Over the last few months I have been foraging and collecting and stocking up on materials I can use for dyeing in the future. Whilst walking I have been picking up lichen that has been washed off the trees by the rain and now have a small collection of two varieties. I have still to research what colours these will yield.
I found some fallen down tree branches and collected some silver birch bark . I am hoping this will give a beautiful pink colours.
Both in the UK and in the Netherlands , I have found is very easy to collect alder cones especially after all the heavy rain we have been having. These can be used as a mordant , or a dye. Only a few months ago I don’t think I really knew what these were. !
I harvested some young bracken shoots and some dock leaves , which I have dried. They don’t look very inspiring any more but hopefully will give green and browns.
I have really enjoyed slowly collecting these materials and I am planning to collect berries and fruits in the next few months. Lots of dyeing to look forward to 🙂
Els
30 Jul 2015Ahhhhh a real “kruidenvrouwtje” (herb lady) ha, ha, ha
Hope you get good colours Jane !
jane_mercer
31 Jul 2015Thanks Els “Kruidenvrouwtje “what I nice word. I hope I get good colours too.