Merino y Vino

Welcome to my online portfolio of items! The hand-dyed yarns are available in a variety of bases, just let me know what you prefer! If you are ready to buy, please go to my Etsy store!

You can also see some videos on dyeing, knitting, yarn, etc. on my YouTube Channel.

COVID-19 Information

Like most of you, I am concerned about protecting my family. I wash my hands before handling all of my products. Additionally, after washing them and after someone has made a purchase, I put the product outside on a clean surface in the sun for at least 10 minutes. The  natural UV rays will sterilize the product. Then, using gloves, I place the product in the packing material. I wear gloves and a mask when going to the post office, and once business picks up, I should be able to have the post office pick up the items from my home. By the time you receive the product, it won't have been touched for at least a week. I don't go into stores, grocery stores, or restaurants, and I will continue to shelter in place until Arizona's cases have been declining for 14 days. If you have any concerns, please contact me!

April 2023

Whoa! It has been a while since I've updated this website! Whoops! I am still here, dyeing yarn, and trying to make this business my full-time job! While I have already committed to teaching at least one more year, I do hope to grow my business.

Here are some updates for 2023:

• I have a WAFA sale on Facebook https://fb.me/e/3lLpJQP6j! It is Sunday, April 30 at 11am Arizona time!

• I am doing my best to go green! I just purchased EcoEnclose poly mailers, which are recyclable! I do my best to conserve water during the dye process as well. 

• My subscription box this year is about four different books all written by minority women. They are AWESOME!! January's book was Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, and April's book is Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng. Both are riveting. You can still subscribe for the last two boxes for this year.

• I have new colorways, and my Etsy store is just about updated. I need to update the colorways here too!

• I will be releasing a free pattern next week here and on Ravelry.

• I'll be vending at the Flag Wool and Fiber Festival for the first weekend in June. Check me out there!

December 2022

Goodness! It's hard to keep up with my business while teaching full time with kids! It has been a little slow this fall, but wonderful to be in contact with customers and people on social media. I've done a few WAFA shows on Facebook this fall, which have been wonderful!

• I will continue to have a subscription box, which will start going out in January! This next year's boxes will be inspired by a book. They will include a treat or two and a pattern from Yumi Yarns for the yarn. The fourth quarter's box will include some mini skeins for a fifth bonus project!

• I plan to finish dyeing sets for my Pride and Prejudice Box this month if you wanted to knit it with my yarn. The pattern is available at Yumi Yarns or on Ravelry. 

• I will be doing a small shop update this month with handspun yarns.

I hope you and your family have a joyous holiday season!

August 2022

As usual, summer has been slow. It's surprisingly hard to keep up a business while being a full-time mom! However, there are some exciting things in the works!

• I will be having a back-to-school sale for a week this August! It will start on August 6, so take a look at my Etsy store for a great deal!

• I will be a vendor for Wool and Fiber Arts in September! Please join my live sale next month. I'll have more details posted soon.

• I will continue to have a subscription box next year! All of the months will be semisolid yarn with speckles. They will coordinate with each other, be inspired by four different books, and November's box will have two patterns and extra mini skeins with a bonus pattern that uses up all of the excess yarn! It's a great deal, and it will include goodies as well!

• I will be the October dyer for Designs by Yasmin earrings! I'm dyeing up a special colorway that will go great with many different clothes!

• I am slowly dyeing up all of the colorways from my Pride and Prejudice Surprise Box from January. You can buy single full/mini skeins, or the entire set (when it's available). 

It will be a busy fall!

May 2022

I have not been as good about updating my website! Sorry about that! I have been busy with various events. Here is what I have been up to:

• I was a vendor for WAFA in April. I plan to do so again in July, so keep your eye out! I always have a sale going then!

• I closed my shop for a week in April due to the Etsy strike. I am currently researching other websites that would be the best option for my virtual shop.

• I sent out the second installment of my subscription box!

• HensnChicks Fiber Arts knit up some socks in Jillianne's variegated colorway, which turned out beautifully.

• I'll be a vendor for the Flagstaff Wool and Fiber Festival in early June! Come see me in person! I'm working on dyeing up a bunch of yarn for it!

• I have Random Acts of Kindness available in the Crazy Sock Lady's Shop. You can only grab it there right now! Go show her some love!

• I'll be giving a prize for Splashpad this summer. Please participate!

February 2022

The second month of 2022 has been a little slow here. Teaching and having two kids is quite time consuming! Still, it's been nice. I hope to dye up at least two more colorways this month and list them. Getting to a computer is the hardest part!

