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Alabama native Rebekka Seale has been knitting for roughly seven years, a hobby she acquired via a Skype tutorial with a friend in Portland. As a professional illustrator, she worked from home, often hunched over her brush and canvas and needing frequent breaks throughout the day for mobility. She began to experiment with yarn and natural dyes and took these breaks as an opportunity to flex her newfound skills.
'I was already an avid knitter, so I easily accumulated a lot of hand-dyed yarn,” says Seale. 'It got to the point where I couldn't afford not to sell it, so I opened up a side shop on my illustration website.”
It took only a year for the side shop to become her full-time business: Camellia Fiber Company, named after the Heart of Dixie's state flower. A collection of natural yarns that are ethnically sourced and minimally processed, the company features handspun, 100 percent merino wool and alpaca fleece, both of which contain a small micron count for the softest feel. The wool is grown in the U.S., and most of the fleece comes from the Alpaca Fiber Cooperative of North America.
'When we are particularly lucky, we get fleece from some of the farmers in the Tennessee Alpaca Association,” says Seale. 'We have worked with several of the wonderful farms here, including Mistletoe Farms in Franklin and Arcadia Alpacas in Ethridge, Tennessee.”
She also carries unique blends of wool and alpaca with silk and linen fibers added for an even softer, more luxurious finish; for hand-dyed yarns, she uses natural dyes and an ecofriendly acid dye that's free of heavy metal. Seale boils natural materials like brazilwood chips, marigold petals, and madder root and steeps the fibers in the rich, colorful pigment. She'll place the dye bath outside for more energy-efficient cooking in the warmer months or make small batches on the stovetop in her studio during colder months. The vibrant dyes eventually subside to softer, creamier shades such as muted rose and a speckled peachy-pink called Birthday Cake.
Camellia Fiber Company operates out of Earthen Studio, a shared workspace in Germantown that Seale opened with fellow artisans Lisa Garcia of Soñadora Handmade and Julia Rizzo and Rachel Snyder of Golden Apothecary. There's also a back office occupied by licensed therapist Jenna Toops, contributing to the overall peaceful and healing atmosphere.
'All of us are incredibly sensory, tactile people, and we love getting into each other's work,” says Seale. 'The Golden Girls, as I like to call them, are often in the kitchen mixing essential oils and infusing herbs for their natural body care products, and I can't help but hover because it all smells so delicious.”
Her online shop also offers a kit for a DIY wool throw as well as intermediate-level patterns designed by local artist Julia Belsante, including a cable-knit cowl and adorable hats for toddlers and babies. And next, Seale will reprise her popular wool blanket workshop for knitters of all levels.
'(Last year) everyone huddled in the studio on a Saturday, and we worked on our chunky, cloud-like blankets [knit with huge wooden needles] while sipping tea, coffee, and wine,” recounts Seale. 'We had lunch together and chatted for hours. By the end of the workshop, the participants each had roughly half a blanket and took the rest home to finish.”
For more information and to shop the collection, visit camelliafibercompany.com. Studio hours are by appointment only. Photos by leanandmeadow.com.