Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashley Wolfe.
Ashley, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I’ve always loved creating and being productive. By profession, I’m an elementary educator who has transitioned from 13 years in the classroom to be the school librarian, the coolest job on campus. A creative or unusual side job has also been close by when I need it. My mother is a quilter and crafter. She taught me to knit in 2001. My taste in yarn was not as refined then as it is today. I got my start knitting store-bought yarn for years and was quite happy with the scarves, mittens, and afghans I would crank out. I would knit with my Aunt Janie as we would daydream of selling our finished goods at local craft shows.
When I met my husband, Erik, he had a penchant for purchasing expensive equipment that ANY knitter would swoon over. Then he crossed the line at Christmas of 2010 when he bought a spinning wheel for me. This put me in the position of expanding my knowledge of yarn into how it is manufactured and DYED! I studied spinners on YouTube and DVDs which quickly led to the few videos online about how to dye roving and yarn. This was when the fun began and I started experimenting with and teaching myself how to dye my own fiber. Problem was, all the tutorials used disposable plastic wrap in the process of dyeing the fiber or yarn. The idea of wrapping my fiber in plastic, heating it up, then throwing the plastic away just grossed me out. I had to figure out a different way that didn’t create so much waste but still produced beautiful yarn. I played around with different methods and found that I really enjoyed letting the dye loose in the pot. The color can move freely as I raise the heat and set the dye into the fiber. I’ve also found that I rarely mix a dye stock in a bottle. Instead, I just add my dye powder directly to the yarn in the pot.
Over the years, I’ve practiced dyeing, messed up many skeins of yarn, and have perfected over 25 separate colorways that I can repeat time and again. One of my specialties is creating colorways based on the Harry Potter books and movies. I’ve got colorways called Pesky Pixie, Dark Mark, Quidditch World Cup, and my top seller, Ron & Hermione Forever. My yarns can be used to knit socks, scarves, shawls, mittens, hats, sweaters and accessories. I’m known for deep, beautiful color combinations that are unexpected and interesting. And I’m proud to say that I’ve completely avoided single-use plastics in my dyeing techniques since 2011. I’ve been a vendor on the DFW craft show circuit since 2008 and plan on continuing with conventions like LeakyCon Dallas, VogueKnitting in Austin, and large fiber festivals. My yarn is carried on Purl the Yarn Camper with JuJu Knits in Fort Worth as well as in my Etsy shop.
The Blessed Cloud – In 2005, my father designed and built a log cabin in La Grange, TX, 45 minutes outside of Austin. For years, he and my mom used it as their own personal vacation home away from the hustle and bustle of Houston. As they got a little older and stopped making it out there as often, it started to be just a bit neglected. In Jan 2019, my husband and I bought the cabin from my dad, fixed it up, and turned it into a thriving (and almost always booked) Airbnb vacation rental. The cabin is made of 100% Texas Red Heart Cedar and is nestled in the pines on a small lake in a private community. It’s a perfect getaway located deep in the Texas Triangle (DFW, San Antonio, Houston). It draws vacationers from near and far who need some time to relax. It’s perfect for that. The best part is, when we need to get away, we just block off the calendar and call it our own for a bit.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
The struggles that come to mind for both my businesses are simply a part of their growth. For example, I’ve met so many people who knit, crochet, felt, spin, and craft with yarn here in North Texas. If not for being an “indie dyer” I wouldn’t have met them. Setting up a craft fair booth is not an easy task but it’s worth it when people stop and stare at me while I’m spinning fiber into yarn. “That’s a dying art,” most people say. But little do they know, that there is a significant sub-culture of folks who spin and dye their own yarn and they’re dang good at it.
With the Airbnb, the biggest hurdle (other than cleaning it all up after years of neglect) has been trusting others to take care of our cabin the way we take care of it. We haven’t had a problem with guests and I don’t anticipate any problem that we can’t handle. We continue to make improvements to the property, which is quite exciting but can get costly. At least we have it up and running as one of the most successful vacation rentals in the area so we can continue to make it more amazing than it already is.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Dye2Spin (hand dyed yarn) The Blessed Cloud (log cabin Airbnb) story. Tell us more about it.
Dye2Spin – I’ve been dyeing yarn without single-use plastics since 2011. This is unheard of in the yarn dyeing industry, especially among indie dyers. I’m so proud of this because I knew there had to be a better way. There had to be a method or technique that I could create in order to keep to my standards for the environment AND beautiful yarn.
The Blessed Cloud – Our cabin is perfect for relaxing, getting away, and getting back to nature. We are far enough away to call it a vacation, yet close enough to enjoy the cabin and the local area the same day you arrive. Our cabin is the epitome of “glamping” – Glam Camping. Surrounded by trees? Yes! HVAC? Yes! Running water and flushing toilets? Yes! Does Lake view from the back deck? Yes! Roku for Smart TV? Yes! Clean crisp sheets on a memory foam mattress? Yes! Snacks in the Welcome Basket that actually taste good? Yes and Yes! This is what we pride ourselves in. The glamorous side of being in the woods and the ability to create a place for our guests to experience the Texas Hill Country in a way that they want to come back time and again.
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I’m not a believer in luck. I believe in myself to be able to create a product, business, or opportunity that is successful. If I said that part of my success was because of luck, I completely let go of any ownership of that success. To me, that’s a risky way of thinking of the future; to place it in the hands of luck. I believe that the future is 100% my property. I create my future based on many things but unwavering belief and consistent action are the top two qualities that have allowed me to build my businesses. There will always be failure and change, but I’ll never give up.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.dye2spin.etsy.com
- Email: dye2spin@att.net
- Instagram: instagram.com/dye2spin
- Facebook: facebook.com/dye2spin
- Other: https://tinyurl.com/theblessedcloud
Image credit:
Picture of me in the blue plaid shirt to Joyce Marshall
Getting in touch: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
