About the dyer

About the dyer

At the end of 2018 I made a conscious career switch to become a natural dyer. Until then I had had a beautiful singing career (in Bulgarian folklore & worldmusic), but a serious back hernia and unsustainable working conditions had me grounded. It was when lying flat on my back on the couch knitting, when I knew it was time to let go and change.

I started to think about all the other things that gave me energy and were within reach of my knowledge and experience level and re-discovered my old love for herbs and natural dying.

Besides from being a singer all of my life, my educational background is as a graduate of herbal therapy and Traditional Chinese Medicine, I hold a Masters degree in health science, and graduated in choir directing and voice coaching. When I started to dive into research about natural dyeing, I was immediately and completely hooked.

Natural dying had it all. Here was an ancient yet excitingly renewable craft that represented all things important to me: wools and yarns of regional and local source, Dutch folklore & tradition, inspiration from nature's colours, sustainability, craftsmanship, science, ethical business. As well as the connection of people from farm to fiber, from heart to heart, a limitless inspiration and creativity, the way that singing had always had been.

I established The Dutch Yarn Barn in our beautiful workshop – an old Dutch barn- here in Brummen in April 2019. I've started researching and developing my recipes with raw natural dyestuffs and have been on a roll since then. I am so extremely happy to have found this field of expertise and craftsmanship.

It is science, love & magic. Magic from nature.