The Knit Apothecary

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The Knit Apothecary

Hand Dyed Yarn.

01/19/2022

This week's wip is a hat pattern called Violet Cap by Melissa LaBarre. I'm really enjoying the process of making this hat; the pattern stitch looks intricate yet it's super simple to make and the instructions are written beautifully. You can find it in Making Magazine No. 1/Flora.

10/01/2021

This week I used coffee as my natural dyestuff of choice - just some regular, instant coffee I found in my kitchen cupboard.

The yarn sample shown is 100% untreated BFL that has been scoured and mordanted with alum. I used 23g of coffee to achieve this intensity of color.

If you want to try natural dyeing with coffee, go for it. It's a fun activity and safe for children to do as well. You can use yarn or cloth made of cotton, wool or silk - just ensure it's a natural fiber and not synthetic. You don't have to mordant your fiber either. Coffee is high in tannins which will make the color stick to the fiber without the need of a mordant. Just ensure that your fiber is scoured well with a pH neutral soap prior to dyeing. After the dye sets, launder with pH neutral soap and store out of direct sunlight to preserve color.

09/28/2021

I recently discovered that October 1st is International Coffee Day, an occasion used to promote and celebrate coffee as a beverage. As a natural dyer, I enjoy experimenting with food to see the variety of colors and hues they produce; being that coffee stains are notoriously difficult to remove, I figured it could also substitute as an excellent dyestuff in the natural dyeing practice.

Coffee makes a good natural dye because it contains chemical compounds known as Tannins. Tannins are naturally found in a variety of plants including tree bark, leaves, seeds and spices. Plants produce them as natural defense against pests; tannins also contribute colour and an astringent, bitter flavour to the foods that contain them. Tannins easily bind to proteins so for this reason, it makes a great natural dye for my 100% Untreated BFL yarn that I will be sampling.

07/30/2021

This is the dried hibiscus flower that I use to create my dyebath for 100% Merino Worsted yarn in Steel Blue. I will probably make another batch of this color next Spring. Right now, I have two skeins left which I am currently offering as bundle in my online store. If you like it, grab it while you still can :)

https://www.theknitapothecary.com/products/tka-superwash-merino-worsted-bundle-steel-blue

07/28/2021

I've been making an effort to knit everyday for at least 30 minutes. Currently, I have by on my needles and this is an absolutely enjoyable knit. I'm using The Knit Apothecary 100% Dorset Wool in fi*****ng weight in the Coral Pink color and I love it...this yarn has great stitch definition.

06/23/2021

I plucked this out from my unfinished projects pile recently and I'm proud to say that I've gotten a lot done in the past two weeks.

This pattern is designed by Veronik Avery but I'm using my merino yarn to make it. It's a really fun knit that doesn't require too much concentration so you can work on it while watching tv or conversing.

I'll be sure to post the finished product once it's complete.

05/11/2021

I recently dyed up this new colorway called “Pink Flame” and I absolutely love it!! It’s vivid and bright - perfect colour for the summer. This colorway will be available in fi*****ng and dk weight as of Friday May 14th.

05/09/2021

I will be showing at Vogue Knitting Live this coming Friday May 14th at 1pm EST and Saturday May 15th at 2pm EST. This is my first time ever showing at any festival and I am super excited to be presenting. I am going to show a small selection of my one-of-a- kind botanically dyed yarn as well as my standard colorways.

04/22/2021

Im always thinking about changes I can make to ensure that my decisions promote the value of sustainability, especially in my business. With that being said, I've made the decision to slowly transition to only hand-dyeing wool sourced exclusively from local farmers in support of the "farm raised fashion" movement.

Pictured here are some undyed skeins that I ordered from a farmer who raises Dorset sheep. Its 100% Dorset wool and I'll be dyeing up some colorways both with plant material and eco-dyes for a special event coming up (which I'll share in another post).

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