Rising Stars: Meet Ginny McCollum of Morrisville

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ginny McCollum.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Like many small businesses these days, we have our roots in Covid, but not for the reason you might think. While other folks were turning to tie-dye in 2020 as a fun way to pass the time in quarantine, I was completely intimidated by the whole concept.

When Covid hit, I was Communications Director at a small Montessori school which had a cherished tradition of tie-dyeing class t-shirts. Normally, other staff were in charge of the project, but there was nothing normal about that spring. Our community desperately needed a little bit of joy amid those early days of lockdowns and remote learning, and I had a newsletter that needed content. So I swallowed my fear and started learning how to tie-dye.

But at first, I was more intimidated than ever — there was so much conflicting information. When my research led me to ice-dye, I knew I’d found my niche. No messy measuring or wasteful half-used dye bottles here, just dry dye powder sprinkled over (or under) ice cubes. The results were pure magic! I couldn’t get enough of the unpredictable color splits and intricate flows.

In January 2022, I launched Green Dot Dyes as an Etsy shop. My friend Jenness was already an enthusiastic liquid dyer, so it was a natural fit for her to contribute as well. We’ve been friends since our days of online gaming in the early 2000’s (in fact, the Green Dot is a reference to one of our guilds).

Even though I’d intended to keep GDD online, I quickly discovered that it’s much more fun to connect with folks in person. These days, the majority of my work is done through in-person events and custom orders.

In 2023, my mom brought her sewing skills to our workshop. Her “Handsewn by Kitty” line ranges from custom-designed sunhats and shoulder totes to vintage aprons, hand-embroidered ornaments, and upcycled apparel.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It’s definitely been a growth experience. This is my first entrepreneurial venture, so I did a LOT of research before going official. At times, it’s been overwhelming, but there is a certain serenity to the idea that I can actually control how fast we grow, where we put our energy, and what we offer. Most times, when I feel myself getting overwhelmed, it’s a sign that I need to back off, take a breath, and refocus on what about the business brings me joy.

For example, it became clear early on that trying to capture the beautiful nuances of ice dye in pictures might be beyond my capability as a photographer. Etsy encourages numerous pictures for each listing, so there were days where I’d spend 8 straight hours doing nothing but taking and editing photos — driving myself crazy trying to catch the subtle slide of color or the depth of a pattern. By contrast, selling in-person felt almost easy — the customer could see for themselves at a glance what it had taken me an entire day to convey.

That’s not to say that market vending is always smooth sailing. We’ve been lucky overall with weather, but we’ve suffered a couple of tent-mangling storms. Once, it poured so much the whole canopy collapsed and I had to wash, iron, and re-tag every single item in my inventory (around 200 at the time). Luckily, I didn’t have another market for a couple of weeks!

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
My specialty is in creating tie-dyed scenes or pictures using ice-dye techniques. As I mentioned before, using this method creates complexities of color and pattern that are unlike liquid dyeing. I create my designs using a variety of folds, sometimes augmented with batik or dye painting for script or detail work. So often, people simply associate tie-dye with rainbow spirals — and those can be beautiful! But to me, the interesting part is harnessing those materials and techniques to make something closer to a painting than an abstract design.

I’m most proud of my tapestries and tea towels. I love creating a scene that’s instantly recognizable, especially when it feels like solving a puzzle — sorting out multiple lines of symmetry, placing colors so they won’t turn muddy when the ice melts, etc. My favorite designs are my bouquets and mountain river scenes.

We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
I’ve always been a maker but never felt like I could claim to be an artist. Prior to the great ice-dye experiment, it had never occurred to me that anyone would be interested in exchanging money for the things I created, and it still feels incredible every time one of my pieces finds a home.

Contact Info:

• Website: GreenDotDyes.com
• Instagram: @greendotdyes
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/greendotdyes/

Image Credits
Product photos by Ginny McCollum. Selfie of the two of us by Jenness Gabris. Personal photo by Michael McCollum.