Indie Dyer Spotlight: Breaking Yarn

Breaking Yarn owner and dyer, Michaeli

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breaking yarn: albuquerque, New Mexico

Indie dyer Michaeli talks about her process of creating colorways inspired by the popular TV show—one of my favorites—Breaking Bad, and its characters.

December 1, 2020

Since hitting the road and exploring the country, we have been to Albuquerque, New Mexico twice and have plans to go back for a third time because there is something I just loved about that city. It’s actually my husband’s birth city, but his family moved when he was three months old, so he doesn’t have much of a connection to the town. But I love it. I soaked up the fall weather, made friends with some amazing people, explored the local yarn shop (read my interview with owner of The Yarn Store at Nob Hill here), and sampled a lot of the local restaurants. It’s a city we will be visiting often during our travels!

While we were in town, I had the pleasure of meeting up with a local yarn dyer that has based her brand and color inspirations on a show that I actually didn’t watch when it originally aired. My husband watched and kept talking about how great it was, but by the time I showed some interest, it was too far into the series for me to really be immersed in the plot. Once it came out on Netflix, we watched the entire series (and El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie) in less than two weeks. I knitflixed the heck out of that series!

Colorway: Breaking Princess

I believe that one of the reasons the show has so many fans is because of the character development. Every single character was intriguing. There could be long arguments with fellow watchers about who was the hero and who was the villain, but all can agree that each and every character in the show was not only loved, but they were real. They had flaws. They made bad decisions and they often paid for those poor choices. You wanted to root for every character to win.

However, it is a show about crystal meth. A very real and very serious problem in America. When my husband was watching the show, I didn’t understand how anyone could like the characters involved in an industry that destroys so many lives. Head writer and producer Vince Gilligan (he also produced a little show called X-Files) managed to create characters and a story around a topic that really has no winners in the real world. Viewers can easily become immersed in the storyline and fall in love with all of the characters despite their very obvious downfalls. I never thought I’d want a druggie or drug dealers to win, but that’s how brilliantly the show and these characters were written.

But this isn’t a movie review and I’m not here to talk to you about why you need to watch the series if you haven’t already (but seriously, watch it!). What I do want to talk to you about is how someone from Albuquerque (where the show takes place and was also filmed) can find inspiration for a line of indie-dyed yarn. I totally get it. Color can tell a story. Color can create mood and feelings. And color can inspire. As owner of Breaking Yarn, Michaeli releases new colorways inspired by the show and the characters. They bring me back to those characters and storylines and remind me of the show I fell in love with.

Colorway: Marie Schrader

It’s okay if you have never seen an episode of Breaking Bad (but like I said, you should) because the colors that were born out of inspiration from the show are just as beautiful, just as vibrant, and just as delicious even without knowing anything about where that inspiration came from. You don’t have to know about Marie Schrader’s obsession with the color purple to absolutely love this Breaking Yarn colorway. And you don’t have to crush on Aaron Paul’s character, Jesse Pinkman, to love the red and black dip dyed colorway Michaeli created.

(I designed a pair of gloves out of Breaking Yarn and it will be available on my site very soon!)

So, let’s get inside the mind of a yarn creator and hear about this amazing indie dyer!

Tell me a little about yourself and the path that lead you to the fiber world.

Michaeli: I am a wife, mother, and HR professional, but knitting and yarn is the passion that fuels my soul! I’ve always been a crafty person and I was lucky enough to have crafty friends and family. At about 20 years old, my friend, Vanessa, and I wanted to learn how to knit. Her aunt was sweet enough to teach us how to knit and purl and how to read patterns. We would go to her house every week. Sadly, she passed away a few years later.

Did you grow up in ABQ?

Michaeli: I basically have grown up in ABQ. We moved here when I was six. Before that, my dad was in the Navy and we lived in South Carolina, California, and Florida before retiring in New Mexico. When he retired, my parents were tired of doing cross-country moves, so we just stayed here.

What was your first project?

Michaeli: I don’t remember what my very first project was, but I know I knitted a soft powder blue baby blanket for a friend of mine around that time, so I count that one as my first finished project!

How did you get into dyeing yarn?

Michaeli: A neighbor from my knitting group invited me to attend a yarn dyeing party. Everyone would bring bare yarn and Kool Aid to dye with. I had never done it before, but that moment changed the whole game for me. I feel like it brought me full circle in my love for fiber! Now I could dye my own yarn to knit with! 

Do you go into the dye room with a color in mind or do you play around and see what colors emerge?

