Monday, 30 July 2018

Natural Dye

Harris Tweed is the cloth woven by hand in the Outer Hebrides.  The wool used was originally dyed using local plants vegetables and lichens.  Every time we look out of a window here at out little cottage the surrounding meadow and croft is a link to a bygone era where plants were used to dye the cloth.  The moorland and vast swathes of peatlands are a joy to behold where the living plants were used in the dying process.  Each time I look at tweed it reminds me that from the land comes the cloth.  Sadly these days the plants are no longer used in the dying process of the wool but there are some Artisan Crafters around the Island that are still familiar with the process and use local plants.  Seaweed is often seen been collected along the shoreline.  Let me take you on  quick look at some of the beautiful wild plants growing  along the hedgerow.  Pour yourself a cup of tea and take a piece of shortbread and make yourself comfortable for this picture heavy post.





























Have you tried dying wool or fabric, I would love to hear about it?

See you soon.
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26 comments:

  1. karen30 July 2018 at 05:50

    I have not, but I have done walk arounds for photos of beautiful wildflowers like you just did. I haven't done it lately and now I think I should!!

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  2. The Joy of Home with Martha Ellen30 July 2018 at 06:27

    The beautiful meadows certainly have inspirational colors for the lovely Harris Tweed wool. I like hearing there are still artists that still use this process. ♥

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  3. Beca30 July 2018 at 07:02

    That is interesting. It's good to know some of the old practices haven't faded out completely.
    xx Beca

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  4. fiona30 July 2018 at 07:13

    What a lovely post so much beauty dotted around the landscape to lift the spirits.

    I have used homemade vegetable dyes on cotton and linen and cold tea to dye lace.

    Onion skins are one of the easiest to start with and are good for yellows and earthy colours.

    It is a shame that using the natural dyes is no longer commonplace but good to know it is not totally lost and still in use by some x


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  5. Sheila30 July 2018 at 08:39

    I've never tried dying with plants but I know someone who did and she used to produce some beautiful things.
    It does fascinate me.
    Hugs-x-

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  6. faith7630 July 2018 at 08:59

    Once years ago at college I did silk tie dye in A-levèl Arts and Crafts. It was fun not really knowing what it was going to look like. I would love to explore natural hand dying.

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  7. justjill30 July 2018 at 09:11

    Fantastic variety..beautiful.

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  8. Chris30 July 2018 at 10:24

    I'd love to see your results of the natural dye I have tried it with school children using onion skins and dandelions, it was ok but not a very dark coloured.. but talking about dyes, how did you find when you stopped colouring your hair? I am contemplating doing that, very daring for me, can I do it??

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  9. Elaine30 July 2018 at 11:03

    Isn't it amazing how, once we stop and look properly at hedgerows and verges, we suddenly become aware of how great a variety of plants they contain. Duty has interrupted my playing about with natural dyes, but I hope to try a few more things later in the week. Enjoy your beautiful island.

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  10. CJ30 July 2018 at 12:54

    I love the idea of dyeing using natural plants, it's a real skill. Let's hope it's kept alive.

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  11. Mrs Tiggywinkle30 July 2018 at 15:05

    Ah, there's beauty all around us, not least in your words today - "from the land comes the cloth", I love that. x

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  12. Granny Marigold30 July 2018 at 15:13

    There is quite a variety of wild flowers/weeds on your island.

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  13. David M. Gascoigne,30 July 2018 at 15:21

    Harris Tweed always evokes an image of a country gentleman with a pipe for me. Does anyone even smoke a pipe any more?

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  14. Teresa Kasner30 July 2018 at 16:21

    What a fun bunch of wildflowers you have around you! I look forward to seeing what you do with your plans. ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

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  15. Hill Top Post30 July 2018 at 16:22

    "From the land comes the cloth." I love it! I could look on and on at your beautiful native plants. And, to imagine, that most are capable of dying the cloth. I do know that wool is fairly easy to dye with plant material...opposites attract.

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  16. Cynthia30 July 2018 at 16:26

    All our clothing used to come from the land, and the colors, too. I've done some natural dyeing of wool and find the subtlety of the colors and the process very satisfying. Maybe you should have a go with some of those plants and your neighbors' sheep!

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  17. At Rivercrest Cottage30 July 2018 at 19:50

    I painted an upholstered chair with watered down chalk paint, but no dying. Will be watching to see if you do some.

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  18. Crimson Kettle30 July 2018 at 23:31

    All so beautiful and useful too. You'll hsve to give the dyeing process a go, you might get a range of natural colours.

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  19. Serenata30 July 2018 at 23:45

    Lovely colours and hedgerows. I haven't tried dying anything with plants (unless tea leaves counts?) but I did think yesterday when grating the beetroot for my cake that it would make a pretty amazing dye as the colour was so vibrant! In fact my hands still look a bit red.

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  20. Debbie-Dabble Blog and A Debbie-Dabble Christmas30 July 2018 at 23:58

    Beautiful photos of lovely blooms!! Thanks again for stopping by!!
    Hugs,
    Deb

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  21. Nancy Chan31 July 2018 at 01:28

    I haven't. I like your wild flowers and plants pictures. I can recognize some which are familiar to what we have here but some we don't have.

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  22. Cherie31 July 2018 at 04:49

    My friend gave me the fleece from his sheep a few years ago. I washed it and bagged it and have dyed it used a variety of mediums.. I combed and carded some of it and spun (span)? a ball of rainbow yarn a few years ago...in my blog somewhere in the distant past. I think I knitted a bag with it.

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  23. Lorrie31 July 2018 at 21:34

    What a lovely collection of plants on your island. I recognize many that grow here, as well. Natural dyes are so beautiful; I think they have a softer, deeper quality about them. I've not done much dyeing, but I did do some indigo baths with my daughter a few years ago.

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  24. Anonymous1 August 2018 at 01:01

    You have a good collection of flowers. Natural dye is good for the cloth. It gives bright color and the quality of the cloth increases:)

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  25. Debi1 August 2018 at 14:33

    Beautiful photos... thank you for sharing!

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  26. Grandmabeckyl.blogspot2 August 2018 at 08:06

    Saw some nice flowers on that walk. I've used Rit dye to make tie dye t-shirts years ago. Then the kids did it for homeschool project. Take care!

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