When my friend Emily of Wool and Palette started talking about putting together some natural dye kits I was instantly excited. Not just for me but for all the creatives out there who are interested in trying their hand at dyeing yarn with organic materials but they just don't know where to start!
Because I knew for a fact, even then when it was just an idea quietly whispered out loud for the first time, that it would be exquisite.
And it certainly is.
Emily has put SO much thought and work into this natural dye kit that it is astounding. I mean, just look at this gorgeous box!
And the yarn inside?
Deliciously squishy. Locally and responsibly sourced wool. And already mordanted so it's ready for you to get right to dyeing it!
Let's take a closer look at what's inside, shall we?
In addition to the FULL skein of scrumptious yarn, which is 100% Merino/Rambouillet non-superwash wool, by the way, she included a wonderfully thorough and descriptive guide to getting started with natural dyeing.
It includes step by step instructions for not only prepping the yarn, creating your dyebath, and finishing instructions, but she also tells you how to modify the color of the yarn using the included packet of iron.
I love her attention to detail, too! All the way down to explaining the ties on the hank of yarn. This is such a great guide, y'all.
There are also some extra free downloads available, which include the Matilija Mitts knitting pattern from Lauren Rad of A Bee in the Bonnet, a pom pom tutorial, and two additional guides for first time yarn dyers: A Natural Dyer's Equipment Guide and A Natural Dyer's Water Guide.
SO much great information here!
And y'all. Let's not forget to talk about the dye materials.
Emily included an entire bag full of flowers, stems, and leaves from Weld that was grown and harvested in her own garden!
And they SMELL wonderful, too.
The Weld itself will yield a bright yellow color but with the iron you can shift the yellow through a range from chartreuse to sage green, depending on how long you leave it in the after-mordant bath.
I'm SO excited to watch this step happen! It's going to be super cool.
Yes, I plan on going with the green, though I DO love the yellow, too. But I just gotta watch that color change magic happen!
Okay, let's get you in the moment even more with the unboxing video.
Ready?
Here we go!
Ah, that was so much fun!!
I can't wait to give this a try.
No, I don't plan on going into dyeing yarn. Not at all! But it's going to be a fun experiment and I am certain that at the end of it I will be very glad that Emily is the expert and not me!
You can get your very own Natural Dye Kit if you'd like to join me on this little adventure or it would also make a really excellent gift!
Want to know my favorite part, though?
What she says as you open the box:
Go make some magic today, my friends!