Michaeli: I have tons of ideas. Way too many to actually execute in a reasonable amount of time! I love testing out colors and techniques and I will often times put my experiments as one-of-a-kind (OOAK) colorways on my website. By selling my experiments, it gives me the ability to freely experiment without the guilt of “wasting” yarn.

How has your process changed as you gained more experience?

Michaeli: Once you have some experience under your belt, you’re able to experiment in a more controlled fashion. Adding acid at various times in the dyeing process will allow for different colors to arise. Some colors - while they appear a certain way - may contain multiple colors. For example, purple has red and blue. In the dye pot, the red color exhausts first without the acid added. If I dip dye the yarn until all the red is gone, then add the acid, then add the rest of the yarn, I'll get a broken color effect because the yarn can only take so much dye.

Do you crank the music when dyeing? What do you listen to?

Michaeli: Yes! I love listening to music that I can dance or sing to. So, basically anything pop, but my all time favorite artist is Colbie Caillat. 

Colorways:
(Left column top to bottom) Jesse Pinkman, Crystal Meth, and Breaking Blue
(Center) Breaking Violet
(Right column top to bottom) Walter White, Hazmat Suit, and Breaking Black

Have you had any total disasters in the dye room?

Michaeli: Haha, yes. Way too many to count! But if they are still beautiful, they may be in the OOAK section of my website! If the yarn is a tangled mess, I will save it for myself to knit with. 

Where do you do your dyeing?

Michaeli: I currently do all of my dyeing in my kitchen. I would absolutely love to have my own dye studio and that’s something I’m definitely going to be working toward. I’m sure my husband would prefer a separate space for my yarn stuff, too! (Apparently, it’s hard to make a marinade for the steak when you have yarn soaking in the sink . . . LOL.)

Do you knit with your own yarn or do you take a break and knit with other companies or dyers?

Michaeli: I do both! Of course, I knit with my own yarn and colorways, but I also like to support other dyers. I haven’t knit with too many indie dyers, but I love knitting with Fuzzy What Knots and Baah Yarn. I definitely need to try out more dyers!

Why do you think indie dyeing has become so popular with stitchers?

Michaeli: Indie dyeing yarn is art! I think it has become popular because you can get something truly different and OOAK. I think it also helps to know you're supporting someone's small business instead of going to a big box store.

What are your ultimate goals with dyeing and your company?

Michaeli: I am not necessarily looking to have a giant corporation or anything, but I would like it to be financially sustainable so I can make it my full time job and not just my side hustle. I would love to have my own studio/retail space in the future!

How has COVID-19 affected your business and life as a dyer?

Michaeli: It's a little hard to say how COVID has affected my business. In some senses I would say it has helped because people are staying home more knitting and crocheting. But it hasn't really affected my life as a dyer. I feel so grateful for my business and yet so sad that so many people are out of work.

Where can people buy your amazing yarn?

Michaeli: I am mostly selling my yarn on my website: Breakingyarn.com, but I do have some yarn in some local stores in Albuquerque. The Yarn Store at Nob Hill and The Breaking Bad Store both keep my yarn stocked.

How did you get your yarn into the Breaking Bad store? (We visited this store during our travels - that story is coming soon!)

Colorway: Breaking Violet

Michaeli: When I saw the store opened, I started following them on Instagram. I saw they would post about local artists doing Breaking Bad art and they were selling it. I decided to just send them a quick DM one day to see if they did wholesale or consignment for their special items like the art pieces they carried. When they responded, they said a good friend of theirs had picked up some of my yarn from The Yarn Store at Nob Hill and knit a scarf for her husband! She had shown them my yarn and said, "Isn't this something you'd want to carry in your store?" So, when I sent them the message, they were very excited! I went by their store in Old Town and brought some of my colorways for them to look at. Ed and Marq loved them and I've been on consignment there ever since!

Colorway: Breaking Delphinium

What colorway has been your best seller so far?

Michaeli: My best selling colorway has been Breaking Violet, but Breaking Delphinium is a close second!

When you are searching for new colorways and looking to the characters for inspiration, what do you watch for?

Colorway: Jesse Pinkman

Michaeli: When I rewatched the show, I was looking for clues or insights for what made the character. Marie was super obvious that she had to be purple! Her clothes and everything in her house were purple.

With Jesse's color, I chose black and red because he would wear those colors a lot and even his futon was black and red stripes. The process for that colorway is a labor of love because of the multi step process. First I dip dye half of the color and then wash the yarn. Then I dye the second half of the yarn the other color and wash again. It’s a lot of washing!

