"This is the most comprehensive manual written on natural dyes since the early 1800s. Jim Liles has rescued ancient skills from near-extinction and shared them in a book that will inspire, challenge, and guide the modern dyer."—Rita Buchanan, author of A Weaver's Garden, and editor of the new Brooklyn Botanic Gardens Handbook on Natural Dyes " . . . a must for every dyer. The recipes are explicit and detailed as to success and failure."—Mary Frances Davidson For several thousand years, all dyes were of animal, vegetable, or mineral origin, and many ancient civilizations possessed excellent dye technologies. The first synthetic dye was produced in 1856, and the use of traditional dyes declined rapidly thereafter. By 1915 few non-synthetics were used by industry or craftspeople. The craft revivals of the 1920s explored traditional methods of natural dyeing to some extent, particularly with wool, although the great eighteenth- and nineteenth-century dye manuals, which recorded the older processes, remained largely forgotten. In The Art and Craft of Natural Dyeing, J. N. Liles consolidates the lore of the older dyers with his own first-hand experience to produce both a history of natural dyes and a practical manual for using pre–synthetic era processes on all the natural fibers--cotton, linen, silk, and wool. A general section on dyeing and mordanting and a glossary introduce the beginner to dye technology. In subsequent chapters, Liles summarizes the traditional dye methods available for each major color group. Scores of recipes provide detailed instructions on how to collect ingredients--flowers, weeds, insects, wood, minerals--prepare the dyevat, troubleshoot, and achieve specific shades. The book will appeal not only to beginning and veteran dyers but to students of restorations and reconstruction as well as to craftspeople--spinners, quilters, weavers, knitters, and other textile artists--interested in natural dyes for their beauty and historical authenticity. The Author: J. N. Liles is professor of zoology at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. He has taught at Arrowmont School and other regional craft schools and has exhibited his work at the Arrowmont School, the Southern Highland Handicraft Guild Folk Art Center, and the Carol Reece Museum.

With expert instruction in the use of hand-dyed yarn, this pattern book gives knitters and crocheters the edge they need to stitch with confidence. Working with artisan hand-dyed yarn opens a world of possibility for a crafter, but problems can arise if the patterning is accidental, inconsistent, or unattractive. The author shows how to analyze the dye skein and reveal its color repeat, allowing the crafter to employ stitch gauge and stitch count to intentionally pattern the finished work. As a contrast, further strategies and stitch choices are shown that blend the colors to overcome unwanted pooling and create more gentle gradients. With 40 patterns for a wide variety of projects, this manual will have crafters constructing vibrant scarves, shawls, kimonos, and more.

Everything you need to know to start dyeing and create 12 dazzling dye effects - from tie-dyeing and dip-dyeing to creating checks, lines, droplets and bubbles. Then learn how to put them into practice to create 21 gorgeous sewn projects, ranging from bags and pillows to towels, scarves and clothing. Whether you're looking to refresh, transform or personalize your clothing, soft furnishings or fabric accessories, or to dye fabric so that you can create brand-new items, this book has you covered. This simple but rich and informative book contains everything you need to know to start dyeing. It shows you how to create 12 dazzling dye effects - from tie-dyeing and dip-dyeing to creating checks, lines, droplets and bubbles - and then shows you how to put them into practice to create 21 gorgeous sewn projects, ranging from bags and pillows to towels, scarves and clothing. It offers advice on dyeing printed fabrics and working with a base color, as well as guidance on washing and maintaining dyed fabric. The dyeing techniques are created either in the washing machine, by hand or in the microwave, and clear instructions are given for each method. The book focuses on readily-available chemical dyes, but the processes could transfer to natural types as well. All the sewing steps are explained clearly, with handy illustrations to provide clarity where necessary.

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Teach Yourself How to Create Unique, Modern Henna Designs Easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions paired with gorgeous photographs make learning henna art simple and fun! Starting with the basics and working towards more complicated patterns, you

Inspire and unleash a passion for hand-crafted color! "Unapologetic" is how Felicia Lo always describes her obsession with color and craft. In Dyeing to Spin and Knit, Felicia, founder and creative director of SweetGeorgia Yarns and highly sought after teacher and lecturer, provides clear and accessible guidance for creating gorgeous hand-dyed yarns and spinning fibers and an understanding of how dyeing affects knitted yarn and handspun yarn. Fiber artists will learn the fundamentals of how color works, how to combine and coordinate colors, and how to control the results when dyeing wool and silk yarns and fibers. Spinners will learn how to subdue intense and bright colorways or prevent muddiness in handspun. Knitters will gain the knowledge to avoid or maximize the effects of pooling. And finally, this book will include 10 patterns that use hand-dyed and handspun yarns and fibers to their most exciting advantage in knitting projects. Complete with detailed photographs from Felicia's own dyeing studio, Dyeing to Spin and Knit offers a master class in preparing hand-dyed yarns and fibers. Ignite your love of color--unapologetically!

Dyeing with plants is a kind of botanical alchemy, a process that gives beautiful and sometimes surprising results. It is also a gentle and ecologically sustainable alternative to synthetic dyes, which are often harmful in themselves and in the processes used for their manufacture. In India Flint's Eco Colour, she explores this fascinating and infinitely variable world of plant color. Artistic dyer and colorist Flint describes only ecologically sustainable plant-dye methods using renewable resources, and attempts to take the path of doing the least possible harm to the dyer, the end user of the object, and the environment. Various techniques for coloring cloth are discussed in Eco-Colour, including whole-dyed cloth, applied color and interesting effects from plant prints and layered dye techniques. Recipes include a number of entirely new processes developed by Flint, as well as guidelines for plant collection, directions for the distillation of non-toxic mordants and methodologies for applying plant dyes. Eco-Colour inspires both the novice home dyer and textile or design professionals seeking to extend their skills using Flint's successful methods.

Home-grown botanical dyes are in, and they're part of today’s shift toward natural and organic living. “A new generation discovers grow-it-yourself dyes,

No crafter should feel limited by the yarn colors available in a favorite fiber shop — not when it's so fun and satisfying to hand-dye yarn and fleece right in the kitchen. Ultimate color control is now within the reach of anyone who loves yarn and fleece. In Hand Dyeing Yarn and Fleece, self-taught dyer Gail Callahan uses fiber, color, and heat to create exciting new yarns and yarn colors. Her recipe-style instructions lead readers through a variety of simple techniques that turn plain or outdated yarns into colorful fibers, customized by color and quantity for the project at hand. And there are even eight projects for knitters eager to use their new yarns. Standard kitchen equipment is all that's needed to set up a kitchen dye shop. Dyeing can be done in a microwave oven, a sturdy stovetop kettle, a crockpot, a traditional oven, or even an electric frying pan — Callahan covers every method. Dyeing doesn't end with the simpler singlecolor methods. Adventurous crafters will find instructions for designing self-striping and multicolored yarns with dip-dyeing, tie-dyeing hand-painting, and other inventive techniques. Detailed advice on color theory and types of dyes, including food colors and other "grocery store" dyes, make the entire process achievable for complete beginners. A wonderful new skill that will appeal to enthusiastic knitters, crocheters, rug hookers, spinners, and weavers, hand dyeing is the next step in creating handmade fiber crafts from scratch.