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The Little Book Of Yarn Dyeing: A Book Review For Yarn Addicts

August 25, 2017 by The Twisted Yarn 15 Comments

You know what some people say how drug use can escalate out of control and into addiction? Well I don’t know about that, but I do know that knitting and crochet most definitely work that way. It begins with ‘Ooh, I’ll just learn to knit so that I can make this cute hat,’ and then before you know it, you’ve forgotten the names of a couple of your children and there is actual vegetation growing in your kitchen sink, because you’ve become A TINY BIT OBSESSED with knitting a perfect replica of the Mona Lisa in intarsia? (No? Just me, then?)

But even that isn’t enough, oh no. Because once you can knit/crochet, then it’s only natural to become interested in yarn, and from there it’s but a small step towards trying spinning… and dyeing… and before you know it, you’re casually dropping into supper-table conversation that darling, wouldn’t it be a lovely idea to get some sheep to keep in the back garden, just in case the local yarn shop ever runs out of wool… At this point your dearly beloved raises an eyebrow, and moves your drop spindle out of the way in order to reach the salad, and one of your children (it might be Hieronymus, or is his name Wilberforce – if only you could remember!) mutters something about how Mummy has lost the plot… and your dear spouse doesn’t even tell him off for being rude because he was only saying what everyone around the table (apart from you) was thinking.

Gosh, that got a bit dark for a Friday afternoon blog post, didn’t it? Anyway, the point is that with this yarn malarkey, one thing can most definitely lead to another, and there’s a fair-to-middling chance that sooner or later, you’ll wonder what it’d be like to try dyeing your own yarn. At which point, you might like to consider buying this very small, very helpful, and very affordable, book:-

The Little Book Of Yarn Dyeing has just been published. It’s written by Suzie Blackman, dyer at It’s A Stitch Up. (I’ve mentioned her before.) And it is, indeed, little. That’s OK, though, because inside, it gets straight down to the nuts and bolts of exactly what you need to do if you want to dye yarn at home in your kitchen using commercially-produced pigments. (If you need a thesis-level treatise on silk-dyeing in 14th century France, you’re going to have to be prepared to look elsewhere for a considerably larger book. Same if you need advice on dyeing at high altitude. ←Example chosen because the Stoic Spouse and I own The Bread Bible, a book so comprehensively detailed on the subject of making bread that it does indeed include a chapter on how to bake at high altitude.)

This little beauty, meanwhile, is a highly practical book(let) for folk who know a bit about yarn and want to take the next step. Blackman walks us through the principles of dyeing, so that you’ll understand the reasons for each stage of the process. She explains the different approaches (speckling, painting, and so on) that you can use to achieve very different decorative effects.

She’s hot on safety, because some of these chemicals aren’t substances that you’d want to accidentally dribble into your coffee.

But most of all, she provides incredibly clear and helpful instructions for anyone who wants to learn the whole process of dyeing at home in their own kitchen, using readily available equipment. And given that this is a scaled-down version of what she does for a living, it’s fair to say that she knows her stuff. Here’s some of Suzie’s lovely hand-dyed yarn:-

The Little Book Of Yarn Dyeing is available right now, here on It’s A Stitch Up website. It’s priced at £4.50 and she ships worldwide.

Suzie very kindly sent me the free copy that I’m reviewing here, and now I’m eyeing up kitchen equipment that could be pressed into service for dyeing…

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Filed Under: Yarn Tagged With: book review, crochet, It's A Stitch Up, knitting, Suzie Blackman, yarn, yarn dyeing

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Comments

  1. saraelin says

    August 25, 2017 at 12:01 pm

    Oh god. I have just purchased yarn and some dye for dyeing. Is it the beginning of the end?

    Reply
    • The Twisted Yarn says

      August 25, 2017 at 12:03 pm

      Yup. Sorry.

      Reply
  2. Misa says

    August 25, 2017 at 12:36 pm

    Oh, what have you done?! I now have to buy this book and Lord only knows what else and I just bought a loom off eBay and we won’t mention the umpteen webpages on macrame I have saved.

