dried weld flowers and stalks in a white bowl

You Asked, Kathy Answered: Bright Yellow From Weld

We get lots of emails from customers about challenges with dyeing and needing Botanical Colors’ President Kathy Hattori’s help. Why not share the learning so we can all benefit? From our inboxes to you, it’s simple: You Asked, Kathy Answered. Email [email protected] with your plea for help! YOU ASKED: I am dyeing with dried weld and would like to obtain the most bright yellow, so was wondering if I can use soda ash at 1% weight of fiber (wof) instead of calcium carbonate? Or will this give a big difference as both are elevating the pH level of the water?  … Read more

Video From (The Last Ever!) FEEDBACK FRIDAY: Kathy & Amy xo

For our very last FEEDBACK FRIDAY, Kathy and I were the presenters and talked about the history of our show. We also pulled out some of our favorite moments from the 134 episodes (3 covers of the FEEDBACK FRIDAY song? Heck ya!) and what the “show” has meant to us since 2020. We have appreciated you being part of these presentations and supporting us so much. Thank you so much for all your emails, messages on Instagram and for showing up to say goodbye. Watch the recording below. FEEDBACK FRIDAY started out as a weekly show featuring Botanical Colors’ President … Read more

You Asked, Kathy Answered: Adding More Iron To A Ferrous Indigo Vat

We get lots of emails from customers about challenges with dyeing and needing Botanical Colors’ President Kathy Hattori’s help. Why not share the learning so we can all benefit? From our inboxes to you, it’s simple: You Asked, Kathy Answered. Email [email protected] with your plea for help! YOU ASKED: I made a 1-2-3 ferrous indigo vat, which I have done before with success. This time, I checked the vat after a few days and a good stir, and it seemed weak – there was some reduction, but it wasn’t very strong for the amount of indigo I had put in. … Read more

Easy Print Paste Thickener Tutorial

Designs and prints come to life with mordant printing using Botanical Colors Print Paste Thickener and this tutorial! If you don’t follow Arielle Toelke, Designer + Creator of Four Rabbit, you’re missing out! With a background in art, Arielle creates a line of goods that are both graphic and fun. We’ve been friends with her for years and also gotten to know her as one of our customers using our dyes and assists to make some pretty exciting, graphically pleasing surface designs. We asked Arielle to write an easy-to-use print paste thickener tutorial, sent her some of our print paste … Read more

MORDANT MONDAY: Color Bleeding + Pickling Vegetables With Aluminum Acetate?

We get mordant questions all the time at Botanical Colors so why not create Mordant Monday??? Got mordanting questions? Email [email protected] YOU ASKED: I am new to dyeing and am hoping you can provide some knowledge. I have mordanted and dyed a cotton sheet with oak gall, cutch and ferrous sulfate. I sprinkled citric acid to remove some color while the fabric was  drying. If I now bathe the fabric in calcium carbonate will the color change? If so in what way? Currently the dye is coming off on my hands when I handle the fabric. Should I iron? Should … Read more

Video From FEEDBACK FRIDAY: Liz Spencer + Katrina Rodabaugh

Our last FEEDBACK FRIDAY was a huge milestone for us as we prepared for our second to last ever FEEDBACK FRIDAY, featuring dear friends as well as alumnae, Katrina Rodabaugh and Liz Spencer. Watch the video recording below. The two shared mini presentations and then had a conversation together and with attendees on being caretakers as well as creatives. What are the challenges and successes to following our creative journey in natural dyes? When does a passion become work and what are some of the boundaries that we need to set to keep balance? Katrina and Liz tackled all these … Read more

Sunday Visit: Mystical Stitching With Christi Johnson

Every Sunday, Botanical Colors sits down for an interview with a luminary in the natural dye and textile world. This week on Sunday Visit we welcome textile artist and author Christi Johnson. Christi’s textile studio is based in the foothills of the Catskills in New York. The studio provides functional pieces that are thoughtfully made, as well as serves as a platform to teach skills in sewing, embroidery, and natural dyeing . Her book Mystical Stitches explores embroidery as a tool for personal empowerment and magical embellishment. Speaking of magical things, you can grab a copy of Mystical Stitches plus … Read more

MORDANT MONDAY: Aluminum Sulfate For Cellulose?

We get mordant questions all the time at Botanical Colors so why not create Mordant Monday??? Got mordanting questions? Email [email protected] YOU ASKED: I realized I purchased aluminum sulfate instead of potassium aluminum sulfate. I am mostly looking to dye cellulose fabric yardage. Will aluminum sulfate work as a mordant for cellulose fibers? KATHY ANSWERED: Yes, it will work: aluminum sulfate and aluminum potassium sulfate are largely interchangeable. It used to be that aluminum sulfate could contain traces of iron, which would shift colors, but most modern day aluminum sulfate is pretty “clean” – at least I haven’t had an … Read more

Video From FEEDBACK FRIDAY: Babs Behan

This week on FEEDBACK FRIDAY we had natural dyer and specialist of non-toxic natural dyeing techniques and bio-regional, regenerative textile systems, Babs Behan. Babs is the author of one of the newest books in our book store, Botanical Dyes: Plant To Print Dyes, Techniques & Projects. She is also Founder of Botanical Inks , a non-toxic natural dye studio and the Bristol Cloth Project. Watch the recording below. Shop Babs’ book here. Website Instagram Babs tells us she is committed to the transformation of our textile industry and the possibility of global environmental and cultural regeneration. Inspired by her own … Read more

You Asked, Kathy Answered: What’s The Indigo Setup?

We get lots of emails from customers about challenges with dyeing and needing Botanical Colors’ President Kathy Hattori’s help. Why not share the learning so we can all benefit? From our inboxes to you, it’s simple: You Asked, Kathy Answered. Email questions@botanicalcolors with your plea for help! YOU ASKED: I’m trying to set up my indigo vat finally (I purchased materials from your store months back). My only confusion is whether or not I need to purchase a stainless pot to do the initial 180-190 degree temperature rise? I don’t have one, and have a 5 gallon bucket I was … Read more