Plants to Dye For: Wrap Up 2022

In this post I'm closing up my atelier for the season, and taking a look back at all our projects. We tried eco-dyeing and more solar dyeing, experimented with alum and ferrous sulfate mordant brighteners, and worked with exhaust dyes from previous seasons. We obtained a wonderful range of soft and bright colors. Following is a wrap up of our Plants to Dye For season in 2022.

Shades of logwood, cochineal, avocado, marigold, and coreopsis (cotton, linen, and wool)

Eco-printing with spring flowers, leaves, and ferns (silk)

Projects and Videos

Dyeing fabric using plants grown from seed, kitchen scraps, and exhaust dyes from previous seasons. Into the mix we experimented with different fabrics and fibers, and mordants.

Solar Dyeing with Avocado

Coreopsis & Marigold (Solar + Alum)

Eco-dyeing Spring Flowers and Plants

Logwood Exhaust 2 (Alum + Iron)

Cochineal Exhaust 2 (Alum + Iron)

Coreopsis & Marigold (Solar + Iron + Exhausts 2 & 3)

Logwood & Weld (Solar + Exhausts 2 & 3)

Fabric and Gear

We tried some new gear and new fabric and fibers.

Studio Updates: New Gear

Studio Updates: New Fiber

Books, Articles and Inspiration

Great books and articles for learning more about plants and dyes, and sources of inspiration.

A Garden to Dye For, by Chris McLaughlin

Seed Sources to Dye For

The Maiwa Guide to Natural Dyes

Kissed by the Sun: The Art of Solar Dyeing, by Caitlin Ffrench. November 28, 2017. (Kissed by the Sun: The Art of Solar Dyeing | Spin Off (spinoffmagazine.com)

Solar Dyeing - Super Slow Fashion, by Ria Burns.

Tutorial: Lockdown Craft Activity - Try Solar Dyeing with Onion Skins, by Ria Burns.

Laura Mead of Prairie Hollow Productions - eco-dyes with prairie grasses and flowers.

Theresa Brown of The Silk Thread - eco-prints collages with leaves.

Resources

Favorite sources for plant dye supplies and information.

Maiwa School of Textiles: shop for dyes and mordants, and learn how to dye.

Dharma Trading Company: shop for dyes, fabric and supplies, and learn how to dye.

Amazon.com: shop for alum, Synthrapol, soda ash, washing soda, dyes, and jars.

Peaceful Valley Farm & Seed Supply in Grass Valley, CA: their online store, GrowOrganic.com, lists a "Garden to Dye For " seed collection for plants that produce botanical dyes. If it's out of stock, add your name to the waitlist (it worked for me).

Southern Exposure Seed Exchange in Mineral, Virginia: a search for "dye plants" yields Calendula, Coreopsis, and Hopi Dye Sunflower.

Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds in Mansfield, Missouri: they carry Hopi Dye Sunflower and Hopi Red Dye Amaranth.

Siskiyou Seeds located in southwest Oregon: they carry collections for the avid dyer and gardener (Dyer's Collection 1 and Dyer's Collection 2).

Renee's Garden Seeds: the warehouse is in Boulder, CO. They collect seeds from around the world, and grow them in test gardens in different climate zones. From personal experience, the Marigold, Calendula and Coreopsis seeds yield good results here in the Bay area.

Thank you for joining me on this journey. To see what we did last year, see Plants to Dye For: Wrap Up 2021. Stay tuned for more dye projects in the seasons to come!