    Yarn addiction? Yeah, I think so!

    Reply
  3. salpal1 says

    August 25, 2017 at 1:17 pm

    So I often think of knitting as the gateway drug to all things fiber related. I have been knitting and crocheting for about 40 years, dying for maybe 4 or 5, and spinning for just over 1. Weaving is calling my name, but I am resisting.

    I look at dying and spinning as ways to get the absolute MOST out of my knitting money. I mean really, you can buy plain fiber relatively cheaply, spend some time dying it before spinning, then spend oodles of time spinning (and thus not knitting and flying through more expensive yarns) before you get to knit with some amazing yarn you completely made yourself! That same cash can keep me busy for several weeks, or one weekend. Clearly, it is more cost effective to do it all. 🙂

    this book sounds great, and I love her yarn, so I am sure the book will be perfect. Can’t wait to see what you cook up!

    Reply
  4. Ann Shepherd says

    August 25, 2017 at 4:33 pm

    Already have the spinning wheel and the weaving loom but hadn’t considered dyeing yet – until now that is! Have always wished for space to keep alpacas though.

    Reply
  5. captelaine says

    August 25, 2017 at 5:16 pm

    Deep breath, browse yarns online… repeat to myself… I’m TOO LAZY to go to the trouble of dying yarn, I’m TOO CLUMSY to have chemicals in the kitchen, because the dogs, cats or birds might eat them. I will NOT buy this book, I will go back to my knitting now.

    Reply
  6. Marlene says

    August 25, 2017 at 6:43 pm

    It starts with granny squares for crocheters .

    Reply
  7. dragontearsoflove says

    August 25, 2017 at 7:06 pm

    You know you are falling down the rabbit hole when you start thinking of buying mainly white yarn and wondering which kitchen items can be re-purposed for dyeing and which pots for dyeing will go on your wish lists along with some vinyl table cloths so you can dye some fabric and yarn.

    Reply
  8. Rainbow Junkie says

    August 25, 2017 at 7:37 pm

    Maybe I am in the wrong place. Think I’ll stick to shop yarn. More time for knitting and crochet and all those other things!!

    Reply
  9. narf7 says

    August 25, 2017 at 7:43 pm

    “Yes!”

    Reply
  10. Denise says

    August 25, 2017 at 8:58 pm

    …and that’s before you even start on all those wonderful plants in your garden that will turn your yarn amazing colours!

    Reply
  11. Lynn Lilley says

    August 25, 2017 at 11:06 pm

    I knew I was coming unhinged when I bought 2 not 1 kits for fair isle sweaters,they are sitting in my maybe one day I’ll get round to them pile. Now we already have a border collie dog, so sheep could be the next step!!!

    Reply
    • captelaine says

      August 28, 2017 at 6:34 pm

      Border Collies need a job, otherwise they make up their own, and you probably won’t like it…. now if you got your Border Collie a sheep I think that would be one happy content Border Collie. 🙂

      Reply
  12. quietwatercraft says

    August 26, 2017 at 10:19 am

    I have just this week reached the stage of wondering whether I could dye my own yarn. I am already well on my way down the slippery slope…

    Reply
  13. Linne says

    September 7, 2017 at 11:25 pm

    I know that rabbit hole well; I fell in at age 4 or 5 when Mum started me on hand-stitching. At 10 I progressed to knitting, crochet and embroidery. Not much happened in my teen years, but once my first son was on the way, knitting returned to my life, settled by the fire and never left again. Along with her came her various fibre siblings. Somewhere in the storage I have several pages listing natural plants for dyeing and the mordants needed, if any. One day that will surface. I’ve done some silk dyeing and still have supplies (guess where?). I used to dream of sheep myself and a collie and/or a border collie to help with caring for them. For now, I have a box of unspun, but washed, fleece waiting for me to settle down a bit more. I took spinning lessons quite some time ago and I know how to use a drop spindle and even how to make one from a large knitting needle and a potato! Lots of fun. Not that long ago women would go to fetch the cows for milking and use their spindle (or knit) along the way, making use of every possible bit of time. I’m a bit that way myself; I always have my workbasket with me in the car and it’s amazing what can be done in even the shorter trips to run errands (I’m not driving, of course!). Once I would carry knitting or crochet with me and if I were caught up waiting at the bank or a checkout, I always got a wee bit done. Fibre of any sort is a gateway drug and I’m glad it’s still legal!!
    Thanks for a fun post, Phil. You brought a smile to my face. ~ Linne

