Inside the Studio with The Wool Kitchen

Hi Helen! For those who've not met you before, tell us about yourself.

Hello, my name is Helen. I live in east London with Mr Kitchen and our two children. I spent nearly all my childhood in Yorkshire, which has definitely made the north feel like home. I have been dyeing yarn for just over seven years, originally in my kitchen but now in my garden studio shed. Some of my favourite things are dog-walking my pup, drinking tea with friends, having the odd beer with Mr Kitchen and eating cake! I have been known to do it all on the same day… Oh, and I love knitting sweaters in the round, top-down!

What is a typical day look like at The Wool Kitchen?

I would say it’s more of a typical week than a day! I now try to stick to just two days a week dyeing up yarns, as all the other things that a single-owned small business has to do take more time than you think. social media plays a big part in getting my yarns out in the world, also packing orders, invoicing and website maintenance are always jobs to get done.

Kate Heppell used Dyeing Hydrangea for this shawl pattern which appeared in Knit Now Issue 128. She was inspired by Helen's playful colourway to create a light and airy one-skein shawl with a floral motif.

BUY KNIT NOW ISSUE 128

Your yarn has such a unique style. Can you tell us a little bit about what goes into the dyeing process?

The way I would describe my dye process is yarn manipulation! This often involves syringes and spray bottles. I love variegated colour in yarns; it's like the magic happens at your fingertips as you knit. I use a different range of techniques to achieve a multi-layering effect - this means you get a smoother transition between colours. I also love to dye my Zip yarns - these are great fun to create and to knit. All the action is that ‘little zip’. However, it is a very unique way of dyeing which will have to remain my secret!

What inspires your dyeing?

Life! I have my passion for people such as Frida Khalo, but it’s the colour that surrounds me all the time: it can be a discarded flower head on the pavement, a piece of artwork, graffiti, the way the light might fall on the windows on the high-rise buildings near our tube station. I love the periodic table and the idea of being near the nebulas in space. There is just so much inspiration around us. I truly believe I can feel and hear colour! I tend to name my yarns from where the colour inspiration comes from. Check them out on my website.

There is just so much inspiration around us.

You do some really exciting yarn bundles. Tell us more!

Yarn bundles are a great way for me to help my customers make decisions about what to knit with my yarns. I have been very lucky to work with some amazing designers in the past, and I want to continue to signpost people to their work. Also, there are patterns that I love that lend themselves to working well with my yarns. Yarn bundles allow me to say ‘hey, look at the awesome pattern. Here is the yarn you will need to make your own!’

Do you have any exciting plans for the future you can share with us?

I feel excited about the future. I feel my business is really maturing. I want to continue to grow my core colourways in my Zip yarns, get out in the wild at events and see lots of faces to really show that my yarns make you want to knit!

It’s been such a difficult year for so many people, that it’s important to make small plans, keep going, and appreciate what I still have. I’m working with an amazing sample knitter at the moment, so there will be even more garments for people to see and try when they drop by at shows. Mostly importantly I want to make sure everyone ‘enjoys every stitch’ when knitting with my yarns!

Discover The Wool Kitchen

Find out more about Helen’s gorgeous yarns at www.thewoolkitchen.com