My life took a wild turn when I managed a private game reserve in Namibia. There, I was heavily involved in conservation schemes, dedicating myself to raising orphaned animals—cheetahs, leopards, and lynx.

Caring for these incredible apex predators taught me patience and a profound respect for nature's raw beauty. It was an environment completely unlike the digital world, governed by instinct, fiercely warm palettes, and breathtaking untamed life.

The sweeping, sun-drenched landscapes of the Namibian desert profoundly altered how I see colour. The striking ochres, deep terracottas, and intense golden hours became permanently etched into my soul.

Living alongside the wilderness instilled in me a completely fearless approach to contrast and saturation. I do not fear bold hues; I grew up surrounded by them.

Long before I ever touched a skein of yarn, my days became defined by logic, syntax, and glowing screens. Moving into the 2000s, I spent years as a web developer, building digital architectures and crafting online experiences.

There is an intense, structural beauty to writing code—bringing something into existence from pure thought and mathematics. It requires exactness, precision, and a mind that can hold complex, interconnected systems.

Today, when I stand over a bubbling dye pot in the Scottish Highlands, those distinct eras of my life perfectly collide.

The structural logic of a software engineer guarantees that my dye recipes are mathematically precise. The fierce soul of a Namibian conservationist guarantees that my palettes are breathtakingly bold. And the rugged, misty atmosphere of Strathearn provides the perfect canvas.

Every single skein is a culmination of a life lived across continents, careers, and apex predators.

While the cheetahs and lynx of my past remain deeply influential, my pack today is a little closer to home.

Surrounded by the Scottish countryside, my dogs are my constant companions as I dye, pack, and ship every single order. They are as much a part of the Abercairn Yarns family as the wool itself.

I invite you to experience the result of this journey. Feel the precision in the dye, and the fearless wildness in the colour.