• I've been working on the Pride and Prejudice Shawl designed by Yumi Yarns. It definitely is not done yet, but it's been fun working on it with others on Slack.

• I finished a scarf for my cousin and started a pair of socks for a student's mom. 

• I'm knitting a mobile for a friend's baby.

• I dyed up yarn for the second installment of my yarn subscription box.

• There's a sale from 2/17-2/20 that is 30% off for my birthday!

• There is a shop update around February 20. I hope it'll be done by then!

Happy New Year! Sorry I haven't updated this page in a while. I've been busy, which is great!

• I launched a yarn subscription box in November 2021! It's $30 including shipping. It includes a pattern, yarn (obviously), and some goodies, and it ties together with a theme. It's a great deal, and the colorways are exclusive for a while. There is also a Slack channel to try to create a community. Let me know if you have an idea for a name.

• We are currently working on the MKAL for my Pride and Prejudice Surprise Box! I'm a little behind in knitting, but it's really fun! The group also has a Slack channel. Email me if you'd like to get on it!

• I have two collaborations in the works, which is really exciting! I love meeting designers and giving them yarn support. Even though I've been in business almost two years, I still feel so lucky and excited to see my yarn in projects and to meet people in the fiber community.

• I'm also knitting a scarf for my cousin, a scrappy crochet blanket, and I'd like to finish my Stephen West MKAL from October. 

• My daughter is 3 and my son is 7 months, so I'm quite busy at home!

• I'm so excited to have 3+ coworkers who also knit and/or crochet! Growing the fiber community makes me happy. 

October 2021

This month has flown by with many personal things. We've been unlucky in the plumbing area, so that has taken a lot of our time. I'm gearing back to go to my day job, teaching, and I've been finalizing my Pride and Prejudice Surprise Box. 

• I'll be doing a shop update Halloween weekend with some OOAK yarn!

• I've done a personalized dye job, so if you want a specific colorway that you don't see anywhere, let me know! I'd be happy to work it up for you!

• I am knitting some fingerless gloves for a client. Are you looking for handmade items? Ask me if you'd like me to make something!

• I'm working on the Stephen West MKAL Shawlography. Wow! There are so many techniques! I am learning a lot and working through it slowly. 

September 2021

This month has also been busy!

• I was a vendor for Wool and Fiber Arts, which was a lot of fun! Thank you for your support!

• My yarn is almost sold out on the Crazy Sock Lady's website. There is a light blue and Sarah's Teal left. Please go support her (and me)!

• I still have Pride and Prejudice Surprise Boxes available. The next time they will be on sale is in November. I am almost finished dyeing them all, and I'm so excited to begin to put the boxes together. 

• I am releasing certain colorways as dye-to-order. Let me know what you think about dye-to-order versus in-stock yarn. 

August 2021

This month is also proving to be exciting! 

• The Crazy Sock Lady will have my yarn for sale on her new website, which launches in August! I dyed up a custom colorway, and you can also get an exclusive fingering-weight autumnal colorway!

• I am a vendor for Wool and Fiber Arts! The virtual festival is August 27-30, and I have my 30-minute vendor spot on Friday, August 27 at 4:30pm. Please join me! It's also hyperlinked, so you can easily attend. I have another custom colorway releasing on this day, so come check it out!

• I will be a vendor for Wool and Fiber Arts in September as well. It's only a 30-minute window, so try to make one of them!

• I still have Pride and Prejudice surprise boxes available! They are a great price for everything that is in them. If you attend Wool and Fiber Arts, you may also get a deal, hint hint!

• Lastly, I'll be supporting Wool Swap, which is a world-wide organization, though it was founded in Australia. If you join, you'll get an exclusive discount from my shop, good on everything! When I get the time to go through my stash, I hope to participate in a wool swap too!

Other than that, I'll be dyeing yarn all month, dyeing some fan-favorites, and releasing some new colors too! Check out my Instagram for more information!

