Simply Knitting - UK (2019-08)

T

hevibrancy,aftera rainstorm

leadsmeintotheepicpursuit

ofcolour,rhododendrons– a

powerfulfuchsiamixedwithsomething

moreelectric.I takea mentalnote,

makingsuretorememberthewaythe

fallenpetalsgatheratthebaseof the

bush,concreteandbright.

Much-neededcolourtherapy

A coupleof pacesalongsidethesidewalk,one

canspottheunmistakablegoldglimmerof

thefreshlybloomedwisteria,thecolourof

sunrays.It wouldlookremarkablepainted

ona skeinof mulberrysilkyarn.It’sa much-

neededcolourtherapy,as intendedbynature.

Thestressof thedayhasslippedo.These

closememoriesshallfollowmeintomy

kitchenstudio,guidingmegentlythrough

a subconsciousstreamof methodicaland

mindfulcolourextraction.

Riskrewarded

I patthelinenpackageof petalsin mypocket,

smilingat whatthey'llbecomein anhouror

Thereismuchinspiration

tobefoundfromnature

anditscomplexcolours

so,whensteepedovera steamingpotof water,

everso slightlycoaxingthesubtlecoloursout

of hiding.I feelslightlynervous,knowingthata

secondtoolongandthecolourwillbelost,but

theriskis almostalwaysworththerewardin

myexperience.

A giftfromtheplanet

Summeris closeby.I canjustcatchthe

perfumedancethroughthespringbreeze,

promisingendlesshoursof knittingunder

appletrees.It feelslikehome,it’sa peace

spokenfromthelipsof greatphilosophers.

I findwaysto implementtheseinspiring

momentswhenbotanicallydyeingyarn.The

mostunassumingplantsaretheonesthatoer

themostbeautifullyvibrantshades,opening

uptheworldof colourintoparalleluniverses.

Thesturdybarksof thetreeswepassbycan

giveus themostdeliciousblushshades.It feels

splendidto beableto seethewayplantshave

oeredus so muchmorethanmerelythings

of beauty,momentsto trulysitdownand

wonder.Whatelseof thisplanethasmoreto

oer,whentakenintodeepconsideration?

Botanical yarn dyer, Ocean Rose, describes the joys

and inspiration to be found in the colours of nature

the earth in

my hands

The colours of

Inmyhands

Acornsleftin thesunfroma winter’spast

havedarkenedintothegorgeousshadeof

earth,underthehigh-summerrays,ready

formanyhoursin a dyepot.Thesearethe

momentsthatI cherishthemostwhenI'm

dyeingyarn,theprocess,thecountlesshours

in a steamykitchen,andtheadventurefrom

whichtheplantsthemselveshavecrossed.

Attheendof a longday,whenI reachforthe

basketonthesideof thecouchfilledto the

brimwithyarn-dyeingessentials,allI candois

simplysmile,forthecoloursof theeartharein

myhandsreadyto beworkedintosomething

equallybeautiful.

Ocean Rose is a botanical yarn dyer,

poet and creative. Find her gorgeous

yarn at http://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/

Oceanbythesea, and her words and

imagery at http://www.instagram.com/

ocean_bythesea.

© Photogrpahy: Ocean Rose

5

favourite

dye colours

1

Indigo blues, their colours

innumerable, from sky to sea,

there is much more to discover.

2

Shades of pastel pink because

they make me blush.

3

Forest green is enchanting, with

rich and lucious tones.

4

Gold, I never had much of it,

but nature has changed that

ten-fold.

5

Every single colour, because,

like a mother, I could never

simply choose just one.

T

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