Check Out Kelley Freeman’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kelley Freeman.

Hi Kelley, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
My first step as a fiber artist was in high school, when I learned how to crochet from my high school boyfriend’s mom. In my late twenties, I picked up spinning yarn and then knitting. Then I had the thought that if I wanted to get the colors I truly wanted for spinning yarn, I’d have to dye it myself, and I started dyeing wool and other fibers in my kitchen. From that, I realized I enjoying the process of storytelling and the “why” of which colors I’d pick, and leaped from fiber to dye. When one goes down the fiber arts rabbit hole, you’ll discover that you have the potential to acquire more materials faster than you’re able to work through them, and at that point, I figured maybe my friends would like some of the stories I’ve told in yarn. I was right, and at the end of 2021, it had grown far beyond my circle of friends into an unwieldy business that I quit my full-time job to see if it had some staying power. By September of 2022, I exchanged my studio space for a small store front (having outgrown my kitchen two years prior) in downtown Columbus. I hired Ashley in October, and she became the co-owner of my business in 2023. By 2024, our tiny shop wasn’t really able to contain any more, and we moved to our new space in Merion Village in July 2024, also onboarding two more staff. We convinced our friend Rachel to open a shop next door in 2025, so we’ve got a one-two craft collective area on the Southside of Columbus, and now in 2026, we have a team of six!

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I’m very risk-averse, so the business has really only grown as much as I have felt comfortable managing it. There have been moments of virality, where there’s some rapid growth that has been really stressful (because with that virality comes a lot of work to stay on top of orders!) Maybe that’s not sexy that is hasn’t been a struggle, but I think it helped to not have a specific desired outcome – there were goals we made along the way, but I didn’t start this business with the expectation that I’d quit my job or that I’d have other staff or that I’d have a physical location, so most of it has been a surprise, and that’s been fun.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
So Dye Mad Yarns is an independent yarn and fiber dyeing studio in Columbus, Ohio! We combine a love of history, politics, regional quirks, camp, and absurd Americana with a keen sense of color and we dye yarns that highlight the fun, whimsy, and weirdness of our inspirational subject: Ohio and the Midwest. Whether its landmarks, food, culture, experiences, or cryptids, Dye Mad is a love letter to the Midwest and its eccentricities.

We are probably most known for our Great Lakes collection, which is a color fade of the lakes based on their depths – Lake Superior is the deepest lake and the deepest navy blue, whereas Lake Erie is the most shallow and the lightest blue-green. People also really enjoy our Midwest Tonals, which are solids inspired by regional linguistic quirks (Yeah No being opposite on the color wheel from No Yeah, for example), our Hocking Hills collection, and our botanical yarns inspired by native plants and heirloom vegetables.

We’re also known for being out loud about our values, being rooted in community, and taking care of each other. We have raised money for local strike funds, abortion rights and access, immigrant rights, queer and trans youth, harm reduction, prison abolition, formerly incarcerated artists, local mutual aid funds, and more. We also aim to take care of our staff – everyone on staff makes the same hourly wage, including owners, and after a year of working here, they have the opportunity to become a co-owner in the business.

I feel at this point I’m kind of rambling! Ultimately, what I love about this work is the ability to spin a yarn… with yarn! I love telling a story with what is – to most folks – a raw material. The story we tell is just the beginning!

How can people work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
I don’t think I’ve ever met someone who didn’t know someone (close to them, even!) who knits or crochets! Fiber artists are everywhere! Tell your friends about the cool yarn shop. Gift them their favorite Ohio landmark – in yarn! Better yet, learn how to knit or crochet yourself!

Recently, we made a custom color way for our friends at Wild Cat Gift & Party to celebrate their 20th year in business – we love to do that kind of stuff. We also love working with knitting and crochet pattern designers.

Pricing:

• Full size skeins of yarn are between $28-33
• Custom color ways start at $112 (for a full pan of yarn)
• We have notions (stitch markers, etc) that start at $15

Contact Info:

• Website: http://dyemadyarns.com
• Instagram: http://Instagram.com/dyemadyarns
• Facebook: http://Facebook.com/dyemadyarns
• Other: http://tiktok.com/@dyemadaboutit