THE INDIE yarn brand
HeyJay Hand Dyed Yarns
is run by Hannah Mackie,
a vivacious and talented
woman who brightens up
every yarn show she
attends thanks to her
amazing colourways. We chatted with
Hannah about her creative life.When did you first try hand dyeing?
“I started dyeing yarn about four years ago.
I was at a point where I wasn’t enjoying my
job, as it wasn’t even close to my dream of
owning a bricks and mortar yarn shop. The
trouble is, starting that kind of venture is
very scary and needs a lot of financing! So
I decided to try my hand at dyeing yarn, to
at least live a sliver of my dream of faffing
around with yarn! I ordered myself a
handful of skeins, and a book about dyeing,
and started experimenting. It’s a bit like
painting, but you get to knit with your
canvas at the end!”What was the first colourway you created?
“It was a variegated blue and purple - my
knitting group friends pointed out that it
looked just like the fur of Sully from the
film Monsters Inc., so that’s what it was
called! (My knitting group were my very
first customers, and HeyJay wouldn’t exist
without them cheering me on.) The dyes
weren’t the ones I use now and the blues
majorly came off on your hands when you
knitted with it, but it wasn’t half bad for
a first attempt, even if I do say so myself!”What fibres do you like to work with?
“Merino will always have a place in my
heart - it takes dye like a dream. I enjoy
experimenting with different yarn bases,
though, and most of my yarn bases are
blends of either merino or Bluefaced
Leicester wool with things like silk, alpaca,
donegal neps, and sparkle - honestly,
what’s not improved with sparkle?”What dyeing processes do you use?
“All my dyeing happens in my home
studio, also known as my living room and
wee kitchen! There’s no fancy equipment,
it’s acid dyes and heat setting with nothing
more technical than a microwave, and theyarns are then left to cook in their residual
heat so the colours set. For the plant fibres
I use cold water dyes that marinade
overnight to set before they get rinsed
clear. Dyeing is something anyone can get
into, so I also teach yarn dyeing workshops
in Oxfordshire which is a lot of fun.”What are the highlights and challenges
of in running an indie dyeing business?
“The highlights have been the amazing
community that I’ve found through this
venture. I have made some fantastic
friends, both dyers and customers, and
I will forever be grateful for that.
“In terms of challenges, the top one is
competition. There are SO many indie
dyers on the market now that it’s a lot of
work to try and stay ahead. On one hand,
it’s great that this industry is so accessible,
but on the other hand, sometimes it’s
tough to feel like you’ll be seen.”Where do you find creative inspiration?
“I’m a huge fan of rock and metal music
and the punk aesthetic. I’m forever going
to live gigs - they are very much my
happy place. The whole alternative scene
influences a lot of my branding, and how
I present HeyJay and what it stands for.
It’s all about being loud, proud and bold,
so I’m forever trying to create colourways
that represent that.”What has been your proudest achievement?
“The fact that I’ve made it this far and
made my wee business what it is now is
something I’m hugely proud of. Every time
someone runs up to my stall at a yarn show
and shows me what they’ve made with my
yarn, I beam with happiness that they
enjoyed the thing that I did! And they
made a thing with the thing that I did!”Are you a knitter yourself?
“Absolutely! I’ve been knitting for a long
old time now, and it’s very much
maintained some form of sanity! This year
I’ve also fallen down the rabbit hole of
learning to spin, and have acquired my
first wheel. That’s been a fresh addiction
that I’m very much obsessed with!”http://www.heyjayyarn.comWe talk colour and rock music with the
indie dyer behind HeyJay Hand Dyed Yarns
3
1
2
4
1 Hannah uses a range of merino, alpaca and
silk yarn bases 2 She runs dyeing workshops in
Oxfordshire 3 Hannah sells her colourful wares
at yarn shows around the UK 4 Her Sparkle Sock
yarn is a particular favouriteHannah describes
her yarns as
‘Anti Beige’!Hannah Mackie
Meet
Interview
The Knitter 90 Issue 143