Meet the Maker: Dyerwolf Yarn Co.

Greetings, yarn lovers! Today we’d like to introduce you to a new addition to the Darn Yarn family! Read on to learn about Stephanie McKinney of Dyerwolf Yarn Co.

We’re suckers for both puns and nerdiness, so it’s not a shock that we love Dyerwolf’s name. Stephanie is a huge Game of Thrones fan, and when she started her yarn dyeing business a few years ago, she wanted to give it a name that brought her two loves together:

Whimsical yarns, and after all, winter is coming!

Stephanie started knitting intensively in 2011, when she was diagnosed with colon cancer. It was caught early, but it left her with a permanent ileostomy (a bag that attaches to your stomach). Knitting helped her get through it all.

I am very thankful to still be here and to enjoy all the beautiful things, but I was left with a lot of anxiety. I found knitting calmed me down.

As with so many indie dyers, Stephanie began to create her own colourways so she could make her projects look exactly how she wanted. She especially wanted colourways that could tell a story with every shawl she knitted.

I am a huge fan of strange and unusual colourways, and I could never find just what I was looking for for my projects.

She spent a year playing with colours and techniques before opening her shop on Etsy. She takes her inspiration from…well…anything and everything.

I am inspired by so many things, it never ends. Books, songs, tv shows, art, movies, nature, photography… The sky is really the limit when it comes to creating. 

Stephanie recently moved from her hometown of Cold Lake, Alberta to Pierceland, Saskatchewan. Once she settles in, she’ll be moving ahead with her business, dreaming up more extraordinary yarns for people who love the unusual and unexpected. She’ll also be recording her Wolfden podcast, where she talks about yarns and projects she’s been working on, work by other Canadian dyers, and upcoming knit-a-longs (she has a new KAL starting on Oct 1, so now is a great time to subscribe!).

One thing’s for sure, she’ll be living her life to the fullest.

Stephanie’s favourite thing about her work is the community:

I have to say, I really love the people I meet, and seeing everyone’s beautiful work with my yarns. The fibre community is truly such an amazing community and I am honored to be a part of it! 

We’re so glad she’s part of it too! We’re looking forward to seeing more of Stephanie’s wonderful creations and working with her to spread them even more widely. You can find our collection of Dyerwolf Yarn Co’s yarns here.