Meet the Maker: Kristin Oldach of KraeO Handmade!

String Theory will have a beautiful assortment of KraeO yarns in house (and online) September 2 - 23. 

Kristin Oldach is the master dyer behind Fuzz Family for KraeO. With a masters in Painting from The School of the Art Institute Chicago and a decade of experience in the knitwear business, Kristin brings a studied and applied understanding of color and design to KraeO. She has developed a line of complex neutrals to pair with vibrant pops of color that are both unique and wearable.

We love knowing the people that make our yarn and thought you might enjoy getting to know them too, so we asked Kristin a few questions:

How did you get into dyeing?

I started Dyeing about 5 years ago after about a decade of making ready made accessories. I had become super burned out and was looking for another creative outlet. So of course I had to make that creative outlet my job, right? ;)

What is your favorite part of the process?

My favorite part is swatching up a new colorway. You never truly know exactly what the color will look like knit or crochet. I love those first few rows.

Where do you get your inspiration for colors?

This is going to sound weird.. But I use clear reusable zip ties during the dye process. They have turned such amazing colors from being used so many times. I often dump them out on my desk and play around with the different color combinations.

How do you come up with names for the colors?

My husband names a lot of the colorways. We usually go with the first thing that comes to mind when seeing it dried and twisted. 

Rainy Cake

Which color best reflects your personality and why?

I’m going to say Rainy Cake. Its grey with speckles of aqua, fuschia and yellow. I think I present as tough but am really light hearted. 

Tell us about a WIP or a project in your queue that you're really excited about! Which of your yarns would you recommend for this (or these) project(s)?    

Right now I’m making the Feel Good Shawl by Andrea Mowry. It’s a lot of brioche and I’m LOVING it! I’m using our Mama Bear DK (Merino/Alpaca/ Silk blend) and it's so soft. I’ll be wearing it all Winter long!                      

Of what you are sending us, what are your favorite colors or color combinations?

I’ve always been a big fan of putting colors together that don't seem like they belong together. A big favorite of the shop is Robin’s Egg with Bleeding heart

What advice do you have about combining colors in, for example, a two-color shawl?

I think making sure you have two different saturation levels is always a win. For instance, if you took a black and white picture of the yarn, one skein would be much darker than the other. 

What is your best knitting tip?

One thing I’ve learned throughout the years is to Knit EVERYDAY. Even if its one row. If I don't knit at least one row everyday I run the risk of setting that wip aside forever.

What are two interesting things about you that aren’t fiber related?

I have two hairless cats and I really like to golf!

If you didn’t dye yarn, what would be your dream job?

Definitely a lawyer, I would have been great at it!

What is the best advice you've ever received?

Trust the process (in everything).

THIS or THAT!

KNIT or CROCHET? Right now Knit, but crochet is my first love.

STARTING or FINISHING a project? Starting a project

SOLIDS or VARIEGATED? Solids

COFFEE or TEA? Coffee

SUNRISES or SUNSETS? Sunrises

NETFLIX or AUDIOBOOKS (while crafting)? Netflix

BARBIE or OPPENHEIMER? Oppenheimer