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YARN COMMUNITY
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ALICIA HALL
Botanical ThreadsThis month we
chat to Alicia from
Botanical Threads
Tell us about
Botanical
Threads...
Botanical Threads
was founded in
2016 with a strong
ethos and out of
a desire to create chemical-free
dyes that reflect the beauty of the plants that
they are created from. All of the colours used
at Botanical Threads are extracted directly
from plants through a process using hot water.
Natural plant dyes often need that extra little
bit of help sticking to yarn and fabrics, so soya
milk is also used as an alternative to harmful
chemicals, for helping the colours to stick to
the di erent fabrics.
What will knitters find at your shop?
If you are looking to try your hand at colouring
your own yarn or fabric, then there’s lots of
information to teach you how to dye your own
yarn with plants. As well as dye recipes to show
you how to extract the colours from plants,
I also provide handy DIY craft tutorials and
occasionally sell lovely plant-dyed products in
my online shop – so keep an eye out!
What will be the highlights for 2020?
It’s all very exciting at the moment as my first
book, Seasonal Plant Dyes was published in
January and is now available to purchase on
Amazon. I’ve got quite a few personal projects
on the go too – the most exciting is a quilt that
I’m making from lots of tiny plant-dyed scrap
pieces of fabric. So there will be lots of new and
upcoming creative projects to look out for at
Botanical Yarns this year!
Where can we find out more?
My website and blog has loads of useful tips to
get you started with plant dyeing and you can
also purchase my e-books there; just head to
http://www.botanicalthreads.co.uk. My Instagram
is also updated daily with behind-the-scenes
photos and sneak peeks at what I’ve been
working on, follow me on @botanical_thread.B
eing a registered breed for over 50 years
now, the Cambridge was originally
founded at Cambridge University in- The fleece of the Cambridge is a popular
choice to use in blends of yarn for hand-knitting
and to make high-quality knitted garments with.
Its short, fine fleece is hailed for its lovely white
gleam. The breed can typically be found residing
on the beautiful pastures of the Welsh Borders.
Discover more about the wonderful world o
British sheep at http://www.britishwool.org.uk.
T
his July, you can join forces
with thousands of crafters
alike who will be stitching,
folding and knitting in Crafternoon
events up and down the country
in support of Mind, the leading
mental health charity in England
and Wales. This year Mind are
encouraging supporters to host
their own craft-based fundraising
event on 4 July in support of the
one in four of us who experience a
mental health problem each year.SHOW YOUR SUPPORT
Whether you are a knitting novice or a
crochet queen, every penny you raise
through your Crafternoon will help
Mind to continue to provide vital and
essential services and information for
people in their time of need.
You needn’t worry if you’re busy on 4
July as you can host your Crafternoon
anytime throughout the summer
months and the Mind fundraising
team will be on hand to support with
inspiration, ideas and information.
Mind also plans to host a second
Crafternoon later on in the year towards
Christmas – so you will have a chance to
double up your good deed and do some
festive fundraising in December if you
get the crafting bug!Community FundraisingManager,
Maria Khosla, says,“Absolutelyanyone
can host or take partinCrafternoon,
regardless of whethertheyhavecrafted
before. It’s about gettingfriendsand
family together in aplacethatworksfor
you, for a good catchup,whilehelping
a great cause. Crafternoonisoneof
the most importantdatesinMind’s
fundraising calendarandwe’regrateful
to everyone who tookpartlastyearand
helped us to raise over£100,000.Their
generosity meanswecancontinueto
make sure that noonehastofacea
mental health problemalone.”
Want to know more?Signupatwww.mind.
org.uk/crafternoonandyouwillbethe
first to receive a SummerCrafternoon
kit when they’re readyinMay.Mind Crafternoon
Join forces with the charity Mind to make 2020 the most creative year yet! Read
on to find out about their Crafternoon project taking place all over the UK...
Why not host your
Crafternoon outside –if
the weather holds up?All proceeds raised
go to Mind to help them
to continue their workGet creative and organise
a Crafternoon – you can
choose any craft you like!© Photography Mind