ABOUT US

Hello friends! My name's Mary but most people call me MRO or Dr. MRO. I'm a literary historian who specializes in the Middle Ages. It just so happens that I really love crocheting and knitting too, and I decided to marry two of my passions -- crafting and medieval studies! My journey into indie yarn dyeing started after being overwhelmed by academic life compounded by regular stresses and our world falling apart. I've pivoted out of academia because the stresses were taking their toll on my body, health, and brain. 

My crocheting and knitting journey began as a way to take my mind off of life's pressures. As a kid I liked doing things like needle work and painting but resources weren't always available in my neighborhood to take up things like crocheting and knitting. So, I came to fiber arts a little later than some, but got hooked (pun intended) immediately. The feel of soft yarn in my hands, and being able to create things for others has been therapeutic.

 

For me, I try and take the words of author and activist Audre Lorde seriously when she reminds us that "selfcare is an act of political warfare." We really do need to take care of ourselves, both mentally and physically, for our own sakes, and if we want to give of ourselves to others. We can't run on steam for long. Fiber arts (and other types of artistic endeavors) are weapons to take our time back. 

After some years of research and planning I dove into yarn dyeing and started a little initiative where we carve time and restore ourselves by being creative. Engaging in fiber arts is an invaluable way to look after yourself (even your mental health), and recharge. It's time to just work with your hands, to relax the nervous system (provided little frogging is involved), and create beauty in an often dark and busy world. 

As a woman of color (born on settler land in Canada, my roots are from the Afro/Indo Caribbean diasporas), I've always been intrigued by hidden figures in the period I research. There is so much in history we miss, particularly in the beauty and richness found through hidden figures and art of the past. Hidden figures are often overlooked or forgotten in manuscripts and premodern art, so each figure, image, or story I select is carefully researched before any dyeing begins. This is my way of honoring people and stories of the past, giving renewed visibility, and sharing what I know with the wider world. 

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Take care of yourselves and I hope some of my skeins inspire you.

If you are interested in a specific colorway, let me know, I love experimenting!

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With appreciation,

MRO