This month we're delighted to feature Silbia Ro, the color curator, dyer, and hand-spinner behind @CamelliaFiberCompany in December 2024's Maker Spotlight!
Silbia, in the Frid Sweater knit with CFC Patrick Handspun yarns
Q. Camellia Fiber Co. works exclusively with natural fibers for their hand dyed yarn, in support of slow fashion and sustainability. Do you have a favorite base that you love to work with, and have any of them surprised you by taking dyes differently than you'd expect?
It’s so hard to pick a favorite because I genuinely love them all! Our Sylvan base (a cashmere blend) is always a crowd favorite. Lately, I’ve been enjoying our new Serene base, a 100% Merino yarn made exclusively for CFC. It has a tighter twist that gives an incredible stitch definition. I’ve also had a lot of fun dyeing our Som base—a unique blend of cotton, alpaca, and merino. Plant fibers, like cotton, absorb dye differently than animal fibers, so it’s always exciting to see how those colors turn out.
Q. You offer a range of signature shades as well as a rotation of seasonal colors. What does your process of developing your seasonal colors look like? Are there any colors that you have created and fallen in love with but have ultimately decided weren't "just right" as part of the CFC offerings?
Our seasonal colors are usually carefully selected with the thought of having it as a signature color. Sometimes we come out with a fun color - like our Ranunculus color we released in the spring. I absolutely fell in love dyeing this color and also taking photos of the yarn. We ultimately decided not to offer this colorway online but continue to have them at in-person events instead.
Q. You've been the Creative Director of Camellia Fiber Co. since 2017 -- how has your creative process evolved or changed over the years since? What advice would you give your earlier self?
Back in 2017, we only offered seasonal colors. In 2019, we changed that and introduced our signature colors. The more comfortable I became with the process, the more colors I have been able to add to our signature collection. We started with five colors, and now we have 23.
If I could give advice to my earlier self, it would be this: don’t be afraid. Trust yourself and your creative instincts—they’ll lead you to amazing places.
Since we love a good cause here at Thread & Maple, we'd also love to tell you about Silbia's Memory Sweater pattern, created after losing her mother to Alzheimer's. All proceeds from the Memory Sweater [above] are donated to the Alzheimer's Foundation of America.
Connect with Camellia Fiber Company
Find Silbia and Camellia Fiber Co. on Instagram and shop her beautiful hand-dyed yarns on her website!
Until Next Time
Thank you for joining us in celebrating the artistry and vision of Silbia Ro -- may her work with Camellia Fiber Company inspire your next fiber adventure!
Love,
