Looking for a quick answer? You're in the right place! Here are the questions I get most often about yarn, orders, shipping, and all the other little details. For exact terms, the current store policies and product-specific information take precedence.
Ordering & Payment
What currency do you use?
Everything starts in euros (€)! You might see prices converted into your local currency while browsing, but the currency and total shown at checkout are what you'll actually pay.
Which payment methods do you accept?
Whatever's available at checkout! Payment options can vary depending on where you live, your currency, and your device. The checkout will show you what's available for your order.
How do VAT, taxes, and import duties work?
Ah, taxes. Everybody's favorite subject.
What you pay depends on where your order is going. Some taxes are included at checkout, while others may be collected by customs or your delivery company when your parcel arrives.
I've put together a Taxes & Duties guide to help you figure out what to expect.
Can I use a discount code after I have paid?
Unfortunately, discount codes don't come with a time machine. They need to be entered before you complete checkout, so double-check that your discount has been applied before hitting that payment button.
Can I change or combine orders after placing them?
Possibly! Get in touch as soon as you can, and I'll see what I can do.
I can't promise changes or combined shipping, especially if your order is already being packed or has shipped, but it never hurts to ask.
Shipping
Where do you ship?
Almost everywhere! As long as there's a suitable shipping service and no customs or other restrictions getting in the way, I'm happy to send yarn your way.
Enter your address at checkout to see if shipping is currently available to your corner of the world.
How much does shipping cost?
That depends on where your parcel is heading, how much yarn you've adopted, and which shipping services are available.
You'll see the shipping costs at checkout before you pay. Some destinations also qualify for free shipping above a certain order value.
When will my order ship?
If your yarn is ready to ship, I usually send orders out within 2–5 working days (Monday to Friday).
If you've ordered something that still needs a date with the dye pots, like Dyed to Order yarn or a yarn box, it'll take a little longer. Check the product page for the expected production and shipping time.
How long does delivery take?
Once your parcel is on its way, these are the usual delivery estimates:
- Netherlands: 2–5 working days
- Europe: 1–2 weeks
- North America: 3–8 weeks
- Asia & Australia: 3–8 weeks
These are estimates, not promises carved into stone. Customs, postal delays, strikes, bad weather, and the occasional logistical nightmare can all affect delivery times.
Is tracking included?
Yes! All orders I ship come with tracking, so you can follow your yarn's journey from my studio to your doorstep.
You'll receive a tracking link in your shipping confirmation. International parcels sometimes change hands between carriers along the way.
What if my parcel appears to be missing?
First, don't panic! International shipping can sometimes involve long stretches of absolutely nothing happening on the tracking page.
If your parcel is significantly overdue or tracking hasn't moved in ages, get in touch. I'll look into it and contact the shipping company if an investigation is needed.
A delay doesn't automatically mean your yarn has vanished into another dimension.
You can also check the Shipping Policy for more details.
Can I pick up my order at the studio?
Sorry, no! My studio is a working dye space, not a physical shop, so I can't offer customer pickups.
There's considerably more dye equipment than comfortable browsing space anyway.
Returns & Cancellations
Can I return an order?
That depends on what you've ordered and where you live.
EU customers have a legal right to withdraw from qualifying purchases, while customers outside the EU can use my voluntary return policy. Certain products, including custom-made and personalized items, are excluded from standard change-of-mind returns.
Before sending anything back, please check my Returns & Refunds Policy or visit the Withdrawal & Cancellation page.
Can I cancel a pre-order or dyed-to-order item?
Pre-orders (including yarn boxes) and Dyed to Order yarn are made specifically for your order, so they're exempt from the standard 14-day right of withdrawal.
Changed your mind? Get in touch before production begins, and I'll see if cancellation is still possible.
Once I've started making your order, it can no longer be canceled. Your rights if something arrives faulty or incorrect are, of course, unaffected.
Yarn & Products
How should I care for hand-dyed yarn?
Hand-dyed yarn generally appreciates a little TLC.
Gentle washing is always a good idea, but the exact care instructions depend on the fibers in your yarn. Some are more adventurous than others.
I've written a complete yarn care guide with everything you need to know to keep your projects looking their best.
Is it normal for hand-dyed yarn to bleed a little?
Sometimes, yes! Particularly saturated colors and heavily speckled yarns can release a little residual dye during their first wash.
That doesn't automatically mean anything is wrong. However, your yarn shouldn't turn every wash into an unexpected tie-dye experiment.
My yarn care guide explains what to expect. If the bleeding seems excessive, please contact me.
Will two skeins of the same colorway match exactly?
They're siblings, not identical twins!
I use carefully measured recipes to recreate my colorways, but hand dyeing is still a wonderfully unpredictable process. Small differences in color, saturation, and speckle placement are completely normal.
For larger projects, I recommend buying all the yarn you need together and alternating skeins every few rows if you want the colors to blend smoothly.
