kathy Hattori Archives - Botanical Colors

Mordant Monday: Tannin Extravaganza!

TANNIN A TIMELESS MORDANT For Today’s Mordant Monday, we are highlighting all things tannin. Tannins are a bitter and astringent compound found so abundantly in many plants. In food, they serve as the slight pucker in black coffee and tea, and the “oaky” flavor in aged wines. Tannins are used in medicine and for leather tanning. For us, they are the natural dyer’s not-so-secret-weapon to beautiful color. For the natural colorist, tannins provide a rich base for unusual and eye-catching combinations, and they’re particularly effective on plant fibers such as cotton and linen. We have a variety of tannins for … Read more

You Asked, Kathy Answered: Get A Gorgeous Madder Red

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: Good morning and thank you so much for this opportunity of free knowledge that you give us. I saw in your madder recipe to put the dye at 145/160 degrees? The recipe says that to make a real red, the temperature must not exceed 80 degrees otherwise it turns brown. But … Read more

You Asked, Kathy Answered: Do I Mordant With Saxon Blue?

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 writing you an email because I have a question about the Saxon blue liquid. I am about to use it to dye wool fiber, and I am asking if I need to mordant my wool fiber. If I don’t need to that would be nice but if I have … 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: Overwintering An 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’ve moved to a new place and don’t have room to bring my buckets of indigo indoors for the winter (Seattle area). I’m pretty sure that I will need to re-start any ferment in the spring, but will my indigo vat survive otherwise? Somewhat of a beginner here. KATHY ANSWERED: Survivability … 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

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

Video From FEEDBACK FRIDAY: Cassie Dickson

Yesterday, we welcomed coverlet weaver, flax and silkworm farmer Cassie Dickson to FEEDBACK FRIDAY. Cassie says: “A Southern Highland Craft Guild Heritage member, specializing in spinning, traditional weaving, and natural dyeing, I have called western North Carolina my home for over 30 years. As a traditional pattern weaver, I have woven coverlets and linens for over 40 years. I grow flax and use 18th and 19th century tools and process the fiber to weave linen cloth. For the past 33 years, I have also raised silk worms, processing the cocoons to silk fabric and sharing that interesting historical story. Over the years, I have taught … Read more

You Asked, Kathy Answered: Indigo Heaters + Baskets

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 am doing some indigo dyeing and a friend mentioned using an indigo bucket heater to keep the temperature of the water at the correct temperature. She mentioned you sold them, but can’t find them on your website. Do you stock them? If so, where can I see them? If not, … Read more

Video From FEEDBACK FRIDAY: Jody Alexander

Last week on FEEDBACK FRIDAY we had mixed media artist Jody Alexander. In 2020, Jody made some life changes so that she could swim in lakes, and in 2023 she decided to make her open water swimming experiences into an art project. Aqua Lab is a work in progress that attempts to define the allure of open water swimming through the collection of data that includes water and air temperature, earth pigments surrounding the lakes, and underwater photos to capture water color. Watch the recording below. Take a class with Jody! Stitch, Patch, Dye: A Bag Making Workshop with Jody … Read more