When we first met Michelle du Plessis at the recent trade show, we knew our community would adore her special Kokon Bleu yarns. We now carry Kokon Bleu organic 100% Merino yarns in the following bases: non-superwash fingering, non-superwash DK, and superwash Aran. We also have the chunky Slubby Mohair, which is 78% Mohair/13% Merino wool / 9% Nylon. All bases come in three shades (Jean Michel, O-Bleu, and Bleu), which each vary in three different dyes methods: semi-solid, tie-dye, and speckles. The result is a range of colors that is all derived from…BLUE!
Tomorrow, we’ll discuss the yarns themselves more, but today, we wanted to share with you how Kokon Bleu came about and why this hand-dyed yarn is not just about different shades of a single color.
Kokon Bleu is not just a yarn company; it is owner and maker Michelle’s meditation on the color blue, in all of its complexity. Michelle is a designer, maker, and businesswoman who grew up in South Africa and now lives in the Netherlands, where Kokon is located. She has been inspired by “the emotive powers of colour” throughout her life, and Kokon Bleu is a fibre-based interpretation of those powers. We recently spoke with Michelle about Kokon Bleu’s origin and her process.
What inspired you to design and produce yarn focused on shades of blue?
I find colour very intriguing. What interests me most is the emotive properties of colour, e.g. what does it make you feel when you see it. I think a lot about colour and a lot of my choices are based on these thoughts.
Blue is a universally loved colour. It spans all cultures. The colour Blue is an ancient colour that has been dyed on many continents. The rich heritage of the colour Blue and its universal appeal drew me to it. I am a textile designer by trade and have always had a deep love of all things handmade. The colour Blue can be found in so many traditional crafts like Sashiko embroidery, Shibori dyeing, Batik and tie-dye indigo dyeing, and even in ceramics, like Delft Blue. This application of the colour Blue in craft is very inspiring.
At the moment, I am particularly drawn to Blue in nature, hence the introduction of our O-Bleu: the “O” referencing the “O” of Ocean.
Describe the Kokon Bleu dyeing process.
I developed the tie-dye technique, which knits up like a starry heaven, for the Kokon Bleu dark navy yarn. The ties have to be placed in the right place to avoid pooling or stripes forming in the speckles. This is a very labor-intensive technique, as each skein requires 5 ties to be applied before, and then removed after, dyeing. What can I say? It is a labor of creative love. We are all addicted to this wonderful yarn and the intense handmade process that it requires.
When I developed the Kokon Bleu range, I started out with the concept of 3 applications per colour: semi solid, tie dye and speckle. This forms the base of the dye techniques applied in Kokon Bleu. We vary in technique. Kokon Bleu Navy speckle is a crisp, clear speckle. Jean Michel speckle is an artsy, no-two-kinds-are-the-same, intuitive speckle. O-Bleu is a duo speckle, which uses two colours of speckles to create a shade of green-blue. We aim to keep it interesting and creative.
What are some of your favorite patterns for Kokon Bleu that highlight the fibres’ unique qualities, the dyeing method (like speckled vs. tie-dye), and/or the colorway? Do certain stitches or techniques show off particular colorways or dyeing methods especially well?
I love the Bouquet sweater by Junko Okamoto and I think the Kokon Bleu DK showcases this design very well, like in our sample, with a dark navy background and the roosimine inlay in Kokon Bleu speckle.
The Rebel Rebel cardigan by Libby Jonson in stockinette, knitted up in Kokon Bleu tie-dye fingering weight, looks amazing. For the tie-dye [bases], I recommend stockinette or an Aran 2 x 2 rib scarf, cowl or hat. The tie-dye requires no-fuss stitches, as the yarn will steal the show.
Shawlography by Stephen West showcases all of the dye techniques to the max. Nothing can beat this design in showcasing what each colour and dye technique offers knitted up together.
[Note: you can find these items and more as part of the Kokon Bleu Trunk Show we have at fibre space, through September. Find out more here!]
What’s something you wish more people understood about your work in design and textiles?
There is a lot of passion, thought, and hard work involved. Creating this yarn is not a business goal, but a creative process that forms part of a lifelong journey of making.
What is your current knitting/crocheting work-in-progress or a recently finished object you’re excited about?
I am particularly excited about the Basic Please! Shawl by Gabi Fontana, that we had knitted up to showcase our Kokon Bleu Advent calendar. We created an Advent consisting out of 25 mini-skeins, in all shades of Bleu. This is a large stockinette wrap-around shawl, which is ideal to showcase yarn colourways. It’s super to snuggle up in, and it acts like a large canvas from a colour and knitting point of view. Just gorgeous!
