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fibreworkshop

Harvesting hues for drying and dying later in the

Harvesting hues for drying and dying later in the year.

Working with natural dyes forces you to take a slower cyclical pace fitting the rhythm of the year. Sometimes things are ready to use when you are not.
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Everything is blooming and the gardens are cropping like crazy. It's all about the harvest. Everyday I take 5 minutes with a cup of tea and gather the days flowers for drying. At the moment its Marigolds, coreopsis, chamomile and hollyhocks. I'm going to dry these for using later in the year.
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Drying is really easy I just put them in paper bags and leave them in a covered well ventilated spot outside. Give them a shake every day or so. Easy peasy.

#fibreworkshop
#naturalcolour
#naturaldye
#naturaldyersofinstagram
#botanicaldye
#harvest
#plantdyeing
#indiedyer
#dryingflowers
#growyourown
#selfreliance
#sustainable
#ecocolour
#plantsareawesome
#rhythmoftheyear

Mood Indigo... When lock down struck in march and

Mood Indigo...

When lock down struck in march and we all woke up one day to find ourselves in a strange new world with no jobs to go to, well we finally found the time to build a greenhouse.
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And it seemed like the perfect time to experiment with tricky tropical indigo. Germination was patchy, 4 plants from the whole packet of seeds. And so very very slow to grow! But here they are. Quite exciting watching plants grow.
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I wait impatiently to get enough leaves to harvest for an indigo vat. Talking encouraging grow words to them every day...not sure if I have the patience for them...may just stick to woad for my indigo blues. We will see.
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.
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#fibreworkshop
#indigo
#indigoferatinctoria
#growyourowncolor
#naturalcolour
#naturaldye
#botanicaldye
#botanicaldye
#plantdyeing
#plantdye
#naturaldyersofinstagram
#doingitfortheprocess
#sustainable
#selfreliance

The woad vat has been busy. As has the Brazilwood

The woad vat has been busy. As has the Brazilwood dye pot for those lovely soft summer pinks.

I'm also loving the bright citrus green the acid yellow weld is giving this year.

These skeins are now up in the shop link in bio. Unlike the flowers...

The flowers are sadly all to fleeting but I'm enjoying their blooms in the garden and hope you get joy from seeing them to 😀

#fibreworkshop #yarnlove #norfolkwool #norfolkhorn #woollove #knitbritishwool #rarebreedwool #britishwool #colourwork #dyersofinstagram #handdyedyarn #naturaldye #naturaldyes #naturaldyedyarn #plantdye #plantdyeing #plantlove #lovecolour #lovewool #microproducer #madeinnorfolk #producedinnorfolk #sustainableyarn #sustainablefibre #handdyed #indiedyer #knitters #knittersofinstagram #crochetersofinstagram

LOOK!! Now you're smiling. Late lambs at the Elsi

LOOK!! Now you're smiling. Late lambs at the Elsing Orchard flock.

Three bouncy beautiful lambs born last week. Shaky start, mum has mastitis and the tiniest lamb has a lame back leg. But as you can see lots of tlc from Oliver and Wendy has paid of and all seem happy and well now. Amazing to watch the lame lamb bounce and gambol as good as the other two with just three weight bearing legs.

#fibreworkshop #norfolkhorn #elsingorchardflock #rarebreed #rarebreedsheep #norfolk #britishbreeds #britishsheep #lambs

Socially distanced woad workshop harvesting seed t

Socially distanced woad workshop harvesting seed to take home. Hopefully the woad patch will be spreading across the county 😀

Was lovely to spend the day in such good company. If a little anxious and strange with the whole distancing thing.

#fibreworkshop
#woadworkshop

Thought I'd mark the start of #virtualwoolfest2020

Thought I'd mark the start of #virtualwoolfest2020 and help myself get over the sadness of not being able to go by sharing a sample of some of this year's Norfolk Horn clip.
This is shearling Norfolk Horn (think babies first haircut). Soft, fine, crimpy and bouncy. Perfect.
Although mostly cream in colour fleeces also have patches of dark chocolate to greater or lesser degree. It's these beautiful dark fibres that fleck through the yarn to give it that distinctive oaty with chocolate sprinkles colour.
Can't wait to get this year's clip of to the mill.
#fibreworkshop
#rarebreed
#rarebreedyarn
#rarebreedsheep
#norfolkwool
#norfolkhorn
#norfolkhornyarn
#norfolkhornwool
#singlebreedyarn
#yarnwithprovenance
#madeinnorfolk
#producedinnorfolk
#wool
#britishwool
#knitbritishwool
#microproducer
#supportsmallbusiness

Back in stock nostepinne centre pull skein winder.

Back in stock nostepinne centre pull skein winder.

Time to slowly (un)wind in a shady spot with a cool fuzzy drink and turn those pretty soft and soothing skeins into balls with a very beautiful nostepinne.

