Yarned and Dangerous is a small craft store that carries fiber art supplies and offers classes for needle crafters and fiber artists located in Canon City, Colorado. There is only one location. What sets Yarned and Dangerous apart from other craft stores is the community that the owner, Ann, has cultivated with her customers. The store has become a social safe place for fiber artists to come together and craft. Even if you are far away, know that the trip to Yarned and Dangerous will be worth it! From selling hundreds of colors of DMC Embroidery Floss and locally dyed... Read The Rest

Fiber refers to the material that makes yarn. Fiber most frequently comes from sheep, rabbits or alpacas, however, it can also come from plants such as bamboo or cotton, or from plastics which is referred to as acrylic fiber.

Fiber is frequently spun into yarn, however, needle felting uses raw fiber before it is spun into yarn. Fiber artists will find supplies for needle felting, spinning yarn, knitting, crochet and more at Yarned and Dangerous.

Fiber arts refers to any craft involving fiber, most frequently:

• Knitting
• Crochet
• Needle Felting
• Embroidery
• Spinning 
• Weaving
• Cross Stitch 

The term fiber artists refers to people who do these crafts.

No, knitting requires needles which the stitches are knitted across in rows. Crochet requires a hook which forms rows of loops off the hook. Both crafts produce very different results.

Although knitting and crochet are two very different crafts, they share a common term - gauge. Gauge refers to the amount of stitches per inch and row worked. Gauge is specific to individual crafters; the same yarn and needle or hook can produce different gauge when worked by different fiber artists.

Gauge is determined by a knitter or crocheter making a sample piece called a swatch with the yarn they intend to use for a specific project. They then use the swatch to check their gauge and make adjustments as necessary.

Needle crafters can find gauge swatch rulers and other notions necessary to measure their gauge at Yarned and Dangerous.

If the gauge is off, a project can turn out too big or too small. On projects that are very time consuming, it is especially crucial to check the gauge first to avoid investing a lot of time in a project that will not be turning out as you planned!

Ann at Yarned and Dangerous is ready to help you should you have questions about determining your gauge and how your gauge will impact a project.

Many fiber artists acquire a stash of yarn by purchasing yarn they find attractive, even though they don't have a particular project in mind. This yarn is then stashed somewhere in their home until they find a project to use it for, similarly to how squirrels stash away nuts for the winter.

At Yarned and Dangerous, many regular customers have acquired impressive stashes of yarn because the locally hand dyed yarns are so unique that they simply cannot pass them up.  They know they are one of a kind! 

If you have a project in mind, read the pattern and the pattern should indicate how much yarn is needed to complete it. If you find yarn that you love but do not have a specific project in mind, buying two skeins would most likely allow you to make something like a hat and gloves set, or you could purchase more skeins to give yourself more options.

Yarned and Dangerous also sells patterns, which would allow you to choose a project to use that special yarn that speaks to you while shopping in the store.

The dye lot is a number stamped on the label of skeins of yarn which indicates which skeins of yarn were dyed together.

If you are making a sweater or other large item, you should search for matching dye lots to ensure that the color is consistent across your project. If you were to use yarns from different dye lots, the color of your project would look off and potentially inconsistent. 

The weight of yarn refers to the diameter of the yarn, which determines what size knitting needles or crochet hook will be required to obtain the right gauge for that particular weight of yarn. Knitting and crochet projects usually specify the weight of the yarn and the size of the needle or hook in reference to the project's gauge.

If you are struggling with what weight yarn to use for a project, anyone in the Yarned and Dangerous community will be happy to help you find the perfect yarn for your project.

Pilling refers to the little tiny balls of fiber that appear on well loved knitted or crocheted items. Over time, the friction that occurs during everyday wash and wear causes static, which causes fibers to bond together, which causes the appearance of pilling.

Yes if done carefully. Yarned and Dangerous has the supplies that fiber artists need to remove the results of pilling which are sweater stones or defuzzers. Ann at Yarned and Dangerous is available to assist you with which supply would be best for your particular project.

Unfortunately no. Pilling will occur naturally with all yarn over time. If your goal is prevent pilling as much as possible, search for tightly wound yarns. Any yarn that has fibers protruding when it is in a skein waiting to become something beautiful is likely to pill faster.

Needle felting uses raw fiber before it becomes yarn and a special needle to shape the fiber into things such as animals or other items for decoration, or accessories such as hats or bags.

Spinning refers to the craft of taking raw fiber and making it into yarn. Some fiber artists will hand dye yarn after spinning it, while others will purchase pre-dyed fibers or choose not to alter the fiber's natural color. Spinning offers fiber artists a way to create exactly the yarn they want for a project.

Weaving is when yarn, thread or fabric are interlaced to form a fabric. Weaving is often used to create wall hangings, towels, pillows, shawls, etc.

At Yarned and Dangerous, we are proud to offer a variety of weaving classes to help you get started in this craft. Our classes start with beginner and go to advanced, so we can help you foster this craft for years to come. 

Embroidery involves stitching a pattern or design with a needle and thread, most often into fabric, but sometimes into other surfaces as well. Embroidery involves the use of traditional thin needles and floss thread or an embroidery machine, not knitting needles and yarn. 

Cross stitching is similar to embroidery but also has some differences. Cross stitch involves stitching a pattern or design into grid - like fabric with a traditional thin needle and floss thread.

At Yarned and Dangerous, we have a community of dedicated an experience cross stitchers who would be happy to give you pointers on your projects!

Cross stitch or embroidery patterns may be worked with just the fabric, needle and thread. Many fiber artists choose to stretch the fabric through a hoop or frame to hold the fabric flat as they work, but it is not required to ensure that your project is completed to its full potential.

Yes! At Yarned and Dangerous, we are happy to invite you and yours into our quant and welcoming shop. Put your worries behind you, pull up a seat and let us help you learn a new hobby. We want you to feel comfortable, no matter your skill level. This is why we offer classes for all ranges of skill. At this time we are proud to offer beginner and advanced knitting, weaving and spinning.  Our talented and experienced instructors take pride in watching their students light up as they learn a new skill or build on an existing one!  In... Read The Rest

Here are the top reasons Yarned and Dangerous customers love to craft fiber arts: Fiber arts are a great way to be creative and relax without a cell phone or computer screen.  Crafting with fiber may reduce anxiety by giving you something to do with your hands.  Fiber arts projects offer something to focus on with results that you can see unfold.  Working on a project to completion may offer a sense of accomplishment during tumultuous times in life where everything feels out of control. Fiber arts are a way to make unique and thoughtful gifts for your loved ones.... Read The Rest