Have you ever wondered how to write and self-publish knitting patterns? In this post I will walk you through the whole process step by step and share what I know about designing and releasing a knitting pattern. We will see how long this post will get. I might break it up into several parts in …
Today I want to share my newest soap creation with you, the cold process goldenrod & honey soap. We have been using cold process soap in lieu of liquid soap and shower gel for over ten years now. But it wasn’t until last year that I started making the soap myself instead of purchasing it. …
This post is all about the differences and commonalities between natural dyes vs. synthetic acid dyes. But first, let’s start with a general definition: What is a Dye? A dye is a colored substance that chemically bonds to a substrate. This distinguishes dyes from pigments which do not chemically bind to the material they color. …
Today I want to take you along on an experiment of natural dyeing with cochineal. Overall, cochineal is one of my favorite dyestuffs to use due to its versatility and straightforwardness. And it creates the most vibrant shades of pinks. This post contains affiliate links. I may earn a small commission if you use these …
A Natural Dyer’s Home & Garden Series Part 4 Welcome to part 4 of this series where I talk about different kinds of plant materials that are suitable for natural dyeing. Today will be about 7 plant materials from the woods you can use for natural dyeing. If you are new to natural dyeing, you …
A Natural Dyer’s Home & Garden Series Part 3 This series is about different kinds of plant materials that are suitable for natural dyeing. Today will be about 5 weeds & wildflowers you can use for natural dyeing.If you haven’t read the first two posts of the series yet, you can click here for the …
Today I want to show you how to make cold process soap. Soap making can seem daunting to beginners and it is absolutely essential to take the necessary precautions. However, once you know the process and understands how it works, it gives you the possibility to create a custom soap containing only the ingredients you …
Just in time for Easter I want to show you how to dye Easter eggs with Natural Dyes. I have dyed Easter eggs every year for the longest time. This year I wanted to experiment and see if it would be possible to dye Easter eggs with natural dyes from my kitchen. There are lots …
Tannins or tannoids are a type of mordant that naturally occur in plants. If you are dyeing protein (e.g. wool) or cellulose (e.g. cotton) fibers with natural dyes, you need a mordant or fixative to help set the dye on the fiber. The mordant forms a coordination complex with the dye which attaches to the …
German sheep breeds are not as popular or numerous as sheep breeds from other countries. There are only eleven breeds originating in Germany. For example, in England, on the other hand, there are 37 native sheep breeds. Therefore, I want to highlight those old German sheep breeds in a miniseries.Part 1 of the series was …
