Inside the Designer's Studio

The stunning hand-dyed yarns from Urth Yarns are magnificent on their own—but what truly sets this company apart is the way they spotlight talented Turkish designers through ongoing collaborations.

Among them, Catherine Salter Bayar stands out beautifully. Her designs have been featured in several of our knit-alongs, and behind the scenes, Jeannie has worked closely with her—testing and consulting on pattern drafts along the way.

Naturally, we were eager to learn more about the creative mind behind these inspiring designs.

A Collaboration Rooted in Serendipity

Catherine’s partnership with Urth began almost by chance. Founded in 2017 by three Koç brothers, Urth Yarns is a family-run company with a deep commitment to both craft and community.

In Turkey, relatively few knitters work with English-language patterns, so when the founders discovered Catherine online in 2018, her background in clothing and textile design made her an ideal fit. She began by assisting with sample making and, by 2019, had joined the company full-time as their house designer.

A Creative Process Guided by Yarn

One of the things Catherine values most about working with Urth is its philosophy of giving back—something that resonates deeply with her. She also appreciates the opportunity to work with natural fibers in a market where many locally available yarns are synthetic.

The Urth team itself is small, creative, and hands-on—more like a family than a company. That sense of community extends to their network of local sample makers: skilled women who can recreate garments simply by “reading” the stitches, not just following a written pattern.

For Catherine, design begins with the yarn itself. Rather than forcing a concept, she allows each fiber, texture, and colorway to suggest what it wants to become—an intuitive process that brings a sense of discovery to every piece.

A Life Woven with Textiles

Outside of her work with Urth, Catherine and her husband, Abit, own Bazaar Bayar—a vintage textile shop in Selçuk, near the ancient city of Ephesus. Their shop is housed in a 200-year-old stone farmhouse that Abit is carefully restoring.

In 2026, Catherine will host knitting retreats there—featuring Urth Yarns, of course—offering an immersive experience in both craft and culture.

She also leads textile-focused tours in Istanbul, guiding visitors through the Grand Bazaar and surrounding districts in search of handmade treasures and artisan traditions.

Inspired by Tradition, Designed for Today

Turkish textile heritage plays a central role in Catherine’s work. She draws particular inspiration from kilims—flatwovenrugs known for their intricate patterns and deeply personal motifs.

Her earlier career in apparel design across Europe and Asia gave her a firsthand look at the entrepreneurial spirit of Turkish artisans, and that influence continues to shape her designs today.

At Urth, experimentation is key. The design and dye teams are constantly exploring new blends, textures, and color combinations. The result is a collection of yarns that feel both rooted in tradition and refreshingly modern—each skein a bridge between past and present.

A Culture Full of Surprises

For many Americans, Turkish culture may feel unfamiliar—but as Catherine shared, it’s a place full of unexpected depth and warmth.

Turkey is often described as a crossroads, where layers of history meet contemporary life. Beyond its beautiful beaches and incredible food, it’s greener, more mountainous, and more diverse than many visitors expect.

Modern cities exist alongside timeless villages. People are welcoming and deeply social. Everyday life is accessible and vibrant—and yes, tea is everywhere… and the cats are absolutely in charge.

A Lifetime of Experience

Catherine’s ease with different cultures comes from decades of experience. She has lived in Turkey since 1998, following years of travel for her corporate design work across Europe and the Far East.

Her biggest adjustment wasn’t the culture itself, but settling into life in Selçuk—living in a small apartment building with her husband’s large, multigenerational family. (For a glimpse into that experience, she recommends Tales from the Expat Harem.)

In 2010, the couple moved to Istanbul, where Catherine had previously worked in the 1990s. Today, she balances her design work for Urth with their ongoing textile ventures.

Designing with Joy

At the heart of Catherine’s work is a simple goal: to share the joy of knitting.

Her designs celebrate color, texture, and the magic of watching yarn transform as you work—whether it’s the subtle shifts of a self-striping skein or the interplay of fibers in a finished piece.

When her aesthetic meets the rich, dynamic color stories of Urth Yarns, the results are nothing short of stunning.

A Project to Try

If you’re looking for a fun, quick, one-skein project, Catherine’s Lantern Lace Cowl is a perfect place to start.

This simple lace design transforms beautifully depending on your yarn choice—try it in a plush, saturated worsted for depth and richness, or opt for a self-striping yarn to highlight the lace in an entirely different way. The pattern was recently updated to feature a Spiral Grain version, and the results are stunning.

I’ll link Catherine’s design portfolio below so you can explore more of her work—you’re going to fall in love.