The Journal for Weavers, Spinners and Dyers - UK - Issue 293, Spring 2025

Spring 2025, #293:

As the days lengthen and the sun gets higher, colours seem to look brighter and it’s time to think about sowing seeds for dye plants. Even a bucket-sized pot can yield madder for dyeing (p.21) and the illustrations in The Dye Plant Garden on p.12 show what can be achieved when a comprehensive dye garden is maintained. On the subject of natural dyeing, the cochineal article in the spring issue was the second in a series, but unlike the first article, it omitted to mention that insects are killed in the dyeing process and therefore this may not be a technique that is to everyone’s taste.

For those who prefer the growing to be done for them, the next crop of fleeces and other animal fibres should now be getting underway and maybe it’s time to take a good look at your spinning wheel and, using Cath Snape’s articles (see p.24 of this issue and p.6 of J292, the winter issue), decide whether yours needs any adjustments or, like me, simply work out what category of wheel your magical device falls into.