Sunday of Memorial Day weekend, I ran away from my family after church and spent with some time with other knitters / crocheters – and Jesse of Dye Monkey Yarns! Jesse’s visit has become an annual (soon to be bi-annual?) event organized by Unwound Artisan Yarn Shop in LaCrosse, Wisconsin. There is a trunk show, at least one class, sometimes a question and answer time – and my favorite: Brunch with the Monkey.
I was able to go to the brunch the first year they held it, but for some reason missed last year. We meet at JavaVino for brunch. Some people come to just drink coffee / chai / tea – and others eat one of the many delicious food offerings. We sit and sip / eat and visit and maybe even work a little on a yarn project, while we get to know Jesse a little better – and she gets to know us!
Sadly, I only remembered once to snap a picture of the event (Jesse is the one in the rust-colored shirt). I had hoped to get Jesse to allow a selfie of the two of us, but maybe that will happen as I’ve heard a rumor she may be back in October.
Jesse always brings some incredible swag for those that attend brunch with her!! This year we received a plastic snap-top bag (which my daughter immediately commandeered to hold her markers), a Dye Monkey glass, stitch markers in a tin, her new logo pin, a mini in Jig Monkey base (colorway is Gypsy, I believe) and a little pineapple notebook which also disappeared into the drawing-monster’s hands.
Jesse (aka Jessica L’Heureux) is as nice and wonderful a person as her yarns are bright and beautiful. And I’m not just saying that because there are at least a dozen full-skeins in my stash – not to mention the minis. Yeah, we won’t mention the minis.
In addition to dyeing yarn, Jesse runs the Knit Up & Dye semi-weekly podcast. She’s always honest and authentic which people love. Sadly, I haven’t listened to her podcast in a while, but I may have to start up again (and do some catching up!) If that weren’t enough, she also sells knit patterns – mostly socks, shawls, and hats.
Of course, with the trunk show, you just KNOW that I had to pick up some yarns! What did I get this time?
Well, getting back to those minis I said we wouldn’t mention – I picked up five more this round. But these are all going to go towards making Jesse’s Keiko Hat pattern ($3.50 on Ravelry). It’s a fun, colorful stranded hat that uses five mini skeins of contrasting colors in the stripes.
The other two full skeins on the left are in her Salsa Monkey yarn base (same as the five minis) in colorways Confection and Electric Love. I’m thinking about using them to remake a hat I had designed and knit up but wasn’t crazy about the colors I originally made it in (they were too dull for my new bright, colorful website LOL!)
I’m curious – have you purchased from Dye Monkey Yarns before? Any other Indie dyers you would recommend?