We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Lyndsey Wilson a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Lyndsey, appreciate you joining us today. I’m sure there have been days where the challenges of being an artist or creative force you to think about what it would be like to just have a regular job. When’s the last time you felt that way? Did you have any insights from the experience?

Olive Fiber Arts was created based off of my love for the fiber arts. I have been dyeing yarn since 2021 but passionately knitting and crocheting for well over a decade!

I have a career outside of Olive but it’s not your typical 9-5 job. I’m a flight attendant. I’m extremely blessed and beyond grateful that the two mesh so well. I’m able to work as much or as little as I want which allows me to balance well with the realm of Olive Fiber Arts.

Happy is an absolute understatement; I have the best of both worlds! The luxury of free travel allows me to visit and have trunk shows in other cities around the world.

Honestly the thought of a Monday-Friday regular 9-5 job makes me cringe! As a flight attendant we take a recurrent training class once a year and that’s my small taste of being in an office setting for 8 hours. No bueno! I’ll keep my blessing.

Lyndsey, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

For those who do not know me, my name is Lyndsey Wilson; born and raised in Kokomo, Indiana. I currently reside in Smyrna, Georgia. I’m a flight attendant and yarn dyeing is my superpower. I was first introduced to the world of fiber art through my “bonus mom” who taught me how to crochet. Not too long after that, I learned that my late great-grandmother Bernice also crocheted and that working with yarn was part of my own family history. I eventually taught myself how to knit. It’s been a therapeutic hobby of mine for over a decade.

While living on the West coast for a number of years, I met a lot of amazing people who instantly became my family in the yarn community. I lived in Las Vegas for a few years and if I was not flying, I practically lived at the Sin City Knit Shop because they had open knitting every day! I discovered hand dyed yarn when I met Tanya from Pink Adobe Dyeworks; her colorways were always beautiful! That’s when I knew I wanted to learn how to dye yarn. I eventually moved to Los Angeles (because I wanted to) in 2018. In the midst of the pandemic I learned how to dye yarn at The Knitting Tree in Inglewood, California. I was given a scholarship to learn how to dye yarn so I viewed it as a once in a lifetime opportunity because normally classes like this can be expensive! Inconveniently, when I was selected, I was no longer living in Los Angeles. I was determined to complete this course, regardless of circumstances. I would fly to Los Angeles after my work trip once a month, rent a car, stay at my old roommates’ house, attend the course, and then fly out the next day. I did this for almost 6 months! At the end of the course we had a trunk show and the rest is history!

The Knitting Tree in LA holds a special place in my heart because of the amount of love, time, and opportunities they have given me and other up-and-coming yarn artists/dyers. It has been overwhelmingly beautiful how they have been true mentors in supporting my path as a woman of color in the yarn dyeing industry.

I currently sell my yarn at The Knitting Tree in LA, The Wooly Jackalope in Newnan, Ga, Heart & Spirit in Atlanta, Ga, and Sin City Knit Shop in Las Vegas, NV. I normally sell sock/fingering weight, DK Weight, and I’m currently venturing out into other yarn weights so please stay tuned!

If you told me that I was going to actually be successful in this industry, I probably would’ve looked at you like you were crazy. I’m extremely proud of myself and I love my craft. I have a whole ritual when it’s time to start dyeing yarn. I set a goal for myself; when my goal has been accomplished; I treat myself to sushi. I tell Alexa to play either 90’s R&B music or jazz; depending on what mood I’m in at that moment. I usually start by using a color that I haven’t used and then that’s when the inspiration takes place. Inspiration oddly comes into play AFTER the dye hits the water; but the result is so beautiful. The process is BEAUTIFUL. The journey is beautiful and I’m so happy to share it with the world.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist is that you are not alone. The support system in this industry is extraordinary! After my first trunk show; I was literally being sent off into this world with this business that I JUST created all by myself and that was scary. My mentors gave me the tools and the resources in order to be successful but it instantly became overwhelming. I questioned myself. I was intimidated, I had fears of failure and not making it! Immediately, I felt the complete opposite. I created my Instagram account for Olive Fiber Arts and all of the support and love was overflowing. I love the fact that it’s not a competition amongst other indie dyers but much rather we are each other’s cheerleaders and celebrate our successes!

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

What really drives me is my passion for all things fiber. I love what I do. For me, there are no limits. I feel that I learn as I explore and try different methods of dyeing yarn. I’m constantly finding ways to expand on my creativity as an indie dyer. My goal is to continue to expand and collaborate with other yarn store businesses whether that entails trunk shows or wholesale opportunities. I also want to continue to be creative so I can share my unique colorways with fellow knitters and crocheters.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://www.olivefiberarts.com/
• Instagram: @OliveFiberArts
• Facebook: Olive Fiber Arts
• Other: 

Image Credits
Amy Acevedo took pictures at the Sin City Knit Shop Trunk Show and Nadia Williams took pictures at the Firebird Yarn Trunk Show