Indie Dyer Spotlight: Leann Ross of Forbidden Fiber Co.

Every indie yarn dyer has a story about how they found their way to the steaming colors of a dye pot. Leann Ross, owner of the Tennessee based dyehouse Forbidden Fiber Co., was born into a crafty family. Her love for yarn and fiber is deeply rooted into her DNA. The daughter of a craft store owner, her childhood was surrounded by every color of the rainbow. It is no surprise that she made it her life’s work to continue the colorful crafty traditions of her family.

Not satisfied with knitting projects only with the yarn the pattern called for, Leann began spinning her own yarn. Curious about this craft, she wanted to learn more about the characteristics of the fibers she was spinning. Through trial and error, she refined her ability to blend fibers together to create the yarn she wanted. As her interest in fiber grew, it was a natural progression to begin experimenting with dyeing her own yarn. Armed with some Romney wool and the basic primary colors, she began dyeing. This was the beginning of what would soon become Forbidden Fiber Co.

Forbidden Fiber’s Colorways

Through her love of fiber and passion to create, Leann has built an indie-dyer brand loved by knitters and crocheters all over the US. She has developed many beautiful color collections inspired by film, television, and books. From Outlander to Harry Potter, her collections bring out the color of fantasy and allow stitchers to create pieces with colorful inspiration from their favorite shows.

Click the arrows to left and right to explore some of Forbidden Fiber Co.’s colorways.

Most recently, Forbidden Fiber Co. recently released a collection of colors inspired by the new Netflix show Wednesday. “The Addams family has been ingrained in my life since the very first movie came out in 1991. My dad was a big Raul Julia fan, so we watched it over and over. When I saw the first promotion for the new Wednesday show on Netflix, I just knew I had to do something. The colorways are neutral based, since she is so black and white, and we put splashes of red here and there to bring it to life.” It is no surprise that Netflix has announced there will be a season 2 of this highly acclaimed show. “The first season was so well done; I just don’t think our Wednesday yarn story ends here!” Leann exclaims.

Forbidden Fiber’s Process

Every dyer has a fiber base that speaks to them. For Leann, it is superwash merino or a superwash merino blend. “I have played with other fibers, including non-superwash wool and even plant-based yarn, but our 100% superwash merino fingering weight yarn (Fortitude) is my favorite.” Leann says, “I love how soft it is and it takes color beautifully. I use it to create all our colorways because I love it so much!”

Leann is a busy mom of three and loves life in the country. She is a self-proclaimed budding homesteader complete with a garden and chickens. With her amazing team, Forbidden Fiber Co, is guaranteed to continue bringing delicious color to the tips of knitting needles and crochet hooks everywhere!

Follow Forbidden Fiber on Instagram @forbiddenfiberco and shop their gorgeous colorways at www.forbiddenfiberco.com

All images courtesy of Forbidden Fiber Co.

Krista Ann is a nomadic knitter. She travels with her husband and their fur baby, Phinny, in an RV while she designs knits and teaches at yarn shops along the way. Instagram @explorewithknitsy | Website www.explorewithknitsy | The Knitting Rockstar Academy www.knittingrockstar.com