We are dying to introduce our next Maker We Love, Jennifer Rogers-Anderson of I Would Dye For you. Jennifer shares how she got the itch for creating her beautiful hand-dyed goods, and how she incorporates function into her products.
MAKER:
Jennifer Rogers-Anderson, I Would Dye For You
NEIGHBORHOOD:
We live in the northern corner of Mt. Lebanon near the Beverly shops and Dormont.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR BRAND AND WHY IT’S THE BEST
IWDFY is unique in that I use shibori tie-dyeing methods in black and other contemporary neutral colors for practical household items. It's not your typical hippie tie-dye and it's not purely decorative. In addition to towels and napkins, I have begun to make couch/beach sheets, throw pillows, different sized bags among other things.
WHAT IS YOUR BACKGROUND AND THE STORY BEHIND WHY YOU STARTED IWDFY?
I moved to Pittsburgh one year ago after spending 30 years in NYC as a bar/restaurant owner and a member of two touring bands. Our family moved here to provide a different lifestyle to our two elementary school-aged kids, and because Pittsburgh is so awesome! Most recently my husband and I opened a record store in Dormont called Vinyl Remains. I started IWDFY after researching projects for my daughter's 9th birthday. Once we tie-dyed with the kids, I couldn't stop thinking about dying things around the house and got really into it.
WHAT ONE PRODUCT DO WE NEED TO KNOW ABOUT AND WHY?
One product customers may like to know about is the 28" square. Originally made to be a tea towel, I have discovered people have adapted it to other uses such as a headscarf and a baby blanket/burp cloth. That is one of my ideas about the brand -- to make things that could serve multiple purposes to different people, i.e., scarf/tablecloth.
IN THREE WORDS, WHY DO YOU LOVE PITTSBURGH?
Community, culture, beauty.
HOW CAN PEOPLE FIND OUT MORE ABOUT I WOULD DYE FOR YOU?
web: iwoulddyeforyoupgh@gmail.com; FB: iwoulddyeforyou; IG: @iwoulddyeforyou