Anna’s we are most proud of. We have such an extent of fibre arts talent in Canada that there is no end to the spotlight we can give to these. Area 51 is unique in that she is one of the few that produces self-striping sock yarns: yarns that when knit up in a tube the diameter of a wrist or ankle, will work up in stripes without having to change yarns. These are easy enough to produce by large batch factory-dyed machines, but you need to put on your math-hat to think up how to dye up a 400+ yarn skein into stripes that change every 4-8 rows! It is one precise and complicated process to add to the already amazing technique that is hand-dyed yarns!

This January’s Project of the Month takes our custom order of Area 51’s DK-weight skein of her Roller Disco colourway and pairs it with a silk/merino sport-weight yarn to create this stellar light and airy pullover using Stephanie Lotven’s Worsted Sock Arms pattern. This version is knit in an adult XSmall on needles two sizes smaller than the pattern recommended, allowed me to use the entire single skein of this self-striping for a sweater for my tall 9 year old. I especially like how this pattern avoids the typical drop sleeve, and instead offers a unique technique of picking up stitches on the already completed body. Knit from the bottom up, it felt like a quicker knit than when increasing for the separation of the sleeves in the typical top-down I usually knit!

Wanna get your hands on some of this unique yarn? We have a few 12 Days gift sets still available, as well as a small quantity of extra of these DK weight striping skeins.

Anyone else received this unique hand-dyed DK self striping over the holidays? Let me know what you intend to create with your skein! Or grab an extra skein and knit yourself an adult version of the sock arms (which I intend to do!).