Lac Archives - Botanical Colors

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

You Asked, Kathy Answered: Lackity Lac, Don’t Talk Back

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 just ordered some of that amazing fuchsia premium lac, I see on your dyeing guide it says to use citric acid for your regular lac, but there are no additional notes for the premium. So good to go just as it? KATHY ANSWERED: Premium Lac is already more purified than … Read more

FEEDBACK FRIDAY: This Week in Natural Dye Questions

This week: Lac and our BioHue inks get lots of questions online. We get a little feedback help from Judi Pettite, founder of BioHue inks!

FEEDBACK FRIDAY: This Week in Natural Dye Questions

This week: Looking at the longevity of black bean dyeing and using hide glue in an organic vat when dyeing silk and wool.

FEEDBACK FRIDAY: This Week in Natural Dye Questions

Each week, we are emailed with questions from our natural dye community asking simple and complex questions that we thought might be worth sharing. Here are a handful from this week answered by natural dyer in chief, Kathy Hattori, Founder of Botanical Colors: I just saw that Pantone created Love Symbol #2, an amazing shade for my favorite musician, Prince. Do you have an idea of how to create that color? Logwood chips used at about 50% wof with wool or silk mordanted with aluminum sulfate only (no cream of tartar) will make a rich reddish purple very … Read more

FEEDBACK FRIDAY: This Week in Natural Dye Questions

Each week, we are emailed with questions from our natural dye community asking simple and complex questions that we thought might be worth sharing. Here are a handful from this week answered by natural dyer in chief, Kathy Hattori, Founder of Botanical Colors: I am curious if there is a way to thicken the liquid dye and use it for painting on fabric. Any info is much appreciated. There are a number of vegetable based thickeners or gums that are used in printing and painting. We offer an organic printing gum that is easy to use and offers excellent thickening … Read more