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Every year when I get my Yarn Advent Calendar, I get asked the same question: “Where did you get that from?”. Imagine the disappointment on my friend’s faces when I tell them that my yarn-filled box was pre-ordered all the way back in June. You might find it strange, but the amount of prep-work required to deliver 24 outstanding, individually wrapped packages of surprise yarns is a monumental mountain to conquer, even with 6 months warning.
For the past couple of years, I’ve been helping out my two favourite people at Mad Scientist Yarns with the assembly of their Yarn Advent Calendars- so I’ve been privy to the behind-the-scenes processes and stress that go into each one of these lovely boxes of pure joy!
So what is the actual process?
Far be it just dyeing some yarn- the process is much more labour-intensive than I think most people realise…
Psssst… looking for something to make with your yarn advent calendars? Check out this list of knitting patterns, or these crochet patterns…
#1 – Research & Colourways
December 25th, the end of advent- and sometimes the day when dyers are pondering next year’s feat over a glass of Christmas port (or not). What colours? What theme? Fade? No fade? Speckled? With the ending of one advent, comes the beginning of the next.
Let the research begin!
This year MSY opted for Sea Creatures for their Jekyll Advent. So that’s the theme picked- but there are SO MANY sea creatures out there- so what goes in the box?!
One of the first hurdles dyers face is whether to do a fade or not- that is, will all 24 colours fade gradually from one end to the other. So which colours, which style of dyeing? Plus, they need to make sure that what they choose, fits with their theme.
It’s even researching styles of other yarn dyers to ensure your offering is differentiated enough. Every year there are certain “fashionable” colour shades, and there can be a lot of commonality between dyers and their choices.
Michelle and Scott develop 2 advents every year: the Jekyll or the Hyde.
As you’d expect if you’ve read the R.L. Stevenson classic, Jekyll is the more “sane” of the two calendars, and follows a definitive theme, whereas Hyde is “anything goes”. With Hyde, the scientists draw from their background, and instead pick 25 periodic table elements randomly and dye a colour representative of that element.
#2 – Yarn Sourcing & Dyeing
Sourcing the yarn can influence a dyers decision in how they approach this. In 2020, there were shortages of mini skeins in a lot of fibre types. Some dyers were left without, and if you imagine hundreds of people wanting advents – it put a huge strain on the supply chain.
If you expected the worst, as most people did given Covid, there was also the option to buy full 100g skeins and break them down into mini 20g skeins – a time-consuming effort in itself- just ask Scott, who’s sole job it was to wind and wind and wind and wind…
Michelle’s job wasn’t any easier, she dyed 50 different colourways over hundreds of full skeins of different bases (before Scott’s winding task began!) and ensuring that each batch was almost exactly the same- all while keeping her dogs away from hot dye pans and washing lines full of yarn- not an easy feat!
#3 – Goodies & Extras
While we all love getting yarn, let’s be honest… getting the extras are the real show stopper in any advent calendar. The yarn we expect – treats we do not.
Where do you even start with this? The yarn market is so varied, but if you’re a hard-core yarnie like myself or Michelle, you probably have every gadget and gizmo known to man (and if you don’t, then check this link out). The challenge is creating something unique and WOW-worthy.
My advent from Castleview yarns this year contained a yarn-themed pencil, a pin badge, a candle, a stitch marker set, and a notebook. All simply wonderful little surprise finds scattered throughout the calendar.
Mad Scientist Yarns this year gave a collection of stitch markers (both knit and crochet, depending on your craft of choice), as well as a yarn cozy (my suggestion to Michelle which she ended up hating me for after sewing hundreds of them), yarn wash soaps, hand soaps, chocolates, and not to mention, the sewing machine wizard also made matching project bags for those who requested it. I absolutely love mine!
I was also lucky enough to design the crochet patterns for both the 2020 AND 2021 advent calendars: the Astronomishawl and the Rainbow Traveller Hooded Scarf– and let me tell you, co-ordinating me is bad enough.
The logistics can be a nightmare- making sure that what you order (or make) arrives (or gets done) on time, ensuring it’s as you expected it to be, and of course making sure that it doesn’t weigh too much and push up your postage costs. Arranging all of this is a huge task for 2 people, let alone 1 dyer working alone. Remember, that more often than not, these goodies are wrapped up in the advent too to keep them a surprise for the recipient.
Which brings us to…
#4 – Packaging
I’m not just talking about the outside, but also the inside. Packaging 24 indiviual skeins so that they remain a surprise throughout the advent season isn’t as easy as you’d think.
Well, it can be easy, but individually wrapping hundreds of skeins is time-consuming and mind-numbingly boring. Plus, you have to make sure that the yarn for a specific day goes into a specific CORRECT package. You don’t want to be opening day 19 on day 2!
Some opt for bags, folded over and closed with a sticker. The risk here is that you can sometimes see through the bag. Plus, with everyone aiming to be a bit more ‘eco’ in their decision-making, plastic bags are avoided. After going to all the effort of dyeing too, you don’t want to just throw your skeins in a bag and be done with it. The folds in the paper bags are made with precision, and the stickers line up perfectly. It’s about attention to detail.
Last year, MSY decided to package their yarns in little tweed bags. While this process was a little quicker (and involved less tearing than opting for paper), each bag was then meticulously labeled with an individual tag and tied closed. It looked gorgeous, opening up the outer packaging to find 25 neat bags standing in rows.
The outer packaging, both this year and last year was a black box with the appropriate name. It made packaging it for postage a lot easier (and safer). This year’s shimmer stole my heart.
Square boxes ultimately make everything easier to pack for the postman and usually keep everything in tact during transit. But dyers will sometimes opt for mesh bags for their outer packaging which come in a whole array of colours and styles – another level of personalisation, and yet another thing to organise!
#5 – Posting
Sometimes we as buyers, can forget that we are scattered all over the world. We’re absorbed in our little bubble of excitement that we can sometimes forget that while some of us might be in the UK, others are in Australia.
This means that couriers need to be selected carefully, so that the bubble of excitement doesn’t burst for anyone, no matter how near or far they are. Parcels need to be shipped well in advance to avoid missing that December 1st deadline.
I know from speaking to Michelle & Scott, that they have to stay home, to watch out for all the multiple couriers that collect their packages. This means they can’t leave the house, and their hallway is FULL of boxes, that again have had to be packed, labeled, and postage-paid for, well in advance.
It’s only when the last package has left their house, do they (and other yarn dyers) can finally put their feet up and stop thinking about their yarn advent calendars… well, at least until December 24th.
This a short, yet wordy summary, of just a smidgin of work that goes into your yarn advent calendars. Its a tremendous feet, a complete labour of love, and my utmost respect goes out to those who choose to offer them. Every year, colours and combinations astound me, and everyone should be so proud of what they’ve acheived. If you’ve received a yarn advent calendar this year, make sure to reach out to the dyer and give them an almighty pat on the back – they deserve it!
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