This month I’m reviewing two books from the Guild library that focus on fiber dying, starting with Dyes From Your Garden by Bernice Gilette Conner. This spiral bound volume dates back to 1975, which was an era of DIY fearlessness.

Conner approaches natural dying with a can-do spirit laced with heavy doses of curiosity and experimentation. Many of the plant materials she uses grow around here including lantana, elderberry and Spanish moss (which she says creates a brilliant yellow). She even has a use for those pesky, persistent pokeweed plants that want to take over my side yard.

I have never tried natural dying, though I am dye curious, mainly because of safety concerns. Connor breezily mentions that “many of the dyes and mordants are poisonous” but gives few health guidelines.

Moving ahead a decade, we have metaphorically traded our Birkenstocks and hemp aprons for perms and power suits. Welcome to a 1980’s take on fiber arts, Hands On Dyeing by Betsy Blumenthal and Kathryn Kreider. This is a scientific approach to the craft, focusing more on commercial products rather than foraged materials. There is a much stronger focus on safety, including the use of protective clothing and responsible dye disposal. Whereas Connor’s book makes me want to grab a basket and start foraging, Hands On Dyeing feels less creative and more corporate.

It seems that craft books have come full circle with a return to natural materials, albeit with more of a focus on safety. I got a recent book from the public library called Harvesting Color by Rebecca Burgess. It combines the joyfulness of Connor’s book with some common sense practices that will protect the intrepid dyer from any ill effects.

Happy weaving (and dyeing) and happy reading,
Dina