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Wild Colour: How to Grow, Prepare and Use Natural Plant Dyes
Wild Colour is a practical and inspiring guide to creating and using natural dyes from plants. Jenny Dean's authoritative book reveals all you need to know to grow your own dye plants and to extract and apply the dyes to a wide range of materials from woolen skeins to paper.
* Contains clear step-by-step explanations of all natural dyeing techniques, including mordanting and modifying, emphasizing environmental friendly methods.
* Features 66 plants with over 250 colour swatches showing the vast and vibrant range of colours you can obtain.
* Includes beautiful photography and easy-to-follow text, which combine to provide the complete guide to natural dyeing.
* Contains clear step-by-step explanations of all natural dyeing techniques, including mordanting and modifying, emphasizing environmental friendly methods.
* Features 66 plants with over 250 colour swatches showing the vast and vibrant range of colours you can obtain.
* Includes beautiful photography and easy-to-follow text, which combine to provide the complete guide to natural dyeing.
144 pages, Paperback
First published March 18, 1999
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
November 3, 2019
This book is a great reference for anyone wanting to work with natural dyes. It starts with a very detailed breakdown of the dying process, so even a beginner can get started. The second half of the book includes descriptions of many dye plants, how to find them, and how to use them. This section seems invaluable to someone looking to explore new dyestuffs or locate dye plants in their area. I think this book is a great reference book that someone working with natural dyes would refer to again and again.
However, if you are looking for a book to guide you through a diy from start to finish, this book is not the best. I would try The Modern Natural Dyer in this case, as it contains step by step instructions for diys. Personally, I feel that Wild Colour is a better reference book and will last a reader longer.
However, if you are looking for a book to guide you through a diy from start to finish, this book is not the best. I would try The Modern Natural Dyer in this case, as it contains step by step instructions for diys. Personally, I feel that Wild Colour is a better reference book and will last a reader longer.
July 13, 2023
This is definately the book I will buy when I finally get to doing my own dyeing, as a fairly environmentally aware gardener and knitter, patchworker and embroiderer the idea of growing and using my own dyes is very appealing and Dean's book is clear and concise.
Dean's book begins with a fascinating introduction on the history of using dyes right back from prehistoric times through the manufacture of synthetic dyes during the industrial revolution to present day forms of dyeing and cloth manufacture.
Then she goes through dyeing techniques, making the bewildering world of equipment, terminology and techniques clear with concise easy to follow text, step by step instructions, illustrations and tables, covering preparations of dye stuffs, types of fibres and preparation for dyeing, mordants, modifiers, and creating a record of your experiments. Dean emphasises safety and environmental responsibility clearly and concisely.
Thirdly there is an index of dye plants giving the various colours that can be achieved, their source (roots, flowers, barks etc), cultivation and harvest, range, availability, planting and harvesting times, growing habit and processing and dyeing instructions.
Dean's book begins with a fascinating introduction on the history of using dyes right back from prehistoric times through the manufacture of synthetic dyes during the industrial revolution to present day forms of dyeing and cloth manufacture.
Then she goes through dyeing techniques, making the bewildering world of equipment, terminology and techniques clear with concise easy to follow text, step by step instructions, illustrations and tables, covering preparations of dye stuffs, types of fibres and preparation for dyeing, mordants, modifiers, and creating a record of your experiments. Dean emphasises safety and environmental responsibility clearly and concisely.
Thirdly there is an index of dye plants giving the various colours that can be achieved, their source (roots, flowers, barks etc), cultivation and harvest, range, availability, planting and harvesting times, growing habit and processing and dyeing instructions.
September 7, 2012
A wonderful, informative resource on what plants make good dyestuffs, where they can be grown or if it's best to purchase the material dried, the effect of different fabrics/materials and dying methods on the end result, and what colour range to expect from different combinations. There's even an example of how the author was able to achieve 25 different colours of dyed yarn from one plant. Eye-opening, and a great resource for anyone interested in natural dying.
October 1, 2013
This is a great place to start if you want to dye your own fabrics with natural dyes. The author takes you through the entire process and breaks it down into categories as well as showing you the results of each natural dye on a variety of fabric/wool types. I am definitely glad to have this on my shelf and I am sure I will use it again and again.
March 27, 2012
A trusted resource for environmentally sound natural dyeing.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews