It's been a while since I've actually written a blog post. Ever since I started recording the podcast, I've come to really enjoy using video as my platform every week (and I have some other non-podcast video ideas in my head). That being said, I don't want to abandon this humble blog that got me started.
If you are familiar with my podcast, you've probably seen a few interviews I've done with dyers and other fun people in the fibery world. Sometimes though, there is a dyer that I can't record a video interview with, like if there is a lack of equipment for example. I've decided to post some written interviews on this blog so we can all soak up as much information from various dyers as possible, whether it's through video or a blog post.
Now that I've rambled for a bit, let me introduce today's interviewee: Frida from Friday Studios. I've admired her work for a while now (I have my first skein of hers on its way to me now!) and was thrilled that she agreed to let me interview her!
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| "Vampire Bill" Courtesy of Friday Studios |
First thing’s first, tell us a bit about
yourself and your business.
I
live a quiet life in a very small village on an island in a lake about an hour
away from Stockholm in Sweden, with my husband Ola and two angora rabbits. I
work from home and I am very happy being alone during the day, and I would say
that one of my greatest accomplishments, in my work life, is that I have
eliminated early mornings. ;) Though lots of my yarns are dyed in the middle of
the night.
I
have a background as a silversmith and an art jeweler, I have a bachelor in
Fine Arts, but I somehow got tired of
that world. And I found “my people” among the knitters, spinners and dyers. :)
When and how did you start dyeing? What
sort of resources (books, Internet, teachers) did you use to get started?
I
rediscovered knitting during art school, creating interesting shapes based on a
mitten pattern, and then I learned that you could dye wool with food colors and
koolaid, and it sort of exploded from there.
The
first yarn I dyed was from necessity, I had a sock pattern in mind, the
Kebnekaise socks, and I needed a specific color pattern for it to work, so I
dyed that yarn using food color from the store.
I
learned a lot from reading tutorials on the internet and from Youtube. I don't
really have a go to book, I developed my own methods through trial and error,
constantly evolving my methods.
Sweden
is a small country and there is usually no one to ask or learn from, you get
used to learning on your own. I wish I would have taken some classes in the
textile department in school, but I did not know then that I would need it now,
and as it is now I have a very open mind about techniques and colors.
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| "Toothpaste" Courtesy of Friday Studios |
What made you decide to start selling your
hand dyed yarns?
I
have always created things with my hands, and I think I was always on a path to
owning my own business selling something of my own creation. I can not see
myself doing any other kind of work.
When
I was little I sold polymer clay animals, I painted and then it was silver
jewelry that morphed into art jewelry and then hand spun yarns, knitting
patterns, dyed wool and now self striping yarn.
What are some dye techniques that you
particularly enjoy?
Any
involving me playing with dye. ;)
I
mostly work with immersion dyeing, using lots of little containers and a
microwave oven, and I am always
experimenting with new ways to skein the yarn, new ways to apply the dye or new
equipment. I am very interested in what happens to the colors when you knit the
yarn into fabric.
The
next thing will probably be a small knitting machine, because I am itching to
try to dye knitted fabric.
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| Courtesy of Friday Studios |
What is the space you work in like?
I
work from my home, a little grey/blue house with a garden. I dye in my laundry
room where I have great access to running water and a drying cabinet and I have
confiscated the whole top floor for yarn, wool, swifts and spinning wheels. I
love working from home in my own pace and in my own time, not having to get
ready to go somewhere in the mornings.
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| Courtesy of Friday Studios |
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| Courtesy of Friday Studios |
Do you have a favorite colorway you have
created?
As
I am sure all dyers say, the latest one, ;) But I think my favorites are
Vampire Bill and Science Fiction. Right now, though, I am really in love with
the gradients, specifically Rose Hip.
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| "Science Fiction" Courtesy of Friday Studios |
What drew you to self-striping yarns/gradients?
I
love squares, color blocks and stripes, all through art school that defined me.
I do love other kinds of patterns too, and I buy a lot of variegated yarn, but
that is not what “comes out of me” what I create. You have to accept what you
are good at and go with it.
And
I love the defined borders between colors and seeing what happens when you put
one color next to another, next to another, and then how the whole is
perceived. It is easy to be inspired by something and pick out a bunch of
colors, the tricky thing is to make the combination work and reflect the thing
you were inspired of.
Are there any dyers or fiber artists that
you look up to or find their work inspiring?
I
admire all small crafty business owners, and I love reading blogs and watching
podcasts and Youtube channels. I really admire you who find the time to do that
too.
My
inspirations still comes a lot from the art jewelry world, I love Lisa Walkers
work (http://www.lisawalker.de), and I greatly admire my two professors from art
school, Karen Pontoppidan and Ruudt Peters (http://www.ruudtpeters.nl), both
for their work, their teachings and way of life.
What advice would you give to people
interested in trying out
dyeing in general or specifically more
complicated techniques like self-striping yarns or gradients?
Just
go for it, there is no right and wrong, accept what you are good at and
remember to do what you like. Find information, test techniques and learn,
there is always something to learn. Write down what you are doing, so that you
can reproduce it. Oh, and ask people, ask how they are doing it, maybe they
don't mind sharing.
What advice would you give to people
interested in selling hand dyed yarn?
About
the same as in the question above. Just go for it. Try things out and learn,
never stop evolving. Etsy is a good way to start, but you have to work with a
great deal of competition there. Learn about your customers, what they want,
what they are willing to pay, and pay for. Ravelry is a great place to get to
know your customers. Be proud of your product and don't sell anything that you
don't like yourself. And ask people for help.
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| "Scary Movie" Courtesy of Friday Studios |
Reader Question from knittygirl on Ravelry: How do you
decide which colors to stripe? Do you have inspiration or do you play around
with different colors?
Hello
knittygirl! I get inspiration from everything around me, and I see color
combinations or a mood I want to communicate, and I go from there.
For
example Science Fiction started with a love of that turquoise and green, and it
felt like the covers of old science fiction books to me, when it was done.
Vampire
Bill, on the other hand, started with a love of Charlaine Harris´s books and I
tried to get the feel of that character. When inspiration hits I try to just go
with it, and when inspiration is lost, I do an old favorite. :)
How can people find you and get in contact?
The
best way to get in contact with me is through Email, Ravelry or any of the
below really. To get the latest news about updates and sales you can join my
newsletter.
I
am always open to custom orders or color ways, just ask!
Mail:
studios@fridaaberg.com
Newsletter:
http://eepurl.com/oQAAD
Blog:
www.fridaystydios.biz
Ravelry:
Fridaa
Plurk:
FridayStudios
Twitter:
FridayStudios
Facebook:
Friday Studios
Instagram:
FridayStudios
Thank
you!
Frida
