This maker’s guide to natural dyes with projects to create and stitch focuses on framing and growing your own dye plants, repurposing kitchen trimming, and making and using long-lasting dyes.

We think there are a lot of amazing natural dye guides out there (and yes, you should build a library!) but we chose this one because of its approachability and variety. Thanks to our friends at Blue Dog Dye House (www.bluedogdyehouse.com), we took our first tentative steps into this world and have not looked back! We are now growing and selling chemical-free dye flowers and experimenting with a range of dyes and plant matter. The important word here is ‘experiment.’

You see, our farm has 18th century roots in weaving and dyeing and we know that much of the latter would have come from many of the same plants we still find on the land. Many plants mentioned historically are not commonly used today due to issues with color-fastness. But they were used once and we intend to experiment and understand why. In this way, we can combine new methods with old ones, connecting stories over time. We invite you to do the same by buying this book and joining us for our on-farm classes. There is so much to learn in the world!