About Everlea Yarn
Hi, I'm Janna Maria. I am the gal behind Everlea Yarn; a collection of lovingly made and carefully chosen yarns and tools for knitting and weaving. I am a trained textile artist, having received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Concordia University's Fibres program in 2013 preceded by a technical Textile Art diploma from Capilano University.
My signature line of fingering, sport and worsted weight merino wool yarns begin as 100% organic merino sourced from New Zealand which is spun in Ontario and then dyed by me here in British Columbia with plant dyes. I also lovingly make handheld tapestry looms for weavers of all levels with beautiful maple and walnut woods.
Textiles dyed with natural dyes become more beautiful over time, especially Indigo, which is by far my favourite dye source. In my practice, I choose plant sources which are historically industry-standard, providing you with naturally dyed yarns that are lightfast and washfast.
Beautiful dynamic colours are what I am always aiming for, something natural dyes already offer. But, you may have noticed that I also like to layer my dyes (sometimes dyeing them twice!) ~ a process that is a labour of love - and it's worth every moment. You have got to see the yarns in person to fully appreciate the colours these processes offer.
Knowing where my wool comes from and how it is processed and made into yarn is of utmost importance. I offer both Canadian harvested and spun yarns which have been minimally processed, as well as certified organic merino harvested from New Zealand and spun in Canada.
Above Image: Janna Maria sits in her weaving studio while filming tapestry classes with the School of SweetGeorgia.
I first learned how to dye textiles and weave tapestry in 2008 during my two years in Capilano University's Textile Art diploma program. In 2014 I began weaving tapestry as my primary artistic medium when I received my first Mirrix Loom and haven't looked back. I have been offering textile workshops for over a decade, including an invitation in 2011 to Aurora College (Northwest Territories) to teach my self-designed five-week textile art program.
Everlea Yarn's Beginnings
Early on in my career, pursuing 'art' did not seem like a sustainable option. In Capilano University's Textile Art Program (2008-2010) I pursued techniques and modes that I thought could be multiplied and put into the fastest production possible, not necessarily taking note of the techniques that I was personally drawn to. It wasn't until I entered into Concordia University's Fibres and Material Practices program in Montreal that I really sunk into an art practice that felt authentically my own. I delved deep into a slow, personal investigation into printing with natural dyes - techniques I brought with me from Capilano.
Everlea Yarn evolved out of my art practice, at the center of which is an investigation into my relationships with others. I explore ideas of how personal growth can be either challenged or realized through one's perception of their surroundings. In 2013, having just graduated from university as well as welcomed our son Sam into the universe, my family and I moved to the New York metropolitan area for my partner's education. It was there that Katie Earle and I, both Fibres graduates of Concordia University, formed Everlea Textiles, an art collective based on the sole notion of supporting each other in our respective artistic pursuits. We organized photoshoots, attended seminars together and shared skills with each other. In 2014 I received by first Mirrix Loom and began pursuing tapestry as my primary artistic medium, using my own naturally dyed yarns. I shared my tapestry skills with Katie, who was already an established hand-weaver, and in 2017, after having moved across the continent back to my home province BC, Katie and I began a long distance collaboration, weaving a joint series of tapestries based on photos taken during our collaboration in New York. Our project website can be found here: www.everleatextileart.weebly.com
In 2016 my family and I moved back to BC, and in the spring of 2018, in anticipation of my son entering kindergarten in the fall, I developed and launched Everlea Yarn, my own line of yarn - exactly the kind that I want to use: consciously sourced, Canadian spun and naturally dyed. In 2021 in collaboration with my maternal grandfather who is a retired cabinet maker, I designed and began producing Everlea Mini Looms and later, Everlea Tapestry Looms; handcrafted handheld weaving looms made with specialty woods.
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Above image: Janna teaching weaving for her online workshop with the School of Sweet Georgia
See some examples of my tapestries woven with Everlea Yarn below. Find my art portfolio HERE.