July 2021

June was a big month! On a personal note, I gave birth to our second child, Antonio Gregory Stevens on June 22 at 4:25pm. We're both doing great, and his older sister, Genevieve, LOVES him! She kisses him so much and, so far, isn't jealous! Here is what is happening this month:

1. My first surprise box (an advent calendar) went live on July 4! It is Pride and Prejudice themed, which is my favorite book. SAVE 10% WHEN YOU BUY IN JULY THIS MONTH!! THAT'S $20 OFF!  The KAL starts January 28, 2022, the day Pride and Prejudice was published! Note: ALL ADVENTS SHIP IN MID-DECEMBER. They should arrive in early January at the latest. The colorways are inspired by the 1995 BBC adaptation of the book. All of the colorways were designed to go together in specific patterns too. This advent calendar has everything that you need in order to create a beautiful project. It includes:

   • 1 full skein of yarn

   • 17 mini skeins

   • custom stitch markers from DK Graham

   • custom project bag from Crafty Like a Monkey

   • 2 shawl patterns and 1 sock pattern from Yumi Yarns

   • 2 Pride and Prejudice inspired soaps from Transported soap

   • other little goodies fitting with the theme

The yarn is OEKO-TEX Certified Standard 100, which means that it is made without harmful chemicals or products and is safe for infants. Additionally, there will be a KAL starting January 28 (platform to be determined).

2. All of my fingering weight yarn ships free this month since I am the indie dyer for the Indie Sock Along. Click here to get the patterns and to join in on the fun!

3. I'll be releasing at least one new colorway this month: Rainbow Baby. Although I am lucky enough to have two kids now, I miscarried twice before we conceived my daughter. Pregnancy and infant loss is incredibly hard to experience, and when I went through it, very few people were talking about it (so much has changed in three years!). 20% of profits will go to Share, an organization that supports people who have experienced miscarriage and/or pregnancy loss. 

June 2021

Now that school is just about out, I will hopefully have more time for dyeing yarn! This month is really exciting!

1. Flagstaff Wool and Fiber Festival: I am one of the virtual vendors. I'll be releasing a handspun yarn, a crocheted shawl, and a new colorway, Ponderosa Pines, which will be released June 5! If it is sold out, I am happy to dye more! I will also giveaway two skeins of yarn! More details on my Instagram the weekend of the Festival (June 5-6). Additionally, there will be free shipping and 10% starting June 5 through June 15! 

2. My son will be born sometime this month, which is why my sale from the Flag Wool Festival is going long. My shop will be closed for 1-2 weeks after his birth--so stock up!

3. In July, the pre-order for my Pride and Prejudice Advent, which starts January 2022, will be up! We will also have a KAL going so people can share what they're making. It is a pretty amazing advent and includes: 

   1. 17 mini-skeins and 1 full skein

   2. Patterns exclusively designed for the yarn by Yumi Yarns.

   3. Exclusive stitch markers made by DK Graham.

   4. A custom project bag by Crafty Like a Monkey.

   5. Soaps by Transported Soap.

   6. And tea and cookies!

4. I have sold out of Kamala Breaks the Glass Ceiling, so I'll be dyeing more of that this month, as well as Paul's Purple in a DK weight yarn.

March 2021-May 2021

Since I've gone back to work in-person, it's been busier, so I haven't had time to dye as much yarn. Here is what I've been up to over the last three months: 

1. My spring collection of yarn is based off of green, pink, and purple. All colors have been released except for purple, which is coming in June. 

2. I have been working on designing colorways for my Pride and Prejudice advent, coming January 2022! I have some exciting collaborations coming too!

3. I have restocked Dreaming of Maui.

4. I also released Peacock, Leslie's Variegated Blue, Coconino Panthers, Spring Blossom, and a few OOAK skeins!

February 2021

This year seems to be going by so quickly! I hope that you are all doing well. I have a few things going on this month:

• You can now purchase yarn from me via Etsy or Facebook! My Facebook catalogue will be complete by February 7!

• I am releasing a new colorway: Alaskan Sunset. I actually dreamed about it. I was looking at a sunset in Alaska (I have no idea how I was transported there!), and I even envisioned the steps for the dyeing process. I hope that you find it as special as I do!

• I am also releasing a handspun purple! I have two skeins that are a fractal spin, and one that is a 3-ply Navajo. All three skeins go perfectly together.

• I plan to release a cabled blanket pattern in March. 

• I will also start a newsletter! If you subscribe to my newsletter, you will receive a discount code that never expires! I will be sending out the newsletter once a month or so, unless there is a request for emails when I have a shop update. They will consist of these monthly updates.

• Lastly, I'm updating my YouTube channel with various videos, so check them out!

January 2021

Happy New Year! Unfortunately, the division, violence, and Covid-19 pandemic continue to haunt us this year, especially in Arizona, which is a global hotspot. One dayArizona will make the news for a positive reason. Will it be due to Merino y Vino? One can only hope!

This month I am working on knitting socks! 2021 will be the year of the socks! I have very little experience knitting socks, but I'm excited to give it a go!

