One of the most frequently asked questions I get is something along the lines of, “How can I dye fabric with natural dyes and get more even colours?”
The truth is that is is very tricky to dye with totally even results; it’s a challenge even for experienced dyers. However there are certainly some tricks for getting more uniformity across fabric and garments that you are dyeing.
Have you tried avocado dyeing but were hoping for brighter pinks? Or maybe you’ve been meaning to try for a while but had a few questions before you started. I hope the tips in this blog post will help you.
These napkins mark my journey towards reusing more and creating less waste. They are also beautiful, which makes them a joy to use.
Since my baby boy was born in the summer, it’s been a quiet few months in terms of creativity. He is my best creation of the year, which is how it should be. There’s something about having a baby that seems to give me clarity. It doesn’t happen straight away, and the process is painful, but once I come through the darkness of utter exhaustion, I feel like a new person.Continue Reading →
Plants Are Magic is a new magazine that I am starting and the first issue will be out in March 2017 – in print (yay!) and also offered as digital download.
It’s a magazine for makers, dreamers and plant lovers.Continue Reading →
It’s no secret that yarn isn’t my main passion. I’ve been captivated by cloth for many years, making clothes and also simply fabric for scarves. I love the drape of fabric and never get tired of it.
But recently I’ve been yearning to experiment with yarn more. Initially I planned to re-learn knitting; I learnt to knit as a young child, but never progressed beyond the basics. So I bought some chunky cotton yarn and some bamboo knitting needles. Things didn’t quite work out this way though, as I was tempted by Tunisian Crochet somewhere along the way…!Continue Reading →
In this blog post I’ll share with you the range of shades I made with red onion skins. Such a simple dye plant yields a wide range of colours. It never fails to amaze me!
I decided to write this blog post about how I self-published my book on natural dyeing. It’s been a real adventure of discovery and I thought it might be helpful to share some of the things I’ve learnt along the way.
People often wonder why I dye so many small pieces of fabric in different colours and ask what I do with them all. I’ve actually considered taking up quilting as a hobby on many occasions. The truth is, I simply love dyeing swatches of fabric and lengths of yarn with different plants. Experimenting is all part of my process and I discover lots of new things through this kind of play.
Dyeing wooden beads continues to be one of my favourite ways to explore plant dyes. I love dyeing beads with various dyes and playing with different colour combinations and patterns.
