This lucid account of plants from which natural dyes can be obtained will be welcomed not only by all who work with fiber arts but also by botanists.

The dyeing of textiles and other materials is a rewarding and delightful way to bring the colors of nature to daily living. In this fascinating book, the authors have compiled extensive information to bring the techniques, plants, and lore of natural dyeing within every reader s reach."

"'Harvesting Color' presents the entire process of infusing your life with color--finding the right plants, harvesting them at the best time, transforming the crop into beautiful dye, and, finally, marring pigment to fiber. In this beautiful book, Rebecca Burgess showcases thre dozen common plants that yield striking hues. Citing fascinating botanical lore, she demystifies the process of recognizing each plant in the wild. For those you can grow yourself, she details when to sow the seed and how to nuture the plant. For all the plants, you'll learn the optimal time to harvest, as well as how to extract the best dyes" --Cover flap.

Do you love plants? Do you love crafting? Would you like to dye your own fabric, yarn or clothing? Learn the relaxing art of botanical dyeing with natural dyer, Rebecca Desnos. Connect with nature and open your eyes to the colour potential of plants. Discover how to: produce a wide palette of colours, including pink from avocados, yellow from pomegranates and coral from eucalyptus leaves; extract dye from just about any plant from the kitchen, garden or wild; use the ancient method of soya milk mordanting to achieve rich and long-lasting colour on plant fibres, such as cotton and linen; produce reliable colours that withstand washing and exposure to light.

"For several thousand years, all dyes were of animal, vegetable, or mineral origin, and many ancient civilizations possessed excellent dye technologies. The first synthetic dye was produced in 1856, and the use of traditional dyes declined rapidly thereafter. By 1915 few non-synthetics were used by industry or craftspeople. The craft revivals of the 1920s explored traditional methods of natural dyeing to some extent, particularly with wool, although the great eighteenth- and nineteenth-century dye manuals, which recorded the older processes, remained largely forgotten. In The Art and Craft of Natural Dyeing, J.N. Liles consolidates the lore of the older dyers with his own first-hand experience to produce both a history of natural dyes and a practical manual for using pre-synthetic era processes on all the natural fibers--cotton, linen, silk, and wool. A general section on dyeing and mordanting and a glossary introduce the beginner to dye technology. In subsequent chapters, Liles summarizes the traditional dye methods available for each major color group. Scores of recipes provide detailed instructions on how to collect ingredients--flowers, weeds, insects, wood, minerals--prepare the dyevat, troubleshoot, and achieve specific shades"--Publisher's description.

Valuable hints on dyeing fibers and fabrics, soap plants to use for cleaning textiles, fragrant plants to scent and protect fabrics; planning and creating a garden featuring cotton, flax, indigo, and much more.