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GOOD READ
naturallydyedcolourhasa depthoftone
thatcan’tbematchedbya chemicaldye,
becausealltheplantmaterialcontainsa
spectrumofshadeswhichallattach
themselvesindividuallytothewool.The
variousshadesallmellowatdifferentspeeds
andindifferentways. The effect is subtle and
always beautiful.”HOMEGROWN
Asforthepracticalitiesofthedyeingprocess,
Alisonownsanoutbuildingthatshehopesto
convertintoherownworkshop,butinthe
meantimeherentirehouseis overrunwith
hertoolsofthetrade.“I have a very tolerant
family!”shelaughs.
“Thematerialsfor
dyeingallliveon
shelvesinmyutility
roomandthedyeing
is doneeitheronmy
kitchenstoveorona
hotplate.Outinour
gardeninthesummer,thewoolis driedin
thecupboardwhichhousesthehottankand
underfloorheatingmanifold,orinmyrear
porchinthesummer.Thedyedwoolis
storedinmyhusband’sstudy.It canbemore
ofa challengekeepingit incheckintherun
uptoa bigshowasthevolumesincrease!My
childrenhavebeenknowntogreetwool
deliveries with phrases like ‘not more wool!’”If readingaboutnaturaldyeinghasgot
yourcreativejuicesflowing,Alisonhassome
adviceforeasypigments.“Avocadois a good
startingpointasit doesn’tneeda mordant.
Thereis babypinkinthepitsandsalmon
pinkintheskins.Scrapeoffasmuchflesh
fromthepitsorskinsasyoucan,rinsethem
incoldwaterandleavethemtodryout.Once
youhavea goodnumber,youcanextractthe
dyebygentlyheatingthemina panofwater
(justenoughtocoverthepits).Thentakeout
thepitsorskinsandaddyourwetwooland
gentlyheata whilelonger.A longslowheatis
thekey.Toomuchheatandyou’llgetbrown.
“Similarly onionsgivea goodcolourand
don’tneeda mordant
(althoughI do
mordanttheyarnI
selltoimprovethe
longevityofthe
colour).Dockleaves
givea glorious
goldenyellowand
turmericis a goodhomedyecolourgiving a
vividorange,whichmutes down to a
beautifulyellow.”
WrittenbyLucyEvans
FindoutmorebyvisitingAlison’swebsiteat
skeinheroine.com,whichincludesherblog,
andheadovertoherEtsyshoptopurchaseher
hand-dyedyarns at http://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/
skeinheroine“THE REALBEAUTYOF NATURALLY
DYEDCOLOURIS HOWIT
MELLOWS OVER TIME”
BESTOFBRITISH
ThiscarefortheenvironmenthasledAlison
tocommittousingBritishwoolsfordyeing,
“Buyingwoolthathasbeengrownandspun
intheUKmeansit hasn’ttravelledlong
distances,generatinglotsofCO2.Sheep
farmingintheUKis anincrediblyefficient
useoflandandwoolintheUKisn’tgrownas
a meanstoanend;it’sa by-productofthe
meatindustrysodoesn’t have a large energy
costboundupinit.”
Besidesthis,Alisoncancapitaliseonthe
widevarietyofBritishsheepbreeds,eachof
whichbringdistinctivequalitiestoitswool.
“Ryelandis incrediblywarmsomakes
amazingdeepmid-wintersweatersandhats
- brilliantfordaysspentplayinginthesnow.
Shetland,whilesoft,hasa ‘tooth’thatclings
thefibrestogether,meaningit’sbrilliantfor
colourwork.DorsetHornhasa springiness
that’sgreatforhats.BluefacedLeicesteris
softenoughtowearagainstyourskinbutis
veryresistanttopillingandhasa beautiful
lustre.Wensleydaleis solustrousthat,when
worstedspun,it canlooklikea silkblend.If
wedon’tsupportthefarmerstendingour
nativesheepbreeds,theywon’tbeableto
continueinbusinessmeaningthesebreeds,
andtheiruniquewools,willbelostforever.”
Evenwithnaturaldyes,mordantsmustbe
used.A mordantis a bondingagent,like
alumoriron,whichhelpsthedyecolourstick
tothewool,andalsoimprovesthelongevity
ofthecolour.“Thewoolneedstobe
mordantedpriortodyeingandthe
mordantingprocesscanmakethewoolfeel
slightlycoarseif it’soverdone, so care is
needed,”shecautions.
Thepayoffis thequalityofthenaturaldye
asit ages.“Therealbeautyofnaturallydyed
colouris howit mellowsovertime,”enthuses
Alison. “This is not the same as fading! A
Afewofherfavouritethings
Alisonalsofindsthetimetoenjoy...
“WhenI’mnotdyeingyarn,I’mmainlya mumtomyeight-year-
oldtwins,butI lovetocrochet,toknit(especiallysocks)andto
makedressesandshortsformychildren.I lovetospendtime
potteringinmygarden;it keepsmeverybusy during summer.”
Find Alison online at http://www.skeinheroine.com