The Gray Matter colorway comes from the Gray Matter Technologies company that Walter and Elliot started in the 1980s. The corporation name on the show came from a combination of the two's last names. Schwartz meaning black in German, combined with White made gray. I have a whole file full of photos from the show where I pull inspiration from for my new colorways. I also have a list of things that I feel the fans of the show will appreciate as well, such as "Lydia's Tea". I'm so excited for some of the future colorways to come out!

Why do you think people love Breaking Bad so much? Why do you love the show?

Michaeli: The show was brilliantly written. The actors were amazing in it and it was a completely original show. There is something so refreshing and different about it and it can be intense. It keeps your attention and I felt like it's so crazy, you can't look away! I love the show because of all of those things, but also because it was SO NEAT to see it take place in ABQ and hearing them talk about streets and places I’m familiar with. And then seeing locations I recognize was like, "I've been there!" It was so cool for us locals!

How do you think the city embraces/distances the show and its controversial theme?

Michaeli: I think the city has embraced the show and love the attention that it has brought to ABQ. It is great for tourism.

Who is your favorite character from the show? Why?

Michaeli: My favorite character is Jesse. He was so loyal to Walter through everything. I really felt for him and how many losses his character suffered in the show, including not having the best relationship with his family.

I’m loving your Lines and Vines Shawl pattern! Is this your first personal design?

Lines and Vines shawl designed by Michaeli

Michaeli: Thank you so much! Yes, this is my very first pattern! I never thought I would want to design a pattern, but I had these ideas that I couldn't get out of my head until I made it. Once I finished it, I wanted to share the pattern with everyone! I have been loving seeing people want to knit my design and use my colorways to do it! (Click here to see the colorways and get pattern.)

How was the designing process using your own yarn?

Michaeli: I loved being able to design with my own yarn. I wanted to give DK-weight yarn some love! I am dyeing yarn based on the show or broken colors, so I just use colors that I think look good together. I did make sure that the main color in the pattern was a solid color (Crystal Meth) and then I used the variegated yarn (Breaking Princess) as the contrasting color.

Anything else you want to share with the world?

Michaeli: I feel very blessed that the reception to my yarn has been so good. I hope that it blesses people who use it to knit or crochet with! I also love to see the projects that people make with my yarn, so please tag me on Instagram @breakingyarn!

Close up of the Lines and Vines Shawl knit from colorways Crystal Meth and Breaking Princess

You can order your Lines and Vines Shawl kit here! Pattern is free with yarn purchase and Michaeli has put together 11 amazing kits to inspire you! Which one will you choose?!

Want to win a Lines and Vines Shawl kit in whatever colors you desire? (of course you do!) Head over to @knitsyknits on Instagram for your chance to win! Giveaway begins December 2nd, 2020 and ends December 11th, 2020 so be sure and follow me (and @breakingyarn) for your chance to win!

And soon you will be able to knit a pair of gloves using her amazing fingering weight yarn. The pattern is almost done going through the maze of editing and a link to the free pattern will be here very soon!

Breaking Yarn can be found in the “Locals” section at The Yarn Store at Nob Hill

Rapid Fire:
Knit or Crochet? Both, but mostly knit. 
Favorite fiber to dye? Wool. 
Favorite color to dye? Purple.
Least favorite color to dye? Brown.
Favorite thing to knit? Shawls. 
Least favorite thing to knit? Socks.
Number of UFOs in your closet? One (a pair of socks . . . LOL).
Most recent FO? Nightshift Shawl by Andrea Mowry.
Favorite show? Anything on HGTV.
Favorite movie? 13 Going on 30.
Favorite band? Colbie Caillat .
Favorite city in the US you have visited? San Diego, California.
Top bucket list place you want to travel? France or Ireland.

Krysten Ritter and Aaron Paul were one of those couples that you knew were bad for each other, but you wanted to see them together more than anything!

And if you need yet another reason to love the show, one of my favorite celebrity knitters, Krysten Ritter, costarred in Season 2 as Jane Margolis. Her character was dark, witty, and although she was only in a few episodes, she made a lasting impression on fans of the show. I hope she has a Breaking Yarn colorway of her own someday soon!

Leave a comment below and let me know which is your favorite Breaking Yarn colorway and who your favorite character is from the show. Mine has to be Jesse Pinkman or Saul Goodman. They were both hot messes, but you loved them even more after each episode!

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