My latest natural dye project is all about dyeing wool with buckthorn berries. I also learned some interesting history about buckthorn by following a recipe from 1548. While we are dyeing and spinning wool with buckthorn, I will also share a short update on my 2022 natural dye garden project.
Let’s Get Spinning!
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More Articles Like “Dyeing With Buckthorn” by Cindy Craft
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Video Sources
π Wikipedia Buckthorn Article https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhamnus_cathartica
π Archive.org the Plictho of The plictho of Gioanventura Rosetti https://archive.org/details/plicthoofgiovent00sidn/page/n33/mode/2up
π Dyeing with Buckthorn by Cindy Craft https://spinoffmagazine.com/dyeing-with-buckthorn/
π Dyeing Fabrics with Alder Buckthorn by Suzanne Dekel https://www.suzannedekel.com/post/dyeing-fabrics-with-alder-buckthorn
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43 Comments
i'm 80% done knitting myself a setesdal inspired jacket in fingering weight superwash in the round… ijust learned that superwash is not advised for jumpers and big knits, steeking and that it grows 30% of it's size whilst blocking… i already found the project a bit looser than imagined and i hoped to slim it down a bit during blocking… well now i'm gonna research a yarn i'm not used to using before spending 2 weeks 8hrs a week on a project i've been wanting to wear for almost two years… (i also made a sew – in hem rather than a tubular ede because i prefer the look of it but it's probably gonna look real stupid when it's gonna be litteraly twice my size and all of the cold air inn the world is gonna sweep freely underneath this glorified sleeved cape smh) mind you i don't even care for the advantages of superwash, i wouldn't have minded a stiffer fabric, i don't plan on washing it more than absolutely necessary ( the metal clasps kinda scare me) and it's pretty much always gonna be worn over a shirt of some kind
on the good side i just noticed that i tend to knit my sleeves shorter and skinnier than i should and i have plenty of yarn left to knit a 30s pullover (i would probably wash more often, than could benefit from that synthetic-ish look but with the actual confort of wool and i will calculate for the 1 FRIDGING THIRD of growth it'll gain)
i want to make a whole evolution of jumper-like european garments from the late middle ages to to-day, Γ la Roxanne Richardson, superwash (mine is about 1,50β¬ a hank of yarn) might be a nice supstitution to silk for me to make those 17th century jacquard undershirt from the danish and norwegian traditions
This was very interesting π€ to learn. π‘ idea what about dying from the walnut tree π³? I tried to grow flax here in Idaho, but that didn't go well. I ended up with weeds. My mother had Oregon grape growing in here yarn that I thought π€ trying to use it's berries as a dye. My nephew removed it before I got some. I also like to try the black walnuts from a tree . Which I heard π€ it's a nice brown. Also elderberries might be a fun thing to dye with. π€ Which one of these should you think I might try first? I wonder which one the pioneers used π€ here in this area? I like π this video πΉ.
Interesting, In Sweden we have the orange kind. Sea Buckthorne or Hawthorne.
I enjoy this content. My grandmother born in the 1880's was a weaver, all naturally dyed from the sheep raised on the family farm.
Wow! What an unexpected shade of green. Good luck with your dye garden. Once you get it established it will be much easier.
Oh boy! I can 100% see how that could be a crazy awesome rabbit hole to go down in its own right hahah. Beautiful process if I do say so! Great video!
Has anyone dyed wool with wild elderberry? What color do you think elderberry would π€ come out? Would it be a bluish in color π€? I just might have to try it next year.
Just an aside: Buckthorn is a big family! In California we have native buckthorns: California Buckthorn (or Coffeeberry) and Ceanothus. I've never tried dyeing with it but my Ida Grae book says that it makes a light to medium green. Hmm. I will definitely try it sometime!
oooooooo that mossy green is SO PRETTY. id love to make smth w that color
So interesting for an archeology/history fan. Iβm planning to plant flax next year π€
So envy you the possibility of growing woad and Japanese indigo. Both are considered noxious weeds in my state. :o(
I love buckthorn, I got a lovely bright mustard yellow on some wool fabric from the bark, and I still have some left that I'm going to try and ferment for a reddish shade!
I live in germany and I never saw black / bluish buckthorn, only bright orange / yellow ones with red tones in it. You can consume the bright ones, it has way more vit c, than oranges for example or peppers. It is called the "lemon of the north" where I live. But the black ones, as I just googled, cause diarreha and stuff. But it is the one for dying something. So interesting <3
You should collect and dry the berries and leaves so you have them on hand anytime.
Very nice dyeing experience Thanks !
Fabulous, that whole thing must have been so satisfying. Really interesting, thanks, Evie. π₯°ππ»
Such a nice color!
Thank you for recommending people not plant this species of buckthorn in areas where it is not native. I agree that it is just bad stewardship of the land to plant it in the Americas.
