26.00

Linda MacDonald

Excellent reference for the new or experienced dyer. This manual of natural dyeing thoroughly explains the use of mordants and assistants, extraction of dyes from plants, and various dyeing techniques. The book is very systematic in its presentation, and includes lots of beautiful photos to illustrate the techniques and plants discussed. I particularly appreciated the second half of the book, which is a systematic treatment of plant dyes, with photos for each plant, color chips for the colors that can be achieved with various mordants for various plant parts, and thorough explanations of special characteristics of each plant, how to harvest them, at what temperature and for how long to extract the dye, and how to use them. The author provides a level-headed discussion of the benefits and drawbacks of natural vs synthetic dyes, and a thorough presentation of safety precautions. I particularly appreciated that this author does not fall into the trap of implying that "natural" dye is automatically non-toxic, or even more sustainable in some cases than synthetic dye (e.g. the heartwood of a tree that grows thousands of miles away from the dyer is not necessarily "sustainable" as a dyestuff), and carefully describes ways to reuse materials to be sure they exhaust before dumping waste products. Overall excellent reference and explanation for the natural dyer. ( )

There are two sections of this book. First, a detailed discussion of dyeing techniques and how to get the most from your dyes. Second, a catalog of dye plants which includes how to grow them, how to harvest and prepare them, as well as the range of colors to be expected. The book is beautifully illustrated with color photographs and color swatches. The print is extremely small, however, making for difficult reading. A terrific resource for someone interested in dyeing her own yarn or cloth. ( )