Our Story

   

I’m Kyle, the dyer behind Viking Fiber Company. Pictured with me is our little mascot, Ragnar. First, I’d like to thank you for visiting! Second, I’d like to tell you a little about myself.

I didn’t have a full appreciation for fiber arts until a few years ago when I decided to pick up knitting as a new hobby and made the most horrible scarf (that I still have, and wear, from time to time). My love of knitting and crochet has been lifelong in another manner: My grandmother was always making something for someone. I swear she could crochet in her sleep. I have multiple blankets that she made for me throughout my childhood. Blankets that comforted me through every sleepless night, every cold and flu, and every freezing blustery winter storm in my family's old farmhouse that had no heating upstairs. Everyone had one of Millie’s blankets.

One of my most treasured handmade items wasn’t made by my grandmother. It's a blanket made by my childhood neighbor. My grandmother passed away at 104 years old and for her last few years, she wasn't able to crochet any longer. She passed along all of her scraps to my neighbor who took those scraps and made a blanket that she gave to me for my wedding.

After knitting multiple items that first year, I received a new fiber art for Christmas... spinning. A few books on spinning, some fun new fibers, a blending board, and a drop spindle. After playing with the blending board a few times and spinning some small skeins of yarn - then knitting my own spun yarn into gifts - I realized I could dye and create my own colors for the blending board.

  

Explorations on YouTube led me to several yarn dyeing videos and I started to experiment with primary colors, making all the secondary and tertiary colors. My goal was to make my own custom colors, and contrast colors, to compliment yarns purchased from some of my favorite indie dyers. And each Christmas or birthday since then I’ve been gifted with more and more dyeing supplies by my very encouraging spouse. 

  

One of the goals with Viking Fiber Company is to break the stereotype that knitting and fiber arts are a grandmother's hobby. I want to provide you with creative colorways that inspire everyone - men, women, and even children - to knit, crochet, weave, and spin. Let’s bring this amazing craft back from being just a grandma making baby blankets, to everyone creating beautiful items that people can have as their most treasured and meaningful gifts.