    Reply

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Another crochet-to-the-rescue post! Two days ago I had more surgery, to deal with the outcome of previous cancer-tackling surgery. They installed a clever wound-vaccuuming device which was fine but inconvenient to carry. So I crocheted a device-carrier and now, life is so much easier! Yarn by @stylecraftyarns .

Another crochet-to-the-rescue post! Two days ago I had more surgery, to deal with the outcome of previous cancer-tackling surgery. They installed a clever wound-vaccuuming device which was fine but inconvenient to carry. So I crocheted a device-carrier and now, life is so much easier! Yarn by @stylecraftyarns . ...

303 30

thetwistedyarn

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Jul 21

Open
@novitaknits have done a fabulous job of photographing my cardigan design. ❤ I HIGHLY recommend following their beautiful Insta page. Pattern out very soon. 
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#strandedcolourwork #strandedcolorwork #strandedknitting #fairisletechniques #steek #steeking #howtosteek #fairislecardigan #fairisle #fairisleknitting

@novitaknits have done a fabulous job of photographing my cardigan design. ❤ I HIGHLY recommend following their beautiful Insta page. Pattern out very soon.
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#strandedcolourwork #strandedcolorwork #strandedknitting #fairisletechniques #steek #steeking #howtosteek #fairislecardigan #fairisle #fairisleknitting
...

285 12

thetwistedyarn

View

Jul 27

Open
Annnnnd breathe. Post-work knitting in the garden. Not shown because I don't have four hands: a large glass of wine and a book.
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#knittingoutside #strandedcolourwork #strandedcolorwork #strandedknitting #fairisle #fairisleknitting @stylecraftyarns #stylecraftyarns #stylecrafthighlandheathers

Annnnnd breathe. Post-work knitting in the garden. Not shown because I don`t have four hands: a large glass of wine and a book.
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#knittingoutside #strandedcolourwork #strandedcolorwork #strandedknitting #fairisle #fairisleknitting @stylecraftyarns #stylecraftyarns #stylecrafthighlandheathers
...

299 13

thetwistedyarn

View

Jun 1

Open
Knitting and walking in the sunshine. ❤ 
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#knitspo #knitspiration #knitinpublic #knittinginpublic #knittingandwalking  #nevernotknitting @novitaknits #novitaknits #knitdesigner

Knitting and walking in the sunshine. ❤
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#knitspo #knitspiration #knitinpublic #knittinginpublic #knittingandwalking #nevernotknitting @novitaknits #novitaknits #knitdesigner
...

130 2

thetwistedyarn

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Apr 5

Open
The steeks are cut and it's beginning to look a lot like a cardigan (apart from the lack of sleeves, collar, button bands, buttons, and a really thorough blocking, but what's a few details between friends?) I'm excited that the knitted reality is coming out pretty much how I hoped when I created the design. Feel free to laugh at my hubris when it all goes wrong tomorrow...
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#knittersofinsta #knitspo #knitspiration #garn #strikkedilla #strikke #virkning #knitwear #knitdesigner #novitaknits #nevernotknitting #Fairisle #fairislefriday #fairislecardigan #fairisleknitting #strandedcolourwork #strandedcolorwork #strandedknitting

The steeks are cut and it`s beginning to look a lot like a cardigan (apart from the lack of sleeves, collar, button bands, buttons, and a really thorough blocking, but what`s a few details between friends?) I`m excited that the knitted reality is coming out pretty much how I hoped when I created the design. Feel free to laugh at my hubris when it all goes wrong tomorrow...
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#knittersofinsta #knitspo #knitspiration #garn #strikkedilla #strikke #virkning #knitwear #knitdesigner #novitaknits #nevernotknitting #Fairisle #fairislefriday #fairislecardigan #fairisleknitting #strandedcolourwork #strandedcolorwork #strandedknitting
...

