So what’s the big deal, who CARES if a fabric is yarn-dyed or not right? Some of you may be thinking that. And that’s cool. We can still be friends. But I’m here today to not only make the case for yarn-dyed fabrics, but tell you WHY they are MY favorite.
First you must know that yarn dyed fabrics can be pretty easy to spot unless we’re talking about solid fabrics (but that’s a story for another time). The easiest way is to take notice of their most obvious aesthetic differences from printed fabrics. In most cases, yarn-dyed fabrics will be done in designs like stripes, or plaids, or ikats. The first two fabrics below fit some of those descriptions. And the third is obviously illustrated, drawn by hand or computer and then printed on the surface of the fabric. While there are virtually no design limitations for printed fabric, there can be some limitations with yarn-dyed fabrics, but it just makes them all the more special. Each design is at the same time constricted and liberated by the differences in fibers, yarns, colors, and weaving patterns.
Yarn dyed fabrics are exactly what they sound like. Yarns that are dyed into specific colors before being woven into a design. So the design is literally part of the fabric, this takes additional time, planning, and engineering to achieve a particular design. That will sometimes account for the slightly higher price point of yarn-dyed fabrics. Just one reason why we love yarn-dyes is that the front and back side of the fabric is usually just as useful as the front. Meaning that the design is literally translated to the backside making your fabric double sided (depending on the weave used). Or if your fabric has a more complicated weaving pattern like in picture #2, the weave can show almost a messy bunching of yarns on the backside. (A small price to pay for the glorious front side in our opinion.)
And finally why we really love yarn-dyed fabrics is because of their old-world charm and character within each piece. If you are a fan of the beautiful home decor trends that are sort of a combination of southwestern, tribal, native, and eastern cultures, you will love the yarn-dyed fabrics we carry in our shop. Below are just some examples.
These are Essex Linens by Robert Kaufman. They are a cotton/linen blend and are incredibly versatile. We love that little bit of texture that comes from being yarn-dyed. We offer Essex Linens both in a yarn-dyed, and dip dyed variety. Just make sure to read the titles of our product listings to know which one you are purchasing.
Our Elemental Woven Fabrics are a whole lot of fun! We love the different textures that each fabric brings! You can find these and a whole bunch more Textured Woven Cottons on our site.
Another cute group of Textured Cotton Wovens (or yarn-dyed) fabrics is our Stitch Line group pictured below.
If you’re looking to get a little patriotic, look no further. These American Wovens have got your back. Featuring little stars and stripes!
Pictured below are some really cute, soft and versatile yarn-dyed stripe fabrics by Alison Glass. This group is called Mariner’s cloth and features a chunky yarn running through the weave of the fabric to create stripes.
Once of our favorite yarn-dyed fabrics in the shop are these Manchester Embroidered Cottons. They have a lovely texture and add so much dimension to quilting and apparel projects.
