Eco Colour Botanical Dyes for Beautiful Textiles

"One of the most elegantly designed crafts books to debut this year, with a sophisticated layout and color photographs that capture well the ecological sensitivities of the artist.  Though the art of dyeing has long been associated with natural materials, South Australian first-time author (and creator of hand-made “slow” fashion) Flint maximizes the use of renewable resources while minimizing most harmful footprints.   On occasion, she goes to extremes, justifying, for instance, the use of wood to heat boiling-dye waters.  Yet there’s much valuable information on every page, in every illustration, throughout each chapter; the author’s very careful orientation to the subject, beginning with collecting plants and finishing with special effects and fabric care and feeding, educates and energizes.  Notes about history and practical applications (say, the production of indigo and the creation of natural blues through woad plants) are balanced with charts of traditional dye materials and specific details about processing, including plant oddities such as eucalyptus and St. John’s Wort, different effects from a range of techniques (for instance, hapa-zome, or beating color into cloth, as well as the familiar resist )and mordants (the stuff that fixes or makes color permanent).  Urban apartment dwellers might be a bit challenged by the philosophy and processes; and a few materials indigenous to Australia are unavailable to those on other continents.  Nonetheless, an excellent source.” - Barbara Jacobs Booklist

 

“If you've ever worried about the effect dyeing fabric has on the earth, Eco Colour by India Flint will teach you how to use botanical dyes to create beautiful textiles.”  - Cutoutandkeep.net

“A beautifully presented book… if you are interested in botanical dyes, this is a definite must read.” - Shuttle, Spindle & Dyepot

“Slow dyes, like slow foods, require time and effort, but can generate extraordinary results.  This book follows that same philosophy.  If you take the time to delve deeply and absorb the wealth of information offered, you will find instruction and inspiration in abundance.” – Surface Design Journal

“This book is a significant and inspirational addition to the literature on natural dyeing and one which must be read by anyone interested in the topic.” -  Pam Borchardt, member of the Natural Dye Group, Plant Craft Cottage