Review: Dyeing Yarn Naturally

As I was reading Dyeing Yarn Naturally by Ria Burns, I realized I’ve actually dyed more yarn in my career as a knitter than I generally think about. I’ve used Kool-Aid, Easter egg dye, tie dye and natural dye from a kit. I’ve also dyed yarn with dandelions from my yard and strawberries left in the fridge a bit too long.

Every time I read about dyeing I want to do more of it, and this book is definitely inspiring and approachable when it comes to dyeing techniques you can use with materials you can grow, forage or buy.

The book begins with the basic techniques of yarn preparation: making the yarn into a hank, scouring and mordanting. It explores general methods for using natural materials to dye with, either by putting the flowers, roots or other materials directly in the pot with the yarn, extracting the color and using that liquid to dye the yarn, as well as other techniques like solar dyeing, indigo preparations (which get their own chapter) and bundle dyeing.

Methods such as dip dyeing, tie dyeing and using additives to change the color in the yarn are also discussed.

Best of all, the book includes “recipes” or guidelines for using different common natural materials (only plants, not animal-based dyes), from onion skins and avocado stones to madder, coreopsis and marigold, ivy to walnuts. If you’re at all inclined to try natural dyeing you’ll probably be thinking, “oh, I can get that” as you read. (Example: we have black walnut trees in our yard and you can dye with the husks, which the squirrels are happy to leave lying around.)

There’s also information on growing and processing your own plants for dye making and tips on testing for light fastness, reusing dye liquid, dyeing finished objects and more.

Dyeing Yarn Naturally is a great general overview of the process of dyeing yarn with natural materials. The author is English, so the focus is on materials available there, but you can always scour your own yard and public spaces (if foraging is allowed) to find the dye plants that are local to you.

About the book: 96 pages, paperback, 25 plant profiles. Published 2023 by the Crowood Press. Suggested retail price $19.99.

Tutorial – Dying Yarn with Koolaid….

Try Something New: Dyeing Yarn with Natural Colors

Next Pattern:

I’ve shared a lot of Christmas stocking knitting patterns over the years (see posts 1, 2, 3 for example) but what if you want to knit a stocking for a non-human member of your family. If you’re looking for Christmas stocking knitting patterns for your cats or dogs, this is the post for you.

These large paw print stockings are perfect for either dogs or cats, so they’re great to knit if you have both. They are worked in the round using DK weight yarn, and the stocking measures about 17 inches/43 cm from the top to the heel. You can get the pattern from nicolaluke.

The K4 Project has a super cute Kitty Christmas stocking pattern, which is worked in worsted weight yarn. They also have a dog version, or you can buy both and get a discount if you have both dogs and cats to knit for. Both projects have two patterns, showing how to work the stockings flat or in the round.

Put your dog into a Christmas scene with this stocking pattern from ifanhourChild. It shows a dog in a dog house in the snow, and has room for the dog’s name at the top. It’s worked flat using worsted weight yarn and the pattern includes charts for many small and medium dog breeds (there’s a separate listing for bigger dogs) so you can stitch a dog that looks like yours.

Annie’s Woolens has both dog and cat stocking knitting patterns that are worked in worsted weight yarn in the round. You can change up the colors to suit your pet if you want, and they come with an alphabet chart for personalization. Or you can stick with holiday colors and buy a kit to make the dog or cat stocking.

Waiting for Santa Paws is a pattern from Kate Agner on Ravelry that would be cute for a dog or a cat. It looks like a leg with a paw print on the bottom part of the foot and more paw prints running around the top of the leg. This is a great option if you don’t want to mess with a heel turn because it doesn’t have a heel, because dogs and cats don’t have heels so why would their stockings?

Book Review – 20 to Knit: Tiny Christmas Toys to Knit

Book Review – Knit Christmas Stockings

Next Pattern:

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