Yarn FAQs
About our Different Yarn Weights:
At Everlea, I dye four different weights of yarn. Everlea Fingering is my finest, Everlea Sport is my middle-of-the-road and Everlea Worsted is my larger gauge soft knitting yarn. Everlea Solo is a rustic bulky-weight yarn that is great for blankets, sweaters and weavings that you don't require to be soft to the touch (as it's a big too rustic for most people for next-to-skin wearing).
Everlea Fingering is a two-ply merino wool yarn, is great for lace knitting, and Janna loves it for weaving weft faced artworks.
Everlea Sport is a three-ply merino wool yarn that works up well for sport weight or dk weight projects. It's great for knitting that perfect everyday sweater as well as hat or mitts, and Janna loves it for weaving wall art. It's renowned for non-pilling quality.
Everlea Worsted is a four-ply merino wool yarn, is great for knitting sweaters or outerwear that will get a lot of wear, and Janna loves it for knitting cables.
Are your yarns superwash treated?
My yarns are not superwash treated, but they are descaled (to a lesser extent than superwash) using a technique which is eco-conscious, as certified by the Global Organic Textile Standard.
Can I wash your yarns in the washer?
Items made with Everlea Yarn Co. should be hand-washed. Squeeze excess water out (don't wring), then lay your object between a folded towel and step on the towel to soak up excess water. Lay them flat to dry on a dry surface.
What is organic wool?
Everlea Yarn Co's Everlea Fingering, Everlea Sport and Everlea Worsted yarn bases have been processed in accordance with the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS). Learn more about our yarns here.
The two main principles for maintaining the organic standard in textiles are:
1. Social / fair trade. This principle guarantees correct social and labour practices, ensuring respect for the conditions from grower/harvester/manufacturer/production chain to end-user.
2. Environmental. During the growing of the fibre, no chemicals harmful to the land or animals like heavy metals, formaldehydes, and fluorocarbons, chemical fertilizers or pesticides may be used from the farm to downstream processing.
What are your natural dye processes?
The natural dye processes I use are the first ones that I was introduced to in university in 2008. I have been studying the art of natural dyeing ever since. It is a labour of love, and it's worth every moment.At Everlea Yarn, I use only dyes which are proven to have colourfast properties. You can find a detailed explanation of my natural dye processes HERE .
Will my indigo yarn have a scent?
I allow my indigo dyed yarn to off-gas for at least one week before they are available for sale, as they can otherwise have a strong scent. The indigo scent will eventually totally disappear, so if your yarn has a scent, don't worry - it won't be like that for long. Airing it out in fresh air (out of sunlight) helps hasten the process.