Meet the Maker: Treasure Goddess Yarn

Yes! We've been waiting all year for this one - String Theory welcomes Treasure Goddess Yarn for our special back-to-school September Trunk Show running from September 7 - 21 in store and online. Get to know Christine Long Derks from Treasure Goddess below:

How did you get into dyeing? Tell us your story, and where you're located!

Treasure Goddess Yarn is run from a red barn on a 10 acre homestead just south of Kansas City (on the Kansas Side). My husband and I each have our own barns. His is full of equipment (and chicken & duck poop) and mine is full of YARN! I started dyeing yarn on a whim about 15 years ago. After the few skeins I'd list sold instantly, I had friends encouraging me to dye ALL the things! My goal with dyeing is to create yarn that looks as amazing all knit up (crocheted up & woven up) as it does in the skein. I HATED spending time and money on gorgeous yarn to have my finished projects end up looking like clown barf! I've actually grown my little business from dyeing a few skeins in the kitchen in between feeding our brady bunch batch of kids and working a full time job to quitting my real job and now I'm a full time Yarn Pirate!

One of my favorite things is to get yarn lovers together and I host annual Yarn Parties at the homestead where we open up the barn, set up tents and tables and we sit & knit & crochet all day while our muscovy ducks wander about. It's a true party with anywhere from 50-200 people and it's my favorite thing for the whole year!

What is your favorite part of the process?

My favorite part of the dyeing process is that magical moment when you take off the lid and see ALL THE COLORS in that dye pot! I dye mostly repeatable colorways, so you think I'd be used to seeing what comes out of the pots, but each and every time I give a little gasp and am AMAZED at how yummy the yarn turns out.

Where do you get your inspiration for colors?

I started with a basic rainbow and just exploded from there. I've got over 20 mostly repeatable colors and I'm always finding new color combos to play with. My favorite color Copper Cove actually came to me in a dream. I just woke up and had to play with dyes until I created the perfect combination. I love saturated colors that take your breath away and love creating blasts of colors with real depth.

How do you come up with names for the colors?

Because I'm a Yarn Pirate, naming colors became one of the most fun parts of my job! Treasure Goddess Yarn is inspired by the idea of me sailing the seven seas of the internet & local farms to find the most luxurious yarn combo's. I've got a long list of pirate inspired names to choose from, but when I'm truly stumped, I reach out to my customers for help. One of my favorite color names was for a lovely dusty rose/gray color and I just couldn't come up with the perfect thing. I asked for help and one of my friends gave me "From the Depths, She Rose"!

Which color best reflects your personality and why?

Copper Cove is my absolute favorite. I'm a redhead and love all things orange, but OOOOOOHHHH Copper Cove has that extra something that has sass, vibrance and gorgeous earthy coppery hues. I think I've knit at least 12 projects in this color and wear them all!

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)?

My favorite project is always the newest cast on! Right now I'm working on Meraki, a cabled cowl that uses 2 skeins of Organic Merino Sport in Clear Skies (light blue color) and am going to cast on a Flax sweater from Tin Can Knits in Yak Silk DK Treasures, but I have to decide on the color. I'm leaning towards Tarnished Brass, but the purple Amethysts in the Abyss is also calling my name. It's so hard to choose! The pattern is actually written for worsted weight yarn, but the Yak Silk DK Treausures blooms to an almost worsted that I think it'd be perfect. 

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

OH it's hard to choose my favorites! The combination of Ghost Ship (gray) with Blood Rubies or Ruby Daggers (red) is so striking. Another favorite is combining Song of the Sirens (wine) with either Tarnished Brass or Poseidon's Trident (goldenrod).

What is your best knitting or crocheting tip?

Use the best quality yarn you can! Don't save that special yarn for when you're better. Use the best stuff and your learning curve and enjoyment of the projects is SO much better!

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

I once qualified to bowl in a professional women's bowling tournament. I didn't finish in the money, but had a blast! I collect vintage furs (my favorite is 1950-1960's) and my goal is to have enough that I could wear a different coat every day of a month (I've been known to feed the chickens & gather eggs in a floor length mink in a coat that was my Mother-in-Law's Mother-in-Law's coat!) I absolutely USE all the old vintage things my husband & I find at old estate sales and don't save them for that special occasion.

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

Quite honestly, I'm living my absolute dream now. I wake up and walk about 50 yards (big commute) to my dye barn. The only other thing that could be better is a pop star. (I actually have re-written the words to OVER 50 songs to make them knitting and yarn themed and think the world really needs this.)

What is the best advice you've ever received?

I was always a creative and slightly hyperactive child. I once had a school counselor tell me to just be my real self. Unapologetically me. While that didn't help out much when I was a kid of the 70's and 80's (I'm OLD) it's amazing now. 

Share with us one great thing you're either listening to or watching right now (audiobook/podcast/show/etc) - we love recommendations for what to check out while we're knitting!

Treasure Goddess Yarn is powered by me listening to true crime podcasts!! My faves are True Crime Garage and My Favorite Murder. SSDGM (Stay Sexy & Don't Get Murdered!)