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:

Blankets are a great blank slate project that you can change up in a million different ways. From color to stitch pattern to size, the possibilities are almost endless.

Jared Flood, the designer behind Brooklyn Tweed, was inspired by a log cabin quilt his mother made in 1995 to re-create that design in knitting, which led to more blankets and ultimate Brooklyn Tweed’s Knit and Crochet Blankets, which includes 25 patterns from an array of designers using different skills and techniques to make cozy, pretty blankets.

The patterns are divided into three aesthetic themes: traditions, minimalism and colorplay. The patterns are rated on a scale of one to five, with one being the easiest, and there aren’t any pieces rated five. Two blankets are rated one, 14 are two, eight are three and one is four.

In addition, three of the 25 patterns are crocheted, but they either use single crochet or granny stitch, so they are pretty easy even if you don’t do a lot of crochet. You can see all the patterns on Ravelry.

Some of my favorites include Rattan by Rastus Hsu, a chunky blanket worked in knits and purls with simple crossing stitches to make a raised woven look; Homewood by Seth Richardson, covers in dramatic, loopy cables; Ainur Berkimbayeva’s Tessellate, one of the beginner projects that doesn’t really look beginner but is totally worked in knit and purl stitches; Warp + Weft by Aist? Butkevi?ien?, which is mostly knits and purls but makes a fun woven look fabric that blew my mind a little bit; and the same designer’s Canyonland, a multicolored blanket with wavy stripes.

The patterns tell you how to resize them for different dimensions and include information on pattern repeats where it is possible to make a totally custom size.

Many different techniques are included here such as cables, lace, shadow knitting, intarsia and other colorwork techniques, as well as modular knitting and lots of sewing pieces together. The patterns are all presented with charts, but there are line by line written instructions available on the Brooklyn Tweed website if you need them.

The book ends with a deep dive into log cabin knitting, telling the story of the quilt Jared’s mom made and how he made it in knitting, as well as the multitude of variations you can make if you want your own log cabin style design.

The back of the book includes a little written information about some of the special techniques needed, but there are no photos.

This is a lovely book full of inspiration for knitting and crochet blankets for any skill level. If you like to make blankets as gifts or aspire to have a handmade blanket in every room of the house, these designs would be a great place to start.

About the book: 192 pages, paperback, 25 patterns. Published 2024 by Abrams Books, suggested retail price $24.99.

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