415 19

thetwistedyarn

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May 2

Open
I finished designing a thing. @novitaknits yarns are lush. 🙂
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#strandedcolourwork #strandedknitting #strandedcolorwork #fairisletechniques #fairislefriday #fairisledesign #knitdesigner #knittingdesigner #nevernotknitting #novitaknits #novita #garn #strikkedilla #strikke #virkning #knitspo #knitspiration

I finished designing a thing. @novitaknits yarns are lush. 🙂
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#strandedcolourwork #strandedknitting #strandedcolorwork #fairisletechniques #fairislefriday #fairisledesign #knitdesigner #knittingdesigner #nevernotknitting #novitaknits #novita #garn #strikkedilla #strikke #virkning #knitspo #knitspiration
...

351 48

thetwistedyarn

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Mar 31

Open
Progress.
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@novitaknits
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#steek #knittersofig #knitspo #knitspiration #strandedcolourwork #strandedcolorwork #strandedknitting #fairisletechniques #fairislefriday #fairisleknitting #fairisledesign #Fairisle #nevernotknitting #knitdesigner #knittingdesigner

Progress.
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@novitaknits
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#steek #knittersofig #knitspo #knitspiration #strandedcolourwork #strandedcolorwork #strandedknitting #fairisletechniques #fairislefriday #fairisleknitting #fairisledesign #Fairisle #nevernotknitting #knitdesigner #knittingdesigner
...

395 16

thetwistedyarn

View

Jun 24

Open
Thank goodness I'm not a perfectionist. 
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#fairislecardigan #fairisletechniques #fairisleknitting #fairisledesign #fairisle #fairislefriday #strandedcolourwork #strandedcolorwork #strandedknitting

Thank goodness I`m not a perfectionist.
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#fairislecardigan #fairisletechniques #fairisleknitting #fairisledesign #fairisle #fairislefriday #strandedcolourwork #strandedcolorwork #strandedknitting
...

200 14

thetwistedyarn

View

Mar 25

Open
Spring has never been more welcome. View looking upwards as I walked home after taking the twinnage to school. For once, I wasn't even knitting as I walked.

Spring has never been more welcome. View looking upwards as I walked home after taking the twinnage to school. For once, I wasn`t even knitting as I walked. ...

261 15

thetwistedyarn

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Nov 30

Open
Busy on the book. 
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#strandedcolourwork #strandedcolorwork #strandedknitting #fairisleknitting #fairislefriday #fairisle #knitdesigner #knittingdesigner #rowanfeltedtweed

Busy on the book.
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#strandedcolourwork #strandedcolorwork #strandedknitting #fairisleknitting #fairislefriday #fairisle #knitdesigner #knittingdesigner #rowanfeltedtweed
...

152 7

thetwistedyarn

View

Mar 7

Open
Public service broadcast by @thetwistedyarn! Steeks aren't scary.
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#steeking #steek #strandedcolourwork #strandedcolorwork #strandedknitting #garn #strikkedilla #strikke #virkning #Fairisle #fairisletechniques #fairisleknitting #knitspo #knitspiration #nevernotknitting #knittingblogger #knittingblog #knitdesigner #fairislefriday

Public service broadcast by @thetwistedyarn! Steeks aren`t scary.
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#steeking #steek #strandedcolourwork #strandedcolorwork #strandedknitting #garn #strikkedilla #strikke #virkning #Fairisle #fairisletechniques #fairisleknitting #knitspo #knitspiration #nevernotknitting #knittingblogger #knittingblog #knitdesigner #fairislefriday
...

