Seven Sisters Art

For as long as Karen Grover can remember, she has loved making things. She learned to sew from her mom and knit from her grandmother. One of her first jobs out of college was as a production weaver. She also worked on a sheep farm one summer, dyeing all of their wool with natural dyes. She started dyeing raw fiber to spin over 30 years ago, first for her personal use, and then after a stint as a nurse.  It has been a full time job for the past 12 years. She was one of the original founders of String Theory Yarns.

With a degree in plant & soil science and one in nursing, Karen brings her knowledge of science and methodology into her dye studio. Her studio is in the ell of our her old farm house in Blue Hill.  Her husband transformed a dirt floor room into her studio where she dyes batches of domestically produced yarn in varying quantities - from six skeins to 40. Fibers and yarns are carefully chosen with the provenance, quality, and the end product in mind.

Karen’s love of color is reflected in Seven Sisters Arts coordinated gradients, variegated and semi-solid yarn in palettes that work well together, that you will be delighted to work with and to wear. The natural beauty of the coast of Maine provides inspiration.

She uses low-impact, nontoxic acid dyes (and occasionally natural dyes) which are measured very precisely to result in consistent colors from batch to batch, the dyes are set with heat and citric acid - a nontoxic food additive. Water is reused several times between dye batches as a conservation practice. The yarn is washed with a non-alcohol based yarn rinse that is fragrance free. Attention is paid to each skein throughout the process of dyeing, washing, winding and labeling providing quality yarn for your creative adventures.

Her yarn lives in a non-smoking, pet free home. When Karen is not with yarn, she loves engaging with people, traveling, word play, gardening and making beautiful color. It gives her great pleasure to share her love of fiber and color with other makers of textile arts, feeling that it is an honor to be part of keeping traditions alive.