I worked on a custom colorway for a friend, which gave birth to two additional colors that I love, and they are in my Etsy store (Emerald and Navy)! I hope to release a pattern for a blanket in February. I also have two hat patterns and a toy that I'm working on designing. It's slow-going due to my day-time job, but I love it!

Additionally, I released the Random Acts of Kindness colorway, which is a lavender with speckles. I think it is fun and springy!

December 2020

We just about made it through 2020! I made some holiday minis this month that would be great for a striped hat or a cowl/scarf.

I also dyed two colorways in honor of President-Elect Biden and Vice President-Elect Harris. Finally we have a woman as VP! One day, hopefully soon, we will see the first female president. 

I took about two weeks off to enjoy the holidays with my family. We donated money to the Food Bank in Flagstaff. I hope you all had as joyous a holiday season as possible during these rough times.

November 2020

October was a bit slow, unfortunately. I think we were all distracted with the election (as I write this, the US still doesn't have a clear idea of who will be the next president). 

I will be releasing a few colorways this month:

1. Starry Sky: It is a fingering weight yarn with some sparkle to it! This yarn would make perfect socks, and I dyed it so that it looks like stars appear randomly without having to do more advanced color work. 

2. Maple Speckles: I just didn't get enough of those autumn colorways yet! However, I feel like November brings forth warmer colors of fall. Maple Speckles is a warm burnt orange or a coral-ish red with some darker brownish-red speckles. It is dyed in a worsted weight yarn, so it will work up quickly. It would make a beautiful hat/cowl or scarf combination. It would also work up to make some wrist warmers, gloves, etc. 

3. I will be dyeing Dreaming of Maui on the fingering weight sparkle yarn. It would make a fun sock, light shawl, or a pretty hat.

4. I will also be dyeing a set of wine-colored yarn that can go together as a set, or you can use them individually. They will be dyed on 100% alpaca from Northern Arizona!

Additionally, with COVID-19 still raging across the country, people are still struggling to find work and/or support their families. This month, all of my proceeds will go towards the Flagstaff Family Food Center. 

I also plan to start a virtual knit night once a month on Saturdays. I hope that you'll be able to join me!

October 2020

It's getting close to the holiday season! This month I will have a few sales so you can have plenty of time to make gifts for the holidays!

I have three colorways made with the yarn from Peaceful Prairie Alpaca Ranch! It is a chunky yarn (works up quickly!) and is 80% alpaca and 20% cotton. I dyed these colorways with the Blazing Maple in mind, a tree that I see a lot of in Flagstaff. This blend is perfect for people living in warmer climates like Tucson, Phoenix, California, Florida, etc. These deep colors are perfect for autumn. 

I have the Square Dance Kit available as well! It is my collaboration with Sheri Karobonik in Tucson. It's a scarf pattern made with worsted weight wool. I knit it up in a week, and I have little time to knit, so you can probably make it faster than I!

I have also released my first hat pattern, Girl on Fire! It knits up quickly and is a great way to use my orange and yellow variegated yarn. It knits into a soft, squishy hat that you will want to live in this winter. You can also find the pattern on Ravelry!

Lastly, I will be collaborating with Yumi Yarns next year for a sock pattern! Shaina Scott is incredibly friendly and talented. Please check out her patterns on her website or on Ravelry!

September 2020

This month, I released multiple colorways, which you can find on my Hand Dyed Projects page! I custom dyed an autumn colorway for Allison's Wonderland Company. She is an amazing crochet artist, and you can buy from her on Etsy!

I dyed up more Empower Purple for the Empower bandana. I still have two skeins available! The bandana works up very quickly, so there is still time to make one before election day!

August 2020

There are many exciting things happening this month! 

Thanks to my July sales, I was able to donate $15 to the Human Rights Campaign. I know, it's not a big number, but I'm just getting started. I would love to grow large enough to donate $1000 each month to a different organization.

This month I'm donating to KIND: Kids in Need of Defense. Even though it seems like the family separation policy on the southern border of the US happened ages ago, kids are still separated from their parents. I am horrified by this and devastated that children are kept in glorified cages, separated from everyone they know, in an unfamiliar country during a pandemic. I look forward to making a large donation to the organization at the end of August. 

I have a new partner: Peaceful Prairie Alpaca Ranch! Wendy's alpacas have the highest quality fiber! She also raises Merino sheep! I will be dyeing yarn and fiber from her ranch, making one line of my products 100% Arizona. I am very excited about this, besides the fact that I have a better excuse to visit alpacas regularly. 