What if I need more skeins than are currently in stock?
You might be in luck!
If the colorway is repeatable and I can still get the yarn base, I may be able to dye some more for you.
Check whether Dyed to Order is available, or send me a message if you're looking for a larger quantity.
I found a knot or mill join in my yarn. Is that a defect?
Not necessarily! Yarn doesn't magically appear as one endless strand. Mills occasionally need to join lengths together, so an occasional knot or splice can happen.
I check my yarn throughout production, but I can't guarantee every skein will be completely free of joins.
If your yarn is genuinely damaged or unusable, please get in touch with your order number and a photo.
Why can't I check out with both a set and the last single item from that set?
Because Shopify is trying to prevent us from selling the same skein twice!
Some sets and individual listings share the same physical stock. If you've added both a set and its last available individual item to your cart, the system won't let you buy both.
Remove one of them from your cart, or contact me if you need help figuring out what's available.
What does a certification shown for a yarn base mean?
Some of my yarn bases come with certifications from the mill or supplier. These generally apply to the undyed yarn, before I've worked my colorful magic on it.
Dyeing is an additional production step, so a certification doesn't automatically carry over to the finished yarn unless I specifically say it does.
Dyed to Order
What does Dyed to Order mean?
Exactly what it sounds like! I dye your yarn after you place your order, especially for you.
These are custom-made products, so make sure to check the cancellation information before ordering.
Why would I want that?
Plenty of reasons!
- The colorway you want is sold out.
- You need three skeins, but there are only two left.
- You're making a sweater and want all your skeins dyed together.
- You just really like the idea of commissioning your own personal yarn goblin.
All perfectly valid reasons, if you ask me.
Why do some new releases allow single-skein Dyed to Order orders?
When I release new colorways, I'm already planning production batches. That means I can tuck smaller orders into those dye runs without needing every customer to order three skeins.
A little production magic!
Why do established colorways have a 3-skein minimum?
My established colorways are normally dyed in batches of three skeins because that's how I've developed and tested their recipes.
It helps keep the results consistent and makes the dyeing process more manageable for this one-person operation.
How long does it take you to dye them?
That depends on how chaotic the dyeing schedule is.
I make everything myself, so production times can vary depending on my workload. Please allow up to 4 weeks for your custom-dyed yarn to ship.
I'll get your yarn into the dye pots as soon as I can.
Is every colorway repeatable?
I wish! But some colorways are more cooperative than others.
I only offer Dyed to Order when I'm confident I can recreate a colorway on a particular yarn base.
Sometimes the base is discontinued, a pigment has become unreliable, or I made something gloriously chaotic without ever writing down a recipe.
Citadel, for example, has needed several (9 to be exact) recipe makeovers over the past 15 years...
If you don't see a Dyed to Order option, that colorway is currently only available as Ready to Ship.
Discounts
What is the Anti Fat-Tax discount?
Making clothes for larger bodies takes more yarn, and more yarn means more money. I don't think that should come with an extra financial penalty.
That's why I offer 10% off purchases of 6 or more qualifying skeins with the code AntiFatTax.
You can mix and match yarn bases and colorways, so there's no need to commit to six skeins of the same thing.
The discount doesn't apply to sale yarn, Dyed to Order yarn, subscriptions, or Yarn Box yarns.
Read more about the Anti Fat-Tax discount.
I'm straight-sized. Can I still use Anti Fat-Tax?
Absolutely!
I'm not interested in policing anyone's body size. If you're buying six or more qualifying skeins, the discount is yours to use.
Knit yourself something fabulous.
Working With Undercover Otter
I own a yarn shop. Can I stock Undercover Otter?
Possibly, yes! I'm always happy to hear from yarn shops interested in carrying my colorful creations.
Wholesale availability depends on my production capacity and whether we're a good fit for each other.
Tell me a little about your shop through the Wholesale Application, and we'll take it from there.
Do you offer yarn support or collaborations?
Sometimes! I love seeing what other creative people make with my yarn.
That said, Undercover Otter is a one-person business, and both my time and yarn support budget have limits.
If you've got a collaboration idea, send me a message about your project.
Which languages can I contact you in?
English or Dutch, whichever you prefer!
The website is originally written in English, and translations are provided for convenience. Sometimes things get a little lost in translation, so if something sounds strange or doesn't make sense, just ask.
Do you use generative AI?
Undercover Otter is a human-made business. The colorways, dyeing, and creative decisions are mine, not the work of generative AI.
Some third-party software I use may contain automated or AI-powered features outside my control.
You can read more about my approach in the AI Statement.
How quickly will I get a reply?
Undercover Otter is a one-person operation, and sometimes I'm elbow-deep in dye, packing orders, or juggling a dozen other things.
Please allow up to a week for a reply.
If you're asking about an order, include your order number so I can help you more quickly. And if you're looking for tracking information, check your shipping confirmation first. The answer might already be waiting in your inbox!