Its a stunner of a book. Written by
India Flint, this book details the hundreds of useful local and european foliage, flora (and some fauna) available to use in the the dyeing process and the colours achieved and a very interesting history of dyeing. Its a great reference text and a very useful guide to eco dyes,
the mordants required (mineral or 'naturally occouring' chmicals eg: ash, urine, plant and animal proteins) which are used to make the colours set or fast and patterning techniques
It covers many simple techniques for transferring dyes from nature to your cloth, some so simple as the japanese technique for literally just bashing colour onto the fabric; a smashed pansy never looked so good! I particularly wanted this book as it covers the many Australian eucalypts and wattles used for dye and vegetables as well. Everything thats required for some great results i can find in my own garden and the colours achieved from some of the natives are just simply sublime. Im very much looking forward to attending her workshop in November and meeting this amazing woman and doing some witchy pot stirring and creating some interesting fabric. Camera definitley required, with loaded batteries.
Its a stunner of a book. Written by India Flint, this book details the hundreds of useful local and european foliage, flora (and some fauna) available to use in the the dyeing process and the colours achieved and a very interesting history of dyeing. Its a great reference text and a very useful guide to eco dyes, the mordants required (mineral or 'naturally occouring' chmicals eg: ash, urine, plant and animal proteins) which are used to make the colours set or fast and patterning techniques 
It covers many simple techniques for transferring dyes from nature to your cloth, some so simple as the japanese technique for literally just bashing colour onto the fabric; a smashed pansy never looked so good! I particularly wanted this book as it covers the many Australian eucalypts and wattles used for dye and vegetables as well. Everything thats required for some great results i can find in my own garden and the colours achieved from some of the natives are just simply sublime. Im very much looking forward to attending her workshop in November and meeting this amazing woman and doing some witchy pot stirring and creating some interesting fabric. Camera definitley required, with loaded batteries.
5 comments:
Tres cool! I've done some fabric dyeing/silk painting kind of stuff but always with acid dyes or fiber-reactive dyes.
There's a free natural dye workshop near my place next week, I'm very excited to be going. I have so far resisted the India Flint book, but I may lose my resolve completely after the workshop.
Rixa- yeah, this is new for me too beside a bit of batik in the early 80s!
ICG- free! now that is cool. let us know how it goes for sure.
such a beautiful and inspiring book. I love your blog too . . . great posts
thanks for saying such nice things about the book!
best wishes
india
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