The Handbook of Natural Plant Dyes: Personalize your Craft with Organic Colors from Acorns, Blackberries, Coffee, and other Everyday Ingredients, by Sasha Duerr (Timberpress, Inc., Portland, 2010), is packed with information for the home dyer. The book is well written; full of ideas, pictures, and illustrations; and has an emphasis on organic and sustainable practices.
The Introduction and Chapter 1 provide an overview to dyeing with plants. Chapter 2 includes recipes for nontoxic color, and Chapter 3 provides information about gathering and growing your own dye material. Chapter 4 is a plant palette reference for dye colors, and Chapter 5 describes the pleasure of slow textiles. The back matter is filled with reference material, including a glossary; resources for ordering dye products, plants, and seeds; and a reading list.
I especially appreciated the detailed information about mordants and dyes, and the recipes and detailed instructions. For example, here is an abbreviated recipe for dyeing with yellow onion skins from page 66:
Ingredients
My Example
I recommend this book for anyone interested in learning more about the world of dyeing!
The Introduction and Chapter 1 provide an overview to dyeing with plants. Chapter 2 includes recipes for nontoxic color, and Chapter 3 provides information about gathering and growing your own dye material. Chapter 4 is a plant palette reference for dye colors, and Chapter 5 describes the pleasure of slow textiles. The back matter is filled with reference material, including a glossary; resources for ordering dye products, plants, and seeds; and a reading list.
I especially appreciated the detailed information about mordants and dyes, and the recipes and detailed instructions. For example, here is an abbreviated recipe for dyeing with yellow onion skins from page 66:
Ingredients
- 113 grams (4 ounces) of fiber, pretreated with a plant-based mordant (iron, tannin, or alum)
- 113 grams (4 ounces) onion skins
- Soak fabric in water for an hour.
- Place onion skins in a dye pot with enough water to cover the fiber.
- Bring to a boil, simmer until the water is a rich deep color, and the skins are clear.
- Strain out the skins, and add wet fabric.
- Simmer until you get the desired color, cool, and let steep overnight or longer.
- Wash the fabric with pH-neutral soap, rinse thoroughly, and hang to dry.
| Color | Plant | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Yellows | Calendula (Calendula officinalis) Chamomile (Anthemis tinctoria) Marigold (Tagetes spp.) |
Flowers Flowers Flowers |
| Pinks | Aramanth (Amaranthus retroflexus) Birch (Betula spp.) Sorrel (Rumex acetosa) |
Flowers Bark Root |
I recommend this book for anyone interested in learning more about the world of dyeing!
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