Winter is coming!… Along with the first day of school. I have to admit my greatest struggle during winter, especially with my oldest Esperanza going to school, is making certain she’s dressed appropriately.
We especially struggled this past year with the essentials- hats, mitts and scarfs. At the start of the year we straight up forgot about them. With kids it’s so easy to do that too when all of Esperanza’s hats, mitts and scarfs from the previous year went to her little sister Izabella. It wasn’t until that cold wind came in that daddy and I realized Esperanza had none of these winter accessories.
Our struggle continued on from there as we bought winter accessories that was for her age range but didn’t fit her. We realized that her hairstyle determined if her hats fit her head. If her hair was left open with it’s big beautiful curls, her hats would either not fit or get stretched out. When her hats got stretched out and I would put braids in her hair, the hat would easily slip right off.
Back in the day when I crocheted as a stress reliever, I would make a hat that fit my head perfectly. No matter the hair style I wore, it fit! (And I have a natural afro). You can make certain a hat fits your head perfectly when you’re the one creating the design. You can adjust your hat as you need.
This year I’m determined to not have this problem of hats not fitting Esperanza. The year is busy enough without searching for numerous styles of hats. Plus it’s so expensive to have to keep buying winter hats.
This year I’m doing the most practical thing I can think of. I am crocheting my family winter hats… and I am nervous.
It’s literally been over ten years since I last crocheted. And I remember it being a tedious task but I did it so frequently that I got faster at it and could crochet a hat in just an hour or two.
I want a hat that will hold up to all of my daughter’s rough housing while at school. So I need the right kind of yarn. Plus it has to have the type of colors that will excite my little girl.
Have you Mamas heard of ethically sourced hand dyed yarn? This yarn is a whole other level than store bought generic brand yarn. It comes in unique colors and softest textures.
I got two bundles of yarn from Potion Yarns. Johanna, the creator of Potion Yarns, hand dyes them herself in the most beautiful and dynamic colors. Here is Johanna to tell us more about Potion Yarns:
- What sets Potion Yarns apart from generic brand store bought yarn?
I dye high quality, luxury yarns that are ethically sourced to ensure compassionate, sustainable animal care.
Unlike cheaper yarns at generic big box stores, my yarns are all dyed by hand in small batches to ensure unique and quality results. I also use layers of color to build up a deeply saturated, rich end product with shades that shift and come to life from every angle.
Hand dyed yarn is a precious and beautiful thing with a life all it’s own. While each colorway is carefully documented to be reproduced accurately, the nature of hand-dyed yarns and techniques I’ve developed mean that there may be slight variances between the skeins. If using more than one skein to complete a project, I advise alternating skeins every couple rows to create an even flow of color. This is part of what I love about hand-dyed yarns…each skein is a unique work of art that machines cannot reproduce!
- What can clients expect after unboxing their yarn? (Including longevity and how the yarn will hold up to being worked into a pattern).
My yarns are shipped in skeins, a long loop of yarn held together with a few ties. In order to craft with my yarns, they need to be wound into a ball or cake, which can be done by hand or using a ball winder and swift.
It’s important to always tension the yarn before cutting the ties (an easy way to do this is to stretch it around the back of a chair or over your knees while sitting cross-legged). To save you time, I offer my customers a winding service on my website for a small fee, which can be added to your shopping cart before checking out. If you choose this option, your yarn comes already wound into a center-pull cake so you can get right to your project!
Wool yarns like the ones I sell are a durable, long lasting fiber, so they are great for a variety of projects from garments to hats, socks, homewares, baby clothes, and more. I use professional light and washfast acid dyes that can produce vivid, saturated colors. The best part of working with my yarns is each stitch is an adventure: the colors move and play in random, exciting ways and will look different by changing up the stitch pattern or even the size of hook or needle you choose!
- How did Potion Yarns start? Can you recall the season in which you created this business?
I started Potion Yarns 5 years ago after my husband asked me to make him a really specific knitted item. I had been a hairstylist for over a decade, and when I couldn’t find the perfect yarn for his project, he suggested I learn to dye it myself since hair color was my favorite part of my job at the time.
I did some research online, then bought some supplies and jumped right in! I was instantly hooked, and started teaching myself everything I could about yarn dyeing, color, and business. Within a few months, I opened my own website and began taking orders and it grew very quickly from there.
I had hit a rut in my salon business: I loved doing hair and my clients were wonderful, but I felt like I was stagnating. I had lost my joy and was daydreaming of finding a way to work from home so I could start a family with my husband.
When I first opened Potion Yarns, I continued to work at the salon, dyeing yarn at night and on my day off, and going to yarn shows when I could take a weekend off. After just 3 years of working hard on my two jobs, I knew it was time to believe in myself and quit the salon. The timing was perfect as I had just become pregnant with our first son, so we went all in and with my husband’s support and encouragement, I moved into selling online full time.
I’m so grateful for all I’ve been able to accomplish with Potion Yarns so far. It gives me the freedom and flexibility to stay home with my children while still doing something that brings me such joy. My hope is that as my kids get older, I’ll be able to expand my business a bit, teach them the keys to being an entrepreneur, and inspire them and others to follow their passions and believe in themselves. I’ve always wanted a job that supported my desire to have a family and this has definitely given me that wonderful gift.
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When these bundles came in the mail, my girls were ecstatic! They immediately picked the most colorful yarn as theirs for their hats. My husband then sheepishly came over and said, “You gonna make one for me too right?” Luckily there was a color just right for him too.
That’s three hats I have to make before the peak of winter here in British Columbia. It’s August and the temperature has already dropped to 10 degrees celsius. I’ve got to get back into the habit of crocheting quickly.
I’m starting with my oldest daughter’s hat in the hopes of completing it at the onset of school. I’ll be doing a video diary of my progress which you guys can watch on our Instagram page @maturing.mama
Do you crochet or knit winter accessories for your kids? Let us know in the comments what type of designs you create. And do you have kids with big hair? What’s your trick for getting a winter hat that will always fit?
Go to https://potionyarns.com/ to shop for quality hand dyed yarns!
