Fresh Shoots: The Beauty of Hand-Dyed Yarn and What to Expect

Spring is in the air, and with it comes the perfect excuse for a new project! Fresh Shoots is inspired by the first brave blooms of the season - those first little leaves stretching towards the light, full of promise and new beginnings. And what better yarn to capture that energy than Skein Queen’s stunning hand-dyed Crush 4-ply?

If you’ve ever worked with hand-dyed yarn before, you’ll know that every skein is unique. This is part of the magic - no two are exactly alike, and the gentle shifts in tone add incredible depth and character to your knitting. Whether this is your first time using a hand-dyed yarn or you’re already a fan, here’s what to expect from the beautiful Skein Queen Crush 4-ply merino/nylon blend sock yarn in your Fresh Shoots kit.

One-of-a-Kind Beauty: Why Every Skein is Unique

Hand-dyed yarn isn’t like mass-produced, machine-dyed yarns. Instead of being dyed in huge batches, each skein is carefully hand-dipped, speckled, or glazed with colour by an artisan dyer. This means there are always subtle (and sometimes striking) variations between skeins, even within the same colourway.

With Fresh Shoots, Rachel at Skein Queen has selected a stunning set of colourways for these kits, each with shades that, for me, strongly evoke the natural world. From warm, sunlit yellows to deep, earthy tones, every shade captures a different facet of spring’s awakening:

• Drunk Bees – A rich golden yellow with warm ochre, earthy brown and deep bronze speckles, reminiscent of honeycomb and sunlit meadows in late spring.
  
  

• Mountain Heather – A striking blend of deep plum, soft taupe, and golden ochre, reminiscent of sunlit heather on a rugged hillside, with shifting tones that create rich depth and movement.

  

• Snow Bunting – A soft, warm ivory with delicate golden, brown, and charcoal speckles, evoking the subtle beauty of a winter bird against a pale sky.

  

• Abyss – A rich, inky blue-black with deep blue, forest green, and golden undertones, evoking the shifting colours of twilight shadows and hidden woodland pools.

  

• Bellini Olive – A soft, peachy blush with warm golden, olive, and deep berry speckles, evoking the colours of ripening fruit and sunlit spring blooms.

  

• Antique Map – A soft, seafoam turquoise washed with weathered beige, warm caramel, and charcoal speckles, evoking the faded hues of a well-loved map tracing forgotten coastlines.

  

Each skein will knit up beautifully, bringing out the texture of Fresh Shoots while allowing the colour variations to shine.

How Will My Fresh Shoots Skein Knit Up?

While every skein is unique, Skein Queen has made some great images of how the colourways knit and crochet up. The beauty of tonal hand-dyed yarns is that they create gentle, shifting variations in your fabric - adding interest without overpowering a stitch pattern.

Here’s an idea of how these colourways look when worked up. These swatches use Crush DK, so expect slightly finer stitch definition in the 4-ply version:

• Drunk Bees
  
  

  
  

• Mountain Heather
  
  

• Snow Bunting
  
  

• Abyss
  
  

• Bellini Olive
  
  

• Antique Map
  
  

The stitch pattern in Fresh Shoots is designed to complement these subtle tonal shifts, giving you texture and movement without competing with the yarn. 

Pre-Orders Open Monday for Subscribers!

If you’re on my mailing list, you’ll get exclusive early access to Fresh Shoots kits before they go live to the public.

📅 Monday 17th March at 7am – Subscriber-only pre-orders open. 📅 Thursday 20th March – Any remaining kits go on general sale with the full pattern launch.

Kits are limited, there are only four skeins of each colour, and once they’re gone, they’re gone - so if you’ve got your eye on one, make sure you’re signed up for emails, ready for when pre-orders open! (Sign up at the bottom of this page).

A Final Look at These Stunning Skeins

I can’t wait to see these skeins find their way onto your needles! Whether you’re drawn to the joy of knitting with something completely unique or you just love the thought of welcoming spring with a new pair of socks, Fresh Shoots is here to celebrate the season with you.

Make sure you’re signed up for emails so you don’t miss out – these kits will only be available to subscribers first! If you’re already a subscriber, keep an eye on your inbox Monday morning for your early access link!

Happy knitting!

Nicky