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Java Handspun Cotton Scarf

Java handspun cotton scarf is a lightweight handspun, handwoven traditional textile from Tuban, East Java, Indonesia. These beautiful scarves are from our friends at Threads of Life, in Ubud, Bali. Created from locally grown cotton and woven on a backstrap loom, this elegant and simple scarf is perfect for gifting or as a base for natural dyes. It takes natural colors and indigo beautifully and is perfect for a casual evening or beach wrap. We scoured the scarf to remove starch and wax and it is now ready for an indigo or mordant bath. The scarf has twisted fringes and … Read more

The Studio Formulas Set for The Art and Science of Natural Dyes

A new studio reference tool from Catharine Ellis and Joy Boutrup! This natural-dye-recipe boxed set can be used as a stand-alone resource or as a supplement to The Art and Science of Natural Dyes by Joy Boutrup and Catharine Ellis. Packaged in a high-quality quick-reference box, 84 cards include 36 formulas plus 133 full-color swatch images for exact color comparison. The cards are conveniently organized for ease in the studio. The set includes: The Dyes, Indigo, and Indigo Overdyes, and a complete set of essential formulas for the natural dyer, right at their fingertips. The dyes include two-color mixes and overdyes … Read more

Finimugu (Malian strip cloth)

Sold in one yard increments. The fabric is 4-6 inches wide. Many of you who have participated in Aboubakar’s workshops fell in love with Finimugu (Malian strip cloth). The traditional cotton strip cloth is 100% produced in Mali by a textile cooperative that Aboubakar has worked with for years. Watch a video to see how finimugu is made here. The women in the cooperative prepare the organically grown cotton. They remove the seeds and any vegetable matter, then spin the cotton fiber into fine yarn. The yarn is sent to men weavers who weave a narrow (4-6 inch) cotton fabric, … Read more

Tannin + Alum Mordanted Sashiko Thread Bundle

Tannin + Alum Mordanted Sashiko Thread Bundle We are now offering our popular PFD sashiko threads mordanted in three different, beautiful tannin shades. Each bundle of 10 skeins is one tannin color that is also mordanted in aluminum potassium sulfate. This is an easy mordant option to create gradations and nuanced color in your stitching and dye work. The three mordant options are Gallo Tannin (Oak galls), known as a “clear” tannin with a creamy coloration that imparts virtually no shade differences from regular alum mordants. Sumac Tannin, imparts a subtle, soft yellow undertone to many colors, and shifts light … Read more

Organic Soybeans

Organic whole soybeans are used to make soy milk for applying ochres and pigments to cloth. For complete instructions on the traditional Japanese method of using soy milk, check out John Marshall’s website page on soymilk and instructions are also included in his book: Singing the Blues. Instructions are on page 80. Learn more about John Marshall in his FEEDBACK FRIDAY video. From our Feedback Friday series: I am trying to paint cotton fabric with the indigo dye ink I purchased. I thickened with Gum Arabica and all looked great, but it washed out after drying. Then, I tried spreading soy milk first, … Read more

The Art and Science of Natural Dyes: Principles, Experiments, and Results

From the publisher, Schiffer Books: The Art and Science of Natural Dyes: Principles, Experiments, and Results is a comprehensive guide that explains the general principles of natural dyeing to help dyers become more accomplished at their craft. More than 450 samples illustrate the results of actual dye tests along with detailed information. The book covers every aspect of natural dyeing including mordants, dyes, printing, indigo, and finishing. Special techniques of printing and discharging indigo are featured as well. The book is intended for dyers and printers who wish to understand the “why” and the “how,” while ensuring safe and sustainable … Read more

Sumac Powder

Sumac Powder (Rhus coriaria) is a traditional tannin for pretreating cottons. The tannin is derived mainly from the bark of the tree, but all parts contain tannin and may be used. Sumac is from the Rhus genus and its scientific name is Rhus coriaria. It’s native to southern Europe and western Asia where it is commonly known as Tanner’s Sumac or Sicilian Sumac. We are fortunate to have number of North American native sumacs including Rhus glaubra, sometimes called Smooth Sumac, and Rhus typhina or Staghorn Sumac, known for its dramatic bright red berry clusters. The staghorn berries were used … Read more

Sashiko Thread Bundle PFD

Sashiko Thread Bundle PFD These skeins are perfect for creating your own sashiko thread palette from natural dyes. You will receive one loosely twisted skein that contains 10 smaller skeins. Each small skein has one cross tie. If you are obsessive like me, you’ll want to add a second cross tie. The skeins are prepared and ready for dye but need to be mordanted first, unless you are planning to dip into indigo, and then they don’t need to be mordanted. Each skein can then be mordanted and dyed, or create your own indigo gradation, or more! What I love … Read more

Journeys in Natural Dyeing by Kristine Vejar and Adrienne Rodriguez with Sarah Ollikkala Jones

Journeys in Natural Dyeing shares the story of Kristine Vejar and Adrienne Rodriguez’s travels to four countries: Iceland, Mexico, Japan, and Indonesia, where they visited natural dyers who use their locally-sourced dyes in dramatically different environments to create textiles that evoke beauty, a connection to the land on which they live, and showcase their mastery of skill. This book includes profiles of the artists met. From their California-based studio, Vejar and Rodriguez used their own locally-grown and gathered dyestuffs, from leaves to fungi, and utilized techniques, from extraction to fermentation, to create over 400 shades of color. This book shares … Read more

Ground Myrobalan Pods

Ground Myrobalan pods (Terminalia chebula) are a commonly used dye throughout India. The trees grow primarily in the foothills of the Himalayas. They are upright upright tree with small oval leaves and lovely bright yellow flowers. Dyers in India historically use myrobalan as a primary component for cotton dyeing. Additionally, dyers often use it as a mordant prior to creating brown and black on cotton fabrics. Myrobalan extract overdyed with indigo makes a beautiful teal color. Using higher percentages of myrobalan yields a brownish yellow. The lower percentages yield a light buff color. This dye is the finely ground pods … Read more