Magic Potions AKA Natural Dyeing
One of my favorite activities as a kid was to concoct magic potions. I’d dig around in the kitchen, searching for just the right ingredients to cure any ailment. My goal was never to make it taste disgusting - (although somehow ketchup did find its way into every batch) - my goal was to create a magical experience for the lucky taste-tester. One filled with beauty, and effervescence sprinkled with a bit of mystery and wonderment…and ketchup.
Quite frankly, I had forgotten all about magic potions until one day I came face to face with a glass of chunky, coagulated mystery proudly concocted by my youngest son, Arlo. “Try it! Try it!’ he begged with wide-eyed excitement. “You’ll love it!’, he promised.
As a parent, surely one of our most important tasks is tasting magic potions. I had it coming to me, and so I lifted the glass, held my breath, and took a perfect pretend sip.
I do miss the days of magic potion-making (not tasting!). How free and enchanted I felt while mixing and shaking each carefully curated ingredient. So perhaps it makes perfect sense why I was so delighted to pore over the pages of authors Adrienne Rodriguez and Kristin Vejar’s book, Journeys in Natural Dyeing. Natural dyeing is the ultimate experience for anyone who loved/loves making magic potions. And the best part - you don’t have to taste it!
Journeys in Natural Dyeing shares the story of the authors' travels to Iceland, Mexico, Japan, and Indonesia, where they visited natural dyers/artisans that use their environment to create exquisite dyes. Beautifully photographed, vibrant stories, and wonderful dye recipes - this book shares the process of creating over 400 shades of color using natural dyes to elevate your textile projects.
We are so excited about this book and think it pairs perfectly with our Natural Dye Kit. Carefully curated with sustainability in mind, this kit contains all the raw materials needed to produce beautifully dyed natural yarns. Start with two natural (undyed) fiber bases—one skein of wool Osprey in color Egret and one skein of a variegated (undyed) cotton Willet. Enjoy experimenting with each of the five included natural dyes or choose to dye each skein a solid color—just imagine the possibilities! If you prefer to purchase dyes individually, you can choose individual colors to your liking from our Natural Dye Collection.
Happy Natural Dyeing (and/or Potion Making),
Peg
