Harvesting Color: How To Find Plants And Make Natural Dyes
by Rebecca Burgess
Learn natural dyeing from one of the founders of the local fibre movement. Rebecca Burgess is amazing, and her book does not disappoint. It's another of my favourite resources- I wouldn't be without it. Although there are a few plants that can't be found in Ontario (Burgess is based in the southern USA), it still contains a wealth of valuable information, included how to get the best out of 36 different plants, recipes for indigo fermentation and fresh leaf vats, and notes from a study on the safety of alum, the most commonly used mordant. It's also incredibly beautiful, and sometimes I just peruse the images purely to get pumped up about the fun of natural dyeing!
From the back:
Master dyer Rebecca Burgess spotlights thirty-six plants that will yield beautiful natural shades and she shows just how easy the dyes are to make. Pokeberry creates a vibrant magenta while a range of soft lavender shades is derived from elderberries; indigo yields a bright blue and coyote crush produces stunning sunny yellows.
With breathtaking color photographs, maps that show the range of each plant throughout North America, and seasonally based knitting projects, Harvesting Color is an essential guide in a burgeoning field.
