About Me

Hi, my name is Deklan & I'm the maker behind Hankly Fiber!

My love of yarn started when I was a kid and has only grown stronger over the years. What began with knitting and weaving naturally evolved into crochet, spinning yarn, and eventually hand-dyeing—because, honestly, that just seems like the next logical step! Today, I get to combine all of those passions by creating small-batch, hand-dyed yarn that I hope inspires makers to create something they truly love.

I'm endlessly inspired by bold color, cozy comfort shows, the beauty of the natural world, and the unexpected magic found in everyday life. Every skein is lovingly inspected (and occasionally supervised) by my two feline quality-control managers, who insist on being involved in just about everything I do.

Outside of Hankly, my life is wonderfully simple. I live in a cozy studio apartment near Chicago with my two cats, and I balance running Hankly alongside a full-time job. When I'm not in the dye studio, you'll usually find me playing Minecraft, watching Bob's Burgers, enjoying a good comedy special, or spending time with my partner, friends, and family.

Hankly is also deeply personal to me. I came out as transgender in 2018 using they/them pronouns, and in the spring of 2025 I came out again as a transgender man. I began hormone replacement therapy in June 2025, and it has been one of the most joyful and affirming chapters of my life. Building Hankly alongside that journey has reminded me that creativity, authenticity, and community all go hand in hand.

Whether you're here for vibrant hand-dyed yarn, naturally dyed collections, or simply because you share a love of all things fiber, I'm so grateful you stopped by. My hope is that Hankly feels like a cozy, welcoming place where everyone can find inspiration, celebrate creativity, and discover a yarn they'll be excited to cast on.