The Art and Craft of Natural Dyeing: Traditional Recipes for Modern Use
Original price was: $26.95.$15.65Current price is: $15.65.
“This is the most comprehensive manual written on natural dyes since the early 1800s. Jim Liles has rescued ancient skills from near-extinction and shared them in a book that will inspire, challenge, and guide the modern dyer.”—Rita Buchanan, author of A Weaver’s Garden and editor of the new Brooklyn Botanic Gardens Handbook on Natural Dyes
” A must for every dyer. The recipes are explicit and detailed as to success and failure.”—Mary Frances Davidson
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 nonsynthetics 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 firsthand experience to produce both a history of natural dyes and a practical manual for using presynthetic 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.
The book will appeal not only to beginning and veteran dyers but also to students of restorations and reconstruction as well as to craftspeople—spinners, quilters, weavers, knitters, and other textile artists—interested in natural dyes for their beauty and historical authenticity.
Publisher : University of Tennessee Press
Publication date : November 12, 1990
Edition : First Edition
Language : English
Print length : 253 pages
ISBN-10 : 0870496700
ISBN-13 : 978-0870496707
Item Weight : 13.6 ounces
Dimensions : 6 x 0.7 x 9 inches
Best Sellers Rank: #381,791 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #46 in Fabric Dying #87 in Mammal Zoology #633 in Fiber Arts & Textiles
13 reviews for The Art and Craft of Natural Dyeing: Traditional Recipes for Modern Use
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Original price was: $26.95.$15.65Current price is: $15.65.
Laura –
A hidden treasure trove of recipes
This is a gem of a book. It’s straightforward. Not a lot of images. Mostly recipes and how to instructions. But easy enough ingredients for most of them and simple instructions. Worth having for any home dyer.
Amazon Customer –
Good reference book
Nice reference book for dying fabrics. Happy with purchase
Laughingrat –
The best English-language natural dye resource around
There’s several books on natural dyeing available right now, and they probably all have their merits. A lot of them are intended to be easygoing introductions for the amateur; this is nothing to turn your nose up at, because we all start as amateurs and we need that kind of guidance. This book serves a different purpose. This is a compendium of Mr. Liles’ careful research with natural dyes and mordants, closely observed and detailed for the adventurous home dyer. Every color of the rainbow on every kind of natural fabric (including cotton, often tricky to dye with natural dyes) is discussed here. If you want a magnificent reference source on natural dyes, something you will never exhaust–pardon the pun–this is the book to get.
R –
I think this is an excellent book but a little too technical for me
I think this is an excellent book but a little too technical for me. It gets dull even though the information is good. So it’s worth it but not much fun to read.
Maria –
Excellent Resource
Excellent resource! Only wish it had more color pictures.
Walnut Farm Designs –
A must have.
Great book on natural dyeing. A must have. In reading it with a highlighter. Great info and recipes for wool and cotton or flax
Leila –
Good job Mr
Anyone interested in dyeing with natural dyes should have this book. It goes into details about dyeing procedures and chemistry that other books don’t touch on. While it is not necessary to know all of the details about the chemistry, ph, temperatures and so forth of dyes, as you get more involved, you might want these details. It make you more knowledge about how dyes work in general and if you are dyeing protein or cellulose fibers in particular what is needed for success.Good job Mr. Liles for your contribution to understanding natural dyes.
Jim –
Art and Craft of Dyeing
This book is a must have core reference for anyone serious about the craft of dye. The basic sources for dyes and mordants, how to make them from their chemical components, reactions and precautions etc. are exhaustively described.
Ariadne –
Não tem fotos bonitas . Tem muita leitura , muito texto e não serve para quem só quer receitinhas básicas .
claudia –
Ottimo manuale per chi vuole approfondire la tintura naturale.Facile da consultare, è scritto in modo semplice da una persona molto competente.
Lili Dlos –
one that I will turn to on numerous occasions I have no doubt. As other reviews have said if you are looking for a book full of pretty images buy something else. If you are serious in dyeing your own yarn and fabric using natural dyes then this is the book for you.
Donna Fillion –
A great addition to my collection of fabric dyeing books!
Marta –
Il libro più esauriente disponibile in materia. Una quantità notevole di ricette collaudate. L’unica pecca è l’utilizzo di misure americane che rendono la vita difficile.Molto interessante anche le introduzioni storiche sui vari colori e le tecniche. Scritto bene.