Drop in Skill Building!

Come and join us at one of our drop in sessions this summer!




Free, Fun and informal - come when you can and stay as long as you need.




Saturday August 1st between 1- 3:30 pm




KABLES WITH KARIN




Learn basic cables with and without a cable needle


We'd love to see you there!

The Importance of Dye Lots

Let’s talk about dye lots.


From Wikipedia: A dye lot is a record taken during the dyeing of yarn to identify yarn that received its coloration in the same vat at the same time. Yarn manufacturers assign each lot a unique identification number and stamp it on the label before shipping.


So, why are dye lots important to the average knitter/crocheter? Well, even though the next dye lot of a same colour may use the very same recipe for the colour, and the very same procedures, small changes in things like air temperature, humidity or dyeing time can result in a slightly different shade. Sometimes the difference is so small it really can’t be seen, at other times it is quite obvious. And there is really no way to tell how different the next dye lot will be – it depends on so many factors. As well, sometimes yarn from 2 different dye lots won’t look different at all while still in a ball or skein, but once you knit or crochet them up, suddenly you can see a definite line where one ball stops and the other starts. Possible disaster!



The best thing to do is to always try to buy more than enough yarn from one dye lot for your project - buying an extra ball can pay off in the long run. At Mary Maxim we strive to have only one dye lot per colour out on the shelves, we double check as we bag your purchase, and we have a very generous 6 month return policy for yarn. If you do end up with extra, though, and don’t feel like returning it, there are always the options of stash enhancement, another colour for your next afghan, a spare hat, or, who doesn’t love a new pair of mittens for Christmas!



What if the unthinkable has happened, and despite your best intentions and meticulous calculations, you need to buy extra yarn to finish your project, and there is nothing available in your dye lot! Don`t despair, and don`t throw that project into the UnFinished Objects pile! There are ways to deal with this. If your project consists of several pieces, you may be able to use the dye lots strategically. For multi-colour projects, another colour could also separate the dye lots so that the shade difference isn’t noticeable. And finally, you can blend the new dye lot in with the old, by alternately knitting or crocheting 2 rows with each different dye lot. The larger the area you do this for, the better the different shades will blend so that you don’t see a difference. At least 20-24 rows in total should do the trick.


We are always available to brainstorm ideas with you! Happy Crafting!

When 100g just won't do...

It would be so much easier to calculate how many balls of yarn a project would take if the yarn the pattern called for is the yarn you're planning on using. However, if you're like me, you like to experiment with fibers of all kinds and textures and don't like 'having' to use the yarn a pattern was designed for.  

This is when the physical weight of the yarn in the pattern doesn't necessarily mean it will equal the yarn you want to actually use. At this point, a bit of math is needed (I know, not my favourite either, but necessary!). 

For ex: My pattern calls for 8 skeins of Mary Maxim Aran Irish Tweed. The total yardage of the yarn I'd need is calculated by number of yards/skein x number of  skeins- in this case, Irish Tweed has 205 yards/skein, total of 1640 yards required.

But, I want to use Mary Maxim Starlette yarn. Starlette has 180 yards/skein... The weight listed in the pattern doesn't apply anymore, so.... math. 

I need 1640 yards of worsted weight yarn to finish my project. 

1640 divided by  180 = 9.1111... 

So, to use Starlette, I would need to purchase 10 skeins total. It's always a good idea to purchase more yarn than you think you'll require to finish your project so that you can make sure the dye lots match... Mary Maxim has a generous 6 month return policy if you don't end up using all of what you've purchased either!

More on the importance of dye lots in our next post! Happy Canada Day!