Birch Hollow Fibers' Story
What lead to you becoming a yarn producer?
Hi! I am Robin (the founder of Birch Hollow Fibers), and I am a dyer from the Hudson Valley Region of New York, where I live with my husband, daughter, and cats. I started out as a knitter; my mom and her friend taught me how to knit after too many scarf requests. Dyeing came about when I couldn’t find the right shade of orange for a project. My husband encouraged me to try dyeing myself, which led to Birch Hollow Fibers.
Where do you create? Do you have a team?
All yarn is dyed in my kitchen, and most things are handled by myself with the occasional help of my husband Matt. He also makes our wooden stitch markers. So it is a family affair.
What inspires you?
I am often inspired by nature and the books that I read. For instance, I name each of my yarn bases after authors whose work I love.
Can you walk us through one of your yarns from start to finish?
Thornwood is one of the first yarns that I dyed when we moved to our new home. I was really inspired by the woods that surround us. We also get quite a bit of rain, so it tends to be cloudy here at the house. Thornwood starts off with a layer of pale gray that mimics a blanket of cloudy skies. It is then dusted with Fall like speckling that mimics the changing of the trees that dot the hill behind the house.