However, there are some American species of buckthorn, which makes me wonder if this would be worth exploring! We have a native variety on our land, and the birds really love the berries. It might be fun to try a few if I can beat the birds to them. π
You mention that you have a walnut tree, walnut trees are also a natural dye item. Keep them hulls!
Such a cool color!! I feel your natural dye pain, and I'm so excited this one went well!!
This is really interesting! I just did my first dyeing with cranberries after seeing a house painted with them. I harvest cranberries, so supplying those was not a problem, but I did them unmortanted, and am just waiting to see if their is any fade
You're so funny and I always enjoy your videos. I really like how this turned out for you! Can't wait to see what you make with it.
Try using tulle fabric To protect young seedlings or young plants by covering them up squirrels and chipmunks do not like the mesh fabric because they can get their claws in tangled in it and the plants will still get plenty of sun and air to grow
YOU BEAUTIFUL!!! Π’Π« ΠΠ ΠΠΠΠ‘Π’Π¬!!!
i was a little worried what color you would be getting when it was in the pot but the final result is a really lovely green ! π
Looking forward to the "Buckthorn Adventures " in future editions.
Is the tree at least a black walnut so that you can at least use that as a dyestuff?
Lol, I love your βferal catβ simile. It really does feel like taking a shot in the dark! Iβm so glad you shared some of your dyeing experiments and tips with us! I admire your dyeing skills so much!! An interesting project Iβm interested in trying soon (and maybe you might be too?) is creating dye pots from locally foraged clay. Turns out the natural metal salts (mordants) in the clay can affect the tone of your dye – so you can give all your natural dyes a local flair and use your natural soil as a sustainable mordant! Isnβt that insane!? Iβm so excited to give it a shot – and to take some inspiration from your dye garden ideas. Sending you all the best!!
A dyegarden is such a frustrating project! My woad did grow but then I went on a holiday and when I came back home it was completely eaten by snails… So no woad for me. So I've been dyeing mostly with what was already in my garden: walnuts, oak leaves, continus leaves, stinging nettles and Ivy. But one day! One day I'll have my woad, even if I have to guard it from snail 24/7 π
Maybe freezing your Buckthorn berries for a week or two first might soften them. This is what you can do with Sloe berries before making Sloe Gin. It mimics what the frost would do naturally and splits the skin and softens the fruit to allow more of the juice out.
Hermoso color, viste alguna diferencia entre el color logrado en la madeja y el de la fibra?gracias por compartirloπ
I am in Germany, and we have a guest house, so we have lots of onion skins, Avocado and red cabbage. Also we are in a wine village and I can get the left over grape trester. I love trying out the different colours.
Evie~~~ Thank you so much for sharing your incredible experiences!! I loved hearing about your processes and the yarn is gorgeous!!
How fun! I love that colour. Looking forward to seeing what colour the leaves and branches give.
Black walnut causes problems for many plants because of juglone. Look into vertical planters to avoid the poison. Because of lack of space, I use the Greenstalk planter. I will be starting a dye garden in the Spring.
Thanks you so much for your link to the old dye book. I will get a good look at it.
I love natural dyeing, it makes me so happy. It is a always a suprice how it turns out. So the first thing in never to expect a color, just let it suprice you. That makes a lot of difference π
The Japanese indigo will grow new roots from clippings. That is how I get a abundant crop from just one plant. Clip a sturdy "stem" and it will root in a little bit of water within a week or so. So harvesting the stems for new plants and the leaves for cold water dyeing.
Pick the very fresh leaves put them in a blender and add some very cold water. Mix it quickly and siff the dye matter from the liquid. Add washed yarn or wool and put it in the cold liquid. (You can keep it in the fridge for a couple of hours) . It will give you a soft seeblue. That will darken with every fresh leave dye. You don't need lots and lots of leaves though. And no mordant needed.
My experience with weld it that it will only grow in fresly disturbed ground. I had it grow better in my gravel path than my dye garden.
For a nice easy dyeplant try coreopsis. It is easy to grow and gives lotts and lots of orangey colors from yust a handfull of flowers.
Happy holidays.
the final color is gorgeous!! I was worried at first because it reminded me of goose poop π But it turned out really amazing and I can't wait to see other dyeing adventures!
Is there a reason you aren't dying after spinning? Seems like you'll be dying a lot of fiber that will be lost to later processing and prep. I suppose if you're blending as you spin, but even then you'll be losing dyed fiber in the prep for spinning.
Did I just hear you say "skeen" for a skein ("skayn" or "skΔn")?
This was great. Although I spend a lot of time watching dying videos (or at least listening while I knit or spin). For now, I'm going to stick to spinning, weaving and knitting. But I will eventually take up dying as well. So please share your natural and acid dying experience.
I think your buckthorn results are very cool. I think your friend will really appreciate the yarn
Love the color!
I thought of Mr Yuk, for the first time in forever, not ago. I wondered when he went out of style. π
Very informative and interesting, but also… can you share what lipstick you're wearing??