Workshops - Natural Dye Tutor
Experienced Natural Dye Tutor
As Featured in The Knitter Magazine
With over 20 years experience with natural dyes, Karen Morgan speaks to The Knitter Magazine about hand dyed yarn and natural dyes. The article title is, "Taking inspiration from the landscapes of the Pembrokeshire coastline, Karen Morgan produces gorgeous, natural hand-dyed yarns". The Knitter's article is in the series on Artisan Yarn makers and explores our processes for hand dyeing yarns with natural dyes and also our natural dye workshops.
Extract from Our Story - Natural Dye Experience
All the yarn and other fabrics on this website have been dyed by hand with natural dyes only - there are no exceptions!
Read the Knitter Magazine Interview
Hand Dyed Yarn with Natural Dyes
Over twenty years ago when I struggled to find that colour, shade or tone that was in my thoughts I decided to dye the yarn myself. I started with the commonly used synthetic acid dyes but found the colours too harsh and not what I had in mind. I turned to the 100% natural dyes, a more time-consuming method with a few more stages but the rewards for your patience make it worthwhile. The colours are enthralling, each will depend on where the dyestuff was grown, how it was harvested, the fibres being dyed, and the method of application used by the dyer. Even when using one of my tried and tested recipes the dyestuff can produce a different colour. This is part of the charm of natural dyeing never quite knowing what the results will be and usually being pleasantly surprised!
Being self-taught I have honed my skills and knowledge over the last ten to fifteen years and I have attended many workshops in the UK and as far as North America. These various week-long or more events were rewarding both in knowledge and meeting new like-minded people who have become friends. I work with natural fibres such as wool, silk, cotton, linen, hemp. I use the traditional dyes of madder, indigo, cutch, lac, logwood etc. and natural mordants, modifiers and tannins.