For a while now I’ve been aware that Black-eyed Susan flowers can be used for natural dyeing, and they’re specifically used to achieve a pale or sage green. But I admit, I’ve been skeptical. Green is a difficult color to dye on it’s own, and past attempts on my part have yielded browns, beiges, and
Articles with the Tag dye wool
How to Dye Wool with Fresh Lichen
There are a few species of lichen that grow prolifically in the woods around our house, and I’ve been wanting to use them for a dye for quite a while. After gathering them and preparing a fermented ammonia dye vat last year, my first experiment didn’t turn out as expected. Fortunately, there is another quick
Dye Wool with Mullein a Herbaceous Biennial
As soon as we started to build our pasture for the sheep, I encountered something that looked like Lamb’s Ear, but wasn’t. We didn’t know what it was at first, but noticed the sheep didn’t like to eat it, so we set about trying to eradicate it from our fields before it could take over
Dye wool with madder
Madder root, or Rose Madder, is a traditional woody shrub that has been cultivated and used for thousands of years to create red tones. While I’ve used other sources to create red, I’ve found this one to be the most reliable. However, it is temperature sensitive, so carefully attention is needed when applying heat. You’ll
Dye wool with beets!
Beet root is an unconventional and some would say risky source of natural dye. After a few trials over the past two years, I stumbled on a method that yielded saturated color, and I’m sharing my notes in the hopes that others will give it a try. Step 1: Prepare the yarn. Mordant the wool
Dyeing Yarn with Jewelweed, Native to North America
Jewelweed is a native North American plant that grows in many climates, usually near wet areas and along river banks. In the video, I share a method for creating beautiful natural tangerine dye using this abundant natural dye source. I first learned about jewelweed as a dye source from a friend and fellow fiber farmer,
Getting started with dyeing yarn: lessons learned
When I first started to learn about natural dyeing, I was befuddled by a lot of vague information I found on the internet. Experiments on my own yielded very mixed results. After taking a class with Rebecca Burgess, I understood that there are tried-and-true techniques for getting consistent results. With lessons fresh in our minds,