Additionally, I will be working with Tucson knitwear designer Sheri Karobonik! We are releasing a scarf kit later this month in my Etsy store. This is my first collaboration, and I am honored that she thought of me.

Besides the new colorways for the kit, I'll be releasing two yellows for August. I don't know about you, but when I think of August, I think of yellows and oranges. The lingering summer heat must be getting to me! One yellow/magenta is based on a small flower that I found here in Flagstaff. The other just makes me plain happy!

Lastly I'll be starting a YouTube channel! I will include knitting techniques and I'll show you how I dye yarn!

July 2020

June was a pretty good month! Thanks to sales, I was able to donate 40% of my proceeds to the NAACP! It was $25; not huge, but at least it was something! This month 40% of my proceeds will go to the Navajo and Hopi Reservations near Flagstaff, AZ, which are still being hit hard by Covid-19.

This month I released my Queen Rose colorway, which is available on Etsy, and you can see a picture under the Hand-Dyed tab as well. It is a beautiful DK weight yarn that fades from a deep/jewel magenta to a light pink. I will also be releasing Monsoon Sunset shortly, which is a purple/blue combination. Lastly, I plan to release Dreaming of Maui as well!

Additionally, I'll be sponsoring a prize for Spin Together! I've participated in Spin Together for three years now, and I love it! Now more than ever, we need community. I am so excited to sponsor a prize so that spinners can get a little package of joy during these difficult times.

June 2020

Just when we didn't think 2020 could get any worse, it has. I know that systemic racism has been part of the United States before we even became a country. That doesn't make it right. The murders of innocent people has escalated in the last three years, though they have always been happening. I, as a teacher, need to actively work to stem the tide of racism and to teach the next generation of students to recognize their biases and to ensure that they try to eradicate their racism, sexism, and prejudice and to help create a more inclusive world. I highly recommend reading The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander and Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates. My students will be reading excerpts of both in August. I have already donated to the NAACP, and 40% of my sales will go towards them this month. 

May 2020

May was very similar to April. Business is picking up a little, which is exciting! I starting knitting and dyeing sock blanks. I also started hand painting yarn. Although I learned to crochet 9 years ago, I've always struggled to read my crochet. I have finally taken the step to really learn how to crochet. Ultimately my goal is to make a granny square blanket. I have crocheted two headbands, and I hope to crochet a hat soon!

April 2020

This month has been an interesting one! Like many of you, I've been at home for the last 6 weeks or so. Once I realized that I wasn't going to be teaching in person for the rest of the year, I felt sad. I love teaching, and online teaching just isn't the same. 

Again, like many of you, I take comfort from crafting. I have been using my time wisely, even with a toddler in tow. I've been spinning yarn daily, and all of the completed skeins are on my Etsy site. I finished knitting a hat, a tree of life afghan, and I'm still working on finishing a scarf. I have tried to learn to crochet a few times over the years, but now I'm working on my first project: a headband. It doesn't look half bad either! I used my knitting machine to create a sock blank, and I plan to dye it later this week. 

I now have a Facebook page, so please go like it if you haven't already. I'm working on uploading all of my listings there. Soon you should be able to purchase from Etsy, Facebook, or you can contact me directly if you prefer. I'm still figuring out social media from a business perspective, which is new to me. I hope to fully connect my Instagram account soon.

Who knew that there were so many aspects to work on in a business? It's not just dyeing, spinning, and knitting! I'm learning a ton, which is great. Eventually I would love to make this business my full-time job. Meanwhile, I'm enjoying learning how to create a business. I greatly enjoy connecting with all of you and seeing all of the beautiful things that you create. Please say hi sometime!

March 17, 2020

Happy St. Patrick's Day! Knit Picks has a sister site, We Crochet. Please see the link below, Muse Hand Painted Fingering, to check out their beautiful yarn!

Right now you can get free shipping if you spend $35+, which is less than on their other site. Go to We Crochet to stock up on yarn and accessories while you're stuck at home!

*I am a Knit Picks affiliate. If you purchase something from them via one of my links, I get a discount. I buy all of my supplies from them too!

I don't know about you all, but I am actually loving being at home! It is currently my spring break, and I don't know if I should spin, work on one of two blankets, or finally learn entrelac! 

March 2020

Welcome to my new website! I will be uploading pictures of all of my items for sale. If you're looking for something in particular, please let me know! I can hand-dye, spin, or knit custom items. I look forward to engaging with the knitting/crocheting/weaving/dyeing/spinning community in a new way!