Tickseed/Dyer's coreopsis, Coreopsis tinctoria
Dyer's coreopsis is an annual plant, with filigree leaves and a large number of small flowers. The flowers glow in a warm yellow with a mahogany red eye.
Read MoreShort + sweet: Tickseed
Short + sweet: Woad
Woad, or Isatis tinctoria
Woad has a long history in Germany, especially in Thuringia, where it provided work and prosperity. Likewise in other regions of Central Europe, for example the southwest of France. Nevertheless, woad does not originate from Central Europe. Woad was cultivated by humans very early on and accompanied them as a dyeing plant - in Europe this can be traced back to the iron age !
Read MoreIndigo: How to extract pigment from plants
Precious blue in green leaves
Are you growing Dyer's knotweed, or woad ? Here's a how-to for indigo pigment extraction. It's suitable for small to medium sized extractions. Some equipment/process might not be reasonable for large scale growers.
Read MoreStart a dye garden
Set up a dye garden: Dye plants for gardens and containers
My garden is a Berlin allotment, with very limited space, no greenhouse, and besides dye plants I also want to grow vegetables and fruit. These dye plants here are my staples. I grow them each year, despite constantly struggling for space... I like to dye with them, they do well in my garden and also attract pollinators, because the garden isn't just for me.
Read MoreKitchen dyes: Dyeing with pomegranate
Pomegranate as a dye? There are quite a few fugitive plants found in our kitchens. That are so inviting especially for first dye experiments, like red cabbage or beet root – yet not colourfast. But pomegranate peels are a trustworthy and traditional source of dye.
Read MoreDIY: Make ink from plants
Just like before easter I also got creative again this festive season: I wanted to make ink from plants that to draw christmas cards and gift tags. Preferably from plants that are easily available. A few days after thinking about this, an avocado appeared in our kitchen, and that's when I knew what to do.* Make ink with waste from avocado!
Read MoreNovember dye plants: Dyeing with leaves
Autumn has arrived, the summer plants have faded and the trees are shedding their leaves. All beings are preparing for winter. We withdraw and enjoy the harvest of the previous months.
While summer is abundant and the time to forage, winter is for being cosy indoors, crafting and sure, also dye pots. But are you wondering if you could still find dye plants now?
Read MoreForaging for dye plants
Summer is abundant with plants and flowers! An invitation to smell blooms on walks, to stare dreamily into the canopy while lying on a meadow – or to forage and dye.
If you are not familiar to gathering wild plants, I would like to introduce you to some things to consider. And at the end of this post you'll see three plants that you are sure to find if you're not located too far from here.
Das brauchst du wirklich: Equipment zum Pflanzenfärben
Darüber haben wir in den Workshops schon diskutiert: Welches Equipment zum Pflanzenfärben braucht man wirklich am Anfang?
Read MoreDyeing easter eggs with plants
Dyeing Easter eggs with plants can be a simple and exciting project with kids - or you something you do just by yourself (perhaps for your inner child) as I did.
Read MoreBooks about dyeing with plants: A few favourites
Dye books for everyone: for makers, botanists and historians
In meinen Workshops, gibt es nicht nur Färbetöpfe und Lernen durch Selbermachen. Ich hab auch immer viele Färbeproben zum Ansehen dabei, und Bücher über’s Färben mit Pflanzen zur Inspiration.
The plant dyeing workshops sind ja noch mehr als gemeinsames Lernen und Entdecken. Ein Raum für Gemeinschaft und Austausch; das Ausprobieren ohne vorher viel Werkzeug oder Material kaufen zu müssen; das Durchstöbern verschiedener Färbebücher, und vielleicht dabei genau dasjenige Buch zu entdecken, das zu einer*m passt. Und wenigstens letzteres geht ja vielleicht auch hier ganz gut!
Plant dyeing 101: Choosing fibres to dye with plants
For dyeing with plants it's very helpful to not only know about dye plants, but also about the textiles you want to dye. Textiles, wovens or knitwear, surround us everyday. At the same time, we often don't know much about how they were made and their characteristics. While textiles are omnipresent, they're not a subject that's deemed important very often. Had I not happened to study fashion design, would I ever have learnt about the different fibres that clothe, warm, protect me? So if you feel like textiles are a bit of a mystery, then here is a brief overview for you!
Read MorePlant dyeing 101: What is mordanting?
„Was ist dieses Beizen?“ Hast du dich das auch schon gefragt, vielleicht beim Blättern in einem Färbebuch? Wenn du vom Beizen nur eine vage Vorstellung hast, dann weißt du wahrscheinlich schon, dass es „irgendwie ziemlich wichtig“ ist. Ist Beizen ein Thema, vor dem du Respekt hast, oder das dich sogar vom Färben mit Pflanzen abgehalten hat? Nach diesem Artikel fühlst du dich damit sicherer.
Read MoreDyeing yellow with goldenrod
From late summer onwards it can hardly be overlooked and is in full bloom: The time has come to dye beautiful yellows with goldenrod. Comparing my garden today on September 1st, 2020, with photos from previous years, it probably started to blossom earlier this year than in previous years. But it's still not too late to get your dye pots ready!
Read MoreNatural blue: Salt and fresh indigo leaves
Diese Methode zum blau färben mit Indigo ist mir inzwischen besonders lieb, weil sie so zugänglich ist. Ohne viel Zubehör kann ich direkt von den Pflanzen im Garten das Indigoblau aus frisch gepflückten Blättern kneten. Am besten funktioniert es mit den frischen Blättern vom Dyer's knotweed, (auch Japanischer Indigo), Polygonum tinctorum,. Aber auch mit woad, Isatis tinctoria, and achieved beautiful colors, albeit lighter and more greenish. All it takes is a small amount of salt and the fabric. Compared to the various indigo vats that are used to dye blue, this is a lot simpler.
Read More