345 31

thetwistedyarn

View

Nov 14

Open
Cutting the steek on a swatch. I promise that it's way less scary than some people think!
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#steek #steeking #cuttingthesteek #fairisletechniques #fairisletips #knitdesigner #knittingdesigner #fairislefriday #fairisleknitting #strandedcolourwork #strandedcolorwork #strandedknitting #rowanfeltedtweed

Cutting the steek on a swatch. I promise that it`s way less scary than some people think!
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#steek #steeking #cuttingthesteek #fairisletechniques #fairisletips #knitdesigner #knittingdesigner #fairislefriday #fairisleknitting #strandedcolourwork #strandedcolorwork #strandedknitting #rowanfeltedtweed
...

276 12

thetwistedyarn

View

Apr 30

Open
Washed ready for blocking... and mysteriously suddenly enormous. The swatch didn't behave like this!

Washed ready for blocking... and mysteriously suddenly enormous. The swatch didn`t behave like this! ...

263 25

thetwistedyarn

View

May 9

Open
My implausibly awesome friend @buttonspickles has just published this sock pattern. This a woman who seriously knows her cables and her socks, so this pattern is worth checking out. There's a link in her bio for purchase.

My implausibly awesome friend @buttonspickles has just published this sock pattern. This a woman who seriously knows her cables and her socks, so this pattern is worth checking out. There`s a link in her bio for purchase. ...

109 4

thetwistedyarn

View

Mar 22

Open
Knitting and walking in two colours at once. What could possibly go wrong...
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Yarn is lovely @novitaknits
Merino 4ply.
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#knittingandwalking #knitoutdoors #knitinpublic #knittinginpublic #knitspo #knitspiration #garn #strikkedilla #strikke #virkning #fairisle #fairisleknitting #fairisledesign #knitfairisle #fairislefriday #strandedcolourwork #strandedknitting #strandedcolorwork #nevernotknitting

Knitting and walking in two colours at once. What could possibly go wrong...
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Yarn is lovely @novitaknits
Merino 4ply.
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#knittingandwalking #knitoutdoors #knitinpublic #knittinginpublic #knitspo #knitspiration #garn #strikkedilla #strikke #virkning #fairisle #fairisleknitting #fairisledesign #knitfairisle #fairislefriday #strandedcolourwork #strandedknitting #strandedcolorwork #nevernotknitting
...

423 9

thetwistedyarn

View

Dec 6

Open
Still knitting and walking. Photobomb of twinnage feet at the top of the photo. 🙂
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#knitinpublic #knittinginpublic #knittingandwalking #nevernotknitting #knitspo #knitspiration #rowanfeltedtweed

Still knitting and walking. Photobomb of twinnage feet at the top of the photo. 🙂
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#knitinpublic #knittinginpublic #knittingandwalking #nevernotknitting #knitspo #knitspiration #rowanfeltedtweed
...

169 1

thetwistedyarn

View

Apr 18

Open
I really should go indoors and do boring chores, but....
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#novitaknits #strandedcolourwork #strandedcolorwork #strandedknitting #fairislecardigan #Fairisle #fairisleknitting #fairislefriday #knitdesigner #knitspo #knitspiration #strikke #strikkedilla #virkning #garn

I really should go indoors and do boring chores, but....
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#novitaknits #strandedcolourwork #strandedcolorwork #strandedknitting #fairislecardigan #Fairisle #fairisleknitting #fairislefriday #knitdesigner #knitspo #knitspiration #strikke #strikkedilla #virkning #garn
...

365 18

thetwistedyarn

View

Dec 6

Open
Want to knit a spot of Christmas cheer? New blog post at thetwistedyarn.com, or see linky in my bio.

Want to knit a spot of Christmas cheer? New blog post at thetwistedyarn.com, or see linky in my bio. ...

191 3

thetwistedyarn

View

Apr 26

Open
Decent weather for a run. Yes I do occasionally put my knitting down. The colours of this view are a statement, too.
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#running #freedomforukraine

Decent weather for a run. Yes I do occasionally put my knitting down. The colours of this view are a statement, too.
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#running #freedomforukraine
...

206 4
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