In case you are wondering a nostepinne is a hand held centre pull ball skein winder. It's a very old tool that goes back to the Vikings.

Gorgeous aren't they. They were made for me by Mikey @LyngWood. He makes very beautiful things with locally sourced woods. These are just stunning and made from spalted yew, beech and birch. I love spalted wood, where the dark threads trace lovely patterns through the wood making each peice unique. They are perfectly balanced, and will stand upright.

I have just updated the shop and have just 6 available in the shop - link to store in bio☝

I'm going to be spending the the next few days sitting in a shady spot listening to the grasshoppers rasp whilst revelling in the luxury of slow time to wind some yarn into centre pull balls and drinking long cool fizzy cocktails.. Mmm #mojitotime. 😋😋😋 #fibreworkshop
#nostepinne
#knitters
#knittersofinstagram
#slowknitting
#wood
#spaltedwood
#craft
#beautifultools
#reinactment
#handmade
#knitting
#summer

Norfolk Horn dyed with yarrow last summer, modifie

Norfolk Horn dyed with yarrow last summer, modified with copper yesterday.
Like alot of British native plants yarrow gives yellow. As you can imagine therefore natural dyers tend to end up with a lot of yellow in a multitude of shades. Great if you like yellow...or you can overdye and modify. I'm liking the brightness to the green that copper gives. Iron goes a bit khaki sludgey for my taste.

Just need to decide what to knit with them now. Any suggestions?

You can find the Norfolk horn 4-ply in all the yellows and greens and oranges in the shop link up top ☝️ #fibreworkshop #naturaldye #naturaldyeing #naturalcolour #plantdye #plantlove #botanicaldyeing #localcolour #sustainable #ethical #dyersofinstagram #purewool #lovewool #yarnlove #norfolkwool #norfolkhorn #knitbritishwool #colourwork#colorwork #lovecolour #madeinnorfolk #handdyedyarn #microproducer #naturaldyersofinstagram #yellow #yarrow #achilleamillefolium

'i know a bank where the wild thyme blows, Where

'i know a bank where the wild thyme blows,

Where oxlips and the nodding violet grows,

Quite over-canopied with luscious woodbine,

With sweet musk roses and eglantine..' Midsummer night's dream...my favourite Shakespeare play... Tis midsummer, thought you would appreciate a posie of flowers in 7 parts. Fragrant blossoms and fleeting flashes of colour. They come so quick and don't stay long enough before the year shifts on. Always find midsummer a bit melancholy. But this year more than ever I'm savouring every scent and moment small of joy I can. I wish you many moments of happiness for today and the coming days of summer☀️☀️☀️ #fibreworkshop #midsummer #flowers #summertime

After much umming and ahhing we will be going ahea

After much umming and ahhing we will be going ahead with next Saturday's woad workshop.
I have limited places to just 3 participants and myself. There is one space left and if you would care to join us please book online at fibreworkshop.co.uk.

We will be socially distancing outside in the fresh air at Elsing, Norfolk whilst we have fun learning about and dyeing with woad.
This is going to be fun!

Message me if you would like more information.

#fibreworkshop
#woadworkshop
#woad
#norfolkcraftworkshops
#craftworkshopnorfolk
#dyeworkshop

Woad spuds used to weed woad fields. Woad crops w

Woad spuds used to weed woad fields.

Woad crops were weeded by hand with these tools by the families that lived and worked on the transient woad farms. They would be crawling along the lines on hands and knees.

Hard work.

#fibreworkshop
#woad
#textilehistory
#historyofwoad

A lovely hot and sweaty afternoon yesterday sortin

A lovely hot and sweaty afternoon yesterday sorting fleece.

I'm very busy at the moment with gathering fleece from my network of Norfolk Horn flocks. Darting here there and everywhere across the county whenever I can get a vehicle.

Let me introduce you to @thenarboroughflock . Aren't they fabulously handsome. This is one of the largest flocks of Norfolk's in Norfolk.

Vicki and Caitlin have been huge supporters of the project. Without them and all the other small producers and keepers of our rare breed of sheep I couldn't do what I do. So we all should support them, especially now.
How? A simple 2 step programme:

1 Find them
2 Buy from them.
Easy peasy.

If you keep Norfolk's in Norfolk and would like to know more message me.

#fibreworkshop
#norfolkhorns
#madeinnorfolk
#producedinnorfolk
#rarebreedsheep
#britishwool
#microproducer
#sustainablefibre
#lovewool
#buylocal
#yarnwithprovenance
#norfolkwool
#wool
#norfolkhornwool
#rarebreedyarn
#rarebreedwool

Settling down for an afternoons read. Hurrys 1930

Settling down for an afternoons read.
Hurrys 1930 book is the definitive work on woad I think. I've been after reading it for ages. Luckily the viking found it in his uni library and borrowed it before lock down. And now I'm reading it whilst drinking tea and listening to the leaves rustle in the breeze. Thought you might also like to see a little bit too. Enjoy😀

#fibreworkshop
#woad
#jamesbhurry
#historyofwoad
#blue
#textilehistory

Fresh honey comb. This is the first 'harvest' fro

Fresh honey comb.

