Blog

In 2009 and 2010 I had the opportunity to study with natural dye master Michel Garcia.  He is a marvelous and knowledgeable teacher,  fascinated with using the chemistry of simple ingredients to create natural colors.  One of the things that he demonstrated to us was to be fearless about the indigo fermentation vat.  What a gift!  […]

This past May, Botanical Colors was honored to host woad master Denise Lambert of Bleu de Lectoure for a weekend of woad dipping using the ancient blue dye of Europe that she and her husband revitalized in France.  She brought her charming assistant, Sophie Boss and they worked their woad magic in Seattle. We started […]

I’m the guest blogger for the month at Cotton Clouds. Check out their new EZ Dye kits using a non-toxic pretreated cotton that takes natural dyes beautifully with no mordanting! The colors are so interesting – a slightly different palette than other natural dyes on cotton – these tones will go beautifully with most interior […]

A good pair of scissors is a must for any craftsperson and a fine pair of handmade scissors is a very special pleasure.  No wonder we keep them safely tucked away and bring them out only for those times when we are mending or stitching. When I visited Paris in the early 1990’s, I was […]

These handmade luxury scissors are inspired by the Charles X era famous for the sophistication and quality of its objects and the scissors are beautifully rendered replicas. The handles are imitation mother of pearl and have ornately decorated shafts.   The finger rings are smooth ovals and one ring is embellished with a satin pompom […]

These handmade luxury scissors are inspired by the Charles X era famous for the sophistication and quality of its objects and the scissors are beautifully rendered replicas. The handles are imitation tortoiseshell  The finger rings are smooth ovals and one ring is embellished with a satin pompom tassel.  The finished article is a very lightweight […]

In 1969, the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland caught fire. Although it wasn’t the first time the river burned, it became the symbol of the desperate condition of American waterways choked by pollution and spurred the passage of the Clean Water Act. A year later, 20 million Americans rallied on April 22 – the first Earth […]

“Landskin 18” by India Flint I’ve been thinking about how to get more natural color while using less water and energy.  Here are some simple tips: 1.  Try some of the innovative dye techniques as practiced by India Flint and Kimberly Baxter Packwood.  Both these artists create using low-water and low resource methods that yield […]

How is it that we can look at a washing machine that is Harvest Gold and instantly date it to the 70’s?  Or say “Santa Fe colors” and know that we’re speaking of a greenish teal, terra cotta, sage green and mauve?  The answer is color forecasting.  Each year a number of color experts meet […]

                          These  die-cut cardboard thread winders were used to store and organize precious threads for needlework.   Each set is printed on both sides and based on authentic vintage designs from Sajou’s extensive collection of French needlework accessories.  The patterns feature designs based on […]