Mordants: The Invisible Magic Behind Every Naturally Dyed Skein
Same plant. Same yarn. Different mordant. Completely different colour. Here’s how the chemistry of natural dyeing really works. If you’ve ever wondered why two skeins dyed with the same plant can come out completely different colours — one a soft blush, one a deep burgundy — the…
moreFrom Polyester to Microplastics: The Uncomfortable Truth About Synthetic Fibres
The story of synthetic fibre begins with a teenage chemistry student’s failed experiment. It ends with plastic in our oceans, our food — and our clothes. In 1856, an eighteen-year-old chemistry student named William Perkin was attempting to synthesise quinine — an anti-malarial drug — from aniline,…
moreBlue Gold: The Fascinating History of Indigo and Woad
Two plants. Thousands of years of rivalry. And a vat that smelled of rotting fish and ammonia. Of all the colours in the natural dyer’s palette, blue has always been the most coveted — and the most technically demanding to achieve. Before the age of synthetic dyes,…
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Tyrian Purple: The Colour That Cost a King’s Ransom
It took 250,000 sea snails to dye one garment. It smelled of rotting fish. And it was the most coveted colour in the ancient world. Imagine a colour so expensive, so exclusive, and so deeply associated with power that wearing it without permission could get you exiled.…
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Adventures in Natural Yarn Dyeing: What I Learned from a Day with Madder, Woad and Walnut Husks
In March 2024, I joined a natural yarn dyeing course. It was more chemistry class than craft session — and I loved every minute of it. I have been a yarn connoisseur for some time. My stash would suggest I am physically incapable of passing a good…
moreLittle Red Insects: The Extraordinary Story of Cochineal
When Spanish conquistadors arrived in Mexico, they found a red so vivid nothing in Europe could match it. It came from a tiny insect on a cactus. And it’s probably in your yoghurt right now. There is a red that defies comparison. Not the warm brick-red of…
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A Thread Through Time
The ancient origins of yarn – before knitting needles, before spinning wheels, someone had to invent yarn itself. When you pick up a skein of merino and begin to cast on, you are participating in a tradition that stretches back further than recorded history. Far further, in…
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