Interview: Jessica Gamache of Totally Rad Yarn
Could you tell us a little bit about what inspired you to create your own yarn business?
In 2010 when I was getting back into knitting and learning to crochet, I sought out colors I wanted to work with and when I could find them they were treated almost like novelty colors. I don’t think that bright colors should be marketed as or relegated to novelty yarn. That’s how I got into indie dyed yarns - I could find the bright colors that I enjoy. After going to my first yarn expo, I knew I wanted to try my hand at yarn dyeing and making my favorite colors more available to makers.
How/why did you choose the name "Totally Rad Yarn"?
I’ve always been drawn to the colors and clothing from the 80s and 90s, which was going to inspire the colorways, so I thought some slang from the time would be appropriate, and I use both “totally” and “rad” in my everyday vernacular and here we are!
Who's on the Totally Rad Yarn Team? What do they do?
It’s just me! Although my partner Jason has a knack for helping me with the colorway names.
What inspires your beautiful colorways?
Mostly the colors from my childhood in the 80s & 90s, but anything that catches my fancy could become a colorway!
How do you select the names for your colorways?
If I don’t start with the name and create the colorway from there, I’ll look up reference photos from shows I liked or clothes I remember from when I was young.
How do you keep track of your colorways and inspiration?
I keep notebooks everywhere and a whiteboard in my dye studio to jot things down as I think of them. I keep track of my colorways and their recipes in Google Docs though so I don’t have to search through a bunch of notebooks for the recipe I need.
What is your favorite method or style of dyeing?
I really love speckles of course, but my absolute favorite is veil dyeing! It’s layering colors over each other to create beautiful yarn that can be tonal or variegated based on which colors you layer. I will often top them with a little bit of speckles.
In learning how to dye yarn, what did you find the most interesting? Any surprises?
When I started learning, the resources I found were very technical with math and measurements and scales, so I suppose I thought yarn dyeing would be an exercise in precision. For myself though, as long as I use the right amount of acid and enough heat, the rest is truly an expression of my intuition.
What does a normal dye week look like for you?
Normally, I try to dye about 3-4 days a week. Because of the weather being hot 8 months of the year, I tend to dye in the morning and be done for the day by 1PM or 2PM. In the afternoons I’ll do more administrative tasks like twisting and labeling skeins, keeping the website updated, etc. On the remaining days of the work week, I’ll design patterns and make samples with my yarn for trunk shows.
Do you ever experience creative blocks? If so, how do you overcome this?
More often I experience decision paralysis than creative blocks, but in both cases I’ll watch a movie or show from my childhood and it gets me excited about something, and I run with that.
When you partner with a yarn shop to do a trunk show, what qualities do you look for?
One thing I look for is that the shop embodies the values I hold as important - inclusivity and diversity. I also look for shops that have a strong sense of community for me to connect with. We all go to yarn shops for the yarn of course, but a shop that has a group at the Sip and Stitch that I connect with keeps me coming back.
What advice would you give to others wanting to follow their creative dreams?
Find a way to do it that is possible. I’d love to say “quit your job, it’ll work out!”, but that isn’t possible for most people. I had a 40 (or more like 50) hour a week job when I got started with dyeing yarn. I started with a table from our house, a $50 portable induction burner I got at IKEA, and spare kitchen tools that I set up in our garage. You can do it, whatever your creative dream is!
Are you a knitter, crocheter, or bistitchual?
Bistitchual! I learned to knit from my great grandmother at 7 years old and picked up crochet after being homebound with an injury in 2009-2010.
What do you most enjoy about stitching?
The magic of it. The dyer turns string into art, the pattern designer makes magic with the dyer’s art, and the stitcher puts intention into each stitch to create the finished item. I just love it.
Do you have a favorite item to stitch on road trips?
It depends on the road. If I want to look out the window, then something simple like a sock - but if what’s outside the window isn’t all that exciting then I can work on something more complicated, like a shawl.
If you were to suggest a yarn base for a beginning stitcher who has fallen in love with your yarn like we have, which base would you recommend? Why?
I would suggest my Dank (DK) base if a fingering weight is intimidating for a beginning stitcher as it works up quickly, but is versatile as a finished item. My ultimate preference as a stitcher is fingering weight though, and I love my Fresh (Fingering) base for the way it takes colors, its drape, and its strength.
Working as a dyer can be physically draining! What self-care do you practice?
I used to work in computer repair, and lugging heavy computers around taught me the importance of self-care. I try to keep my dye days as short as possible while still being productive, and I take breaks every 90 minutes while dyeing. I have chronic pain from an old injury, so I do utilize cannabis and CBD to help with inflammation and pain. Supported arms while stitching helps keep my arms in tip top shape for yarn dyeing too!
How does dyeing add happiness to your daily life?
I’ve really only experienced yarn dyeing in my “COVID new normal” since I was going to launch my business at Vogue Knitting Live Seattle in March 2020, which was one of the first shows cancelled. So in this reality, it’s a bit of alone time I don’t otherwise get in my home with three other adults all working from home. I love creating colorways that remind me of things I loved when I was younger, and whenever a customer gets the reference of the colorway and name I get to connect with other crafters in a way I couldn’t before I started dyeing yarn.
What projects are you looking forward to this year?
I have some kit collaborations coming up throughout the year with another dyer that I’m very excited about. I’ll also be designing more patterns. I’m teaching knitting and crochet classes too through local yarn shops, which I’m absolutely loving!
What is your favorite part about teaching knitting/crochet classes?
The connection and community. People coming together with a mutual love of fiber is fantastic, and being able to help someone grow their skills or understand a technique they’d been struggling with is extremely fulfilling to me.
There are a lot of changes happening in the fiber arts industry right now; what positive change do you hope to see happen in the fiber community?
I hope that change will continue to be made as opposed to returning to things as” they’ve always been” or “back to normal”. Like with the fiber shows for example, they aren’t really accessible (in multiple ways), nor do they tend to be very diverse. I hope that will change. I hope we can continue to listen to and learn from marginalized voices so all crafters can be valued and respected in the industry.
What positive impact do you hope to have in the world through Totally Rad Yarn?
I hope that my yarn brings joy to crafters. I hope my patterns provide the framework for crafters to create beautiful things for themselves and the people they love. I hope my classes provide the opportunity for crafters to learn a new skill and feel more confident in their craft. I hope whatever platform I have can be used to lift up others and help create change.
Connect with Totally Rad Yarn
Website: https://www.totallyradjess.com/
Instagram: @totallyradjess
Facebook: @totallyradjess
Discord: The Totally Rad Fam
