Tag: natural dyeing

Natural Dyeing Experiments: Pomegranate

July 24, 2020

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 think it was actually the thought of yet more beige that was lurking in the back of my mind that … More Natural Dyeing Experiments: Pomegranate

Natural Dyeing Experiments: Dyer’s Camomile

July 17, 2020

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 Camomile / Golden Marguerite or Anthemis tinctoria is a standard dye plant that grow plentifully along the roadside verges and hedgerows … More Natural Dyeing Experiments: Dyer’s Camomile

3 skeins of yarn naturally dyed with Old Man's beard pictured in a hedge of Old Man's Beard.

Natural Dyeing Experiments: Old Man’s Beard or Travellers Joy

July 10, 2020

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 not alone in thinking this and clematis vitalba for all its charms has become regarded as an invasive species in … More Natural Dyeing Experiments: Old Man’s Beard or Travellers Joy

Natural Dyeing Experiments: Olive leaves

July 3, 2020

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 takes to do at least equal weights of dye materials to yarn and decided to have a re-think. I  started … More Natural Dyeing Experiments: Olive leaves

Embarking on new journeys without leaving home: Natural Dyeing

June 26, 2020

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 Elizabeth Johnston at Shetland Wool Week 2018, and after observing the alchemy she performed, it’s a miracle that I’ve managed … More Embarking on new journeys without leaving home: Natural Dyeing