A Garden to Dye For. Chris McLaughlin

       Praise for

      A Garden to Dye For

      “Thank you, Chris McLaughlin, for showing us one more ‘aha’ reason to love and use plants to improve our lives. In A Garden to Dye For, Chris guides us like a trusted friend with her fun and informative style.”

      – Joe Lamp’l, Executive Producer & Host: Growing a Greener World®

      “You CAN do it all – garden, dye, create – and Chris will show you how! You’ll start to see your garden in a whole new light as you harvest armfuls of cosmos and hollyhocks or bushels of onions and cabbage – yes, cabbage – to create striking dyes for your fabrics and fibers!”

      – Niki Jabbour, author of Groundbreaking Food Gardens

      “As an avid gardener, I’m always looking for new ways to use and enjoy the plants in my garden. A Garden to Dye For is a breath of fresh air, filled with creative project ideas for all ages, detailed recipes, helpful hints and inspiring photography.”

      – Rebecca Sweet, author of Refresh Your Garden Design with Color, Texture and Form

      “This book takes our yearning for things created via natural and organic processes and makes it easy to fall in love. One of my favorite things about A Garden to Dye For is that, as someone who has never considered dyeing my own yarns, Christine McLaughlin suddenly makes me REALLY, REALLY want to try it!”

      – Christina Salwitz – The Personal Garden Coach, co-author of Fine Foliage

      “Christine McLaughlin is a natural dye enabler – a knowledgeable friend filled with contagious passion and enthusiasm. She has enticed this dreamer to take the natural dyeing plunge and truly learn to appreciate plants in a whole new way.”

      – Miriam Goldberger, author of Taming Wildflowers

      “I’m dyeing to get started now on one of the great uses of plants. Chris’ colorful writing style makes learning to garden for natural dyes easy and fun!”

      – Jessi Bloom, author of Free-Range Chicken Gardens

      “Sage advice on natural dyes from a master gardener who knows her plants and fibers. Chris McLaughlin is an encouraging voice for all of us who love our gardens, but never attempted dyeing our clothes or other fibers. I want to try my hand at turning my own garden into one to dye for.”

      – Dee Nash, author of The 20-30 Something Garden Guide

      “This rainbow-covered book brims and simmers with colors, ideas, projects (both indoors and out), a floral/herbal/vegetable abecedarian, and garden plans. With this book you’ll be able to grow your own palette of custom, natural, untainted colors. Who could ask for more?”

      – Sharon Lovejoy, author of Roots, Shoots, Buckets & Boots

A Garden to Dye For

      A Garden to Dye For

       How to Use Plants from the Garden to Create Natural Colors for Fabrics and Fibers

       Chris McLaughlin

       A Garden to Dye For

      How to Use Plants from the Garden to Create Natural Colors for Fabrics & Fibers

      Copyright © 2014 by Chris McLaughlin

      All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored, or transmitted in any form without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages for review purposes.

      ISBN-13: 978-0-9855622-8-1

      Library of Congress Control Number: 2013941489

      CIP information available upon request

      First Edition, 2014

      St. Lynn’s Press . POB 18680 . Pittsburgh, PA 15236 . 412.466.0790 . www.stlynnspress.com

      Book design–Holly Rosborough

      Editor–Catherine Dees

      Photo credits:

      Deborah Lee: Front cover, pages xii, xiii; Anthony Deffina: pages xviii, 21, 22, 55, 57, 59, 60, 61, 68, 69, 73, 75, 77, 84, 86, 87, 88, 95, 97, 107, 115, 117, 127; Adrienne Munn: page 3; Evgenia Bobrova: page 6; Laura Bellel: pages 16, 49, 92; Greg Blazer: page 19; Carolyn Saxby: page 29; Ercil Howard-Wroth: pages 50, 111 [hand spun, naturally dyed, and photographed by]; Marcia MacDonald: pages 52, 70, 90, 109; Peaceful Valley Farm & Garden Supply: pages 54, 65, 72, 76, 79, 80, 101, 123; Helen Yoest; pages 56, 62; Knitting Iris: page 63; Kate Richards, pages 64, 100, 111, 114, 122, 125; Susy Morris: page 66; Kim Reese: page 81; Daniel