After my high hopes for Dyer’s Camomile were somewhat dashed, I wavered as to whether pomegranate should be my next experiment. The colour swatches in Wild Colour by Jenny Dean seemed a little muddy and off putting compared to the vibrant yellows of Dyers Camomile which had attracted me, but I had failed to achieve. I … More Natural Dyeing Experiments: Pomegranate
After a couple dyeing experiments using less conventional dyeplants, I thought it was time to reward myself with something a little more recognised… and to also put a stop to my beheading these wonderfully cheery flowers until I was sure they could deliver a colour that surpassed what I could achieve with garden waste. Dyer’s … More Natural Dyeing Experiments: Dyer’s Camomile
In my last post a made reference to Old Man’s Beard/Clematis Vitalba shoots being edible and being eaten here in Tuscany. Not to leave any stone unturned I thought I should at least give it a go and report back… The edible bit of the plant is the new growing shoot, so I picked those … More Vitalbini
Old Man’s Beard, Traveller’s Joy or Clematis Vitalba was an iconic part of traditional British hedgerows when and where I grew up. As kids we loved those hairy fronds that appeared around about the same time as blackberries. As a gardener however, too much of the old boy in the hedgerow is a pest. I’m … More Natural Dyeing Experiments: Old Man’s Beard or Travellers Joy
I’ve been keen to have a go at natural dyeing with plants that grow in the garden or in the neighbourhood since we moved here about this time last year. However, having spent a week of dog walks picking the heads off hedgerow flowers (dyers camomile), I began to realise just how many flowers it … More Natural Dyeing Experiments: Olive leaves
What could a jar of dried and wizened black walnuts possibly suggest about its owner? A desire to embark on a journey into Natural Dyeing Perhaps? Absolutely ! Natural Dyeing is something I’ve long wanted to try, hence the jar of wizened walnuts, a classic natural dye material. I fed this interest by taking a course with … More Embarking on new journeys without leaving home: Natural Dyeing
Whether it be a complete brightening up, a bit of overdyeing, or trying to blend with an existing yarn, a bit of DIY yarn dyeing can turn what you already have but don’t love into something you do, and that you can’t wait to use. It can enliven your stash making it more flexible and … More A Little Colourplay: Brightening lockdown life
There has been considerable debate in recent weeks about what the deaths of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd tell us about how people of colour daily experience the world we live in, and they disproportionately prematurely die in. Their deaths have caused us yet again to question the deep inequities and structural racism that exist … More No More Water, The Fire this Time
Well I don’t know about you but I feel like I’ve been catapulted into this new year, or as everyone keeps emphasising, new decade, and rather than having any grand plans or dare I say it ‘resolutions’, I’m still trying to get my arms and legs in order and rub that bruise on my arse … More New Year: Old Mittens & New Socks
Ever since I joined Instagram in 2012 it seems that each Christmas I’ve posted a picture of my homemade fudge. You could almost call it a ‘tradition’. I’ve been making fudge on an off for over 30 years. As a teenager I would make large elaborate selections of sweets for aunts and uncles and family friends. … More Holidays mean Fudge: A Recipe