I first heard of Allison Barnes Yarn when I was aimlessly scrolling Instagram on an overcast Saturday afternoon. I saw a gorgeous, speckled yarn with hints of blue, red, brown, and teal, and was struck with utter shock and delight when I saw its name: Anxiety is a B*tch!
I knew right then that I had to learn more about the person behind the beautiful yarns with the wonderfully frank shade names. When I was planning this series, I reached out to Allison Barnes for an interview. Leading up to our call, the magenta-haired indie-dyer teased a big upcoming project. Well colour me intrigued, I thought.
On April 1, 2021, Allison Barnes Yarn released a four-part video tutorial series on how to dye your own yarn at home.
“I’d been hosting workshops before the pandemic and even then, I’d hear from people who wished they could go but faced barriers to attend in person. I wanted to lift barriers for people and make it more accessible.” The course will be available for purchase with closed-captions and French subtitles. “Everyone will be able to learn at their own pace,” Allison says.
Allison’s own foray into the fibre arts began when her son was born, and she was inspired to learn to crochet after finding dozens of crocheted baby hats online. “I’m grateful for my son because he really started it all,” she says. “I wouldn’t be where I am now without him.” Over the following 10 years, what began as a hobby evolved into learning to knit, then spin, and finally to dye. Allison Barnes Yarn is now her full-time job.
When it comes to her yarn, both the colours and names often come from paintings, nature, and song lyrics – and especially from how she felt that day in the dyeing studio. Living with Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Allison’s craft allows her to turn those challenging thoughts and feelings into beautiful art.
Her favourite range is her Broken Rainbow collection, featuring the colours of the rainbow split across six skeins of yarn, with names inspired by the body positivity movement: “Perfect the Way I am,” “Healthy at any Size,” “Body changes are Normal,” “Don’t Forget to Eat,” “Enjoy the Dessert,” and “Don’t Hide Your Body for Others.” This collection also makes up her most favourite project – a sweater that she admits she is a little sad to pack away as the weather warms up.
As her dyeing classes reach the masses online, Allison is excited to see the impact, hopeful that people find as much joy in turning their yarn into something beautiful and vibrant as she does.
I have been interested in dyeing my own yarns as well, and after spending time with Allison, I’m even more excited to achieve that goal and for her to guide me through it.