This is the first 'harvest' from the hive at the bottom of our garden. I dont keep bees for the honey, so i only take a comb or two and leave the rest to them. A bit like rent. Tastes so good, i can't stop eating it. I've eaten to much and feel sick.
#bees #honey #honeycomb #naturalbeekeeping #warrehive #doitforthebees

beautiful yarn bowl by @handmade_at_bramley_cotta

beautiful yarn bowl by @handmade_at_bramley_cottage. I think every knitter should have one! with a perfectly coordinated skein of Norfolk Horn yarn 😁🐑 #Repost @emmalucytayler
• • • • • •
I'm so chuffed with my yarn bowl 💛 I can't wait to get hooking!
Thank you @handmade_at_bramley_cottage
#yarnbowl #prize

Whilst I was busy making cushion in the workshop S

Whilst I was busy making cushion in the workshop Sean was also amusing himself... He decided the entrance to my herb garden needed more pazzaz. By the way this is the front garden which is where the useful herbs, medicinal and dye plants grow and the bees forage. Keep hearing walkers, cyclists and horse riders giggling as they go padt

#fibreworkshop
#herbgarden
#signs #gardenstyle #

Totally Norfolk Handwoven cushion finished. I rea

Totally Norfolk Handwoven cushion finished.

I really enjoyed this project. It ticks slot of boxes for me. All sourced, dyed, and woven from within 20 miles. Derived from natural, sustainable and completely biodegradable materials. A circular product, from soil to soil. Its woven from the 4-ply Norfolk Horn in onion and willow and natural as the base. the natural works really well as a base for the dyed yarns, it has a complex oaty warm colour that just makes the natural dyes bounce.

Also it's a soft woollen spun yarn so im told isn't suitable for weaving. But yah boo sucks to that, rules are made to be 'tested' (broken?). It's actually a testy prototype. Im thinking of new Norfolk products. What do you think?

#fibreworkshop #sustainabletextiles #madeinnorfolk #producedinnorfolk #makersgottamake #handmade #lovewool #lovelocal #weaversofinstagram #naturaldyed #handdyed #smallbusiness #inspiredbyannialbers #handwoven #designers

Weld on wool Or for when life gives you lemons...

Weld on wool

Or for when life gives you lemons...make yellow belly martinis😋

These are the results of this week's weld dye pot. It must be a good year.An amazing amount of colour. A very bright deep luminous Iemon yellow. like bottled sunshine. Or a visual assault by a dayglo light stick... These lovely skeins are the Norfolk Horn 4ply and will be in the shop ☝️the double knit is a sneaky peaky preview so sshh don't tell anyone

#fibreworkshop #naturaldyed #weld #naturaldyedyarn #naturaldyersofinstagram #handdyedyarn #indiedyersofinstagram #indiedyer #plantdyed #plantdyes #lovebritishwool #madeinnorfolk #norfolk #supportsmallbusiness #lemon #yellow #colourwork #colorwork #4ply #handdyed #lovewool #microproducer #sustainable

Warping for a new project. Hugely satisfying to k

Warping for a new project.

Hugely satisfying to know that, aside from a trip to Yorkshire for spinning, every thing was grown and sourced in Norfolk. From the Norfolk Horn fleece to the onion skins and willow used in the dyes. Everything you see came from the soil and can be returned to it when it's ended it's useful life.
There are so many words spoken about climate change, sustainability and sufficiency. And so much hipocracy when it actually comes to putting our economy where our mouth is. I mean both as individuals and as a nation. For me it's not about the shouting but quietly just getting on with it and doing it. But I am just me, and this is just a single project, the real challenge is how can this approach become normalised? I hope the time that lock down has gifted us has allowed us to reflect, take stock and vow to emerge and do things differently.
I was so engrossed in these big thoughts that it wasn't till I was half way along that I noticed that I was warping the loom back to front...no worries, she'll be right there is always a solution😁
#fibreworkshop #sustainabletextiles #doityourself #weaversofinstagram #sufficient #naturaldyes #lovelocalwool #naturaldyersofinstagram #rigidheddleweaving #slowtextiles #britishwool #madeinnorfolk #soiltosoil #naturalfibers #makeyourown #craft #weaving #youarethesolution #plantdyedyarn #producedinnorfolk #keepitlocal #makersgottamake

Weld Reseda luteola One of the best source of yel

Weld Reseda luteola

One of the best source of yellow dye we have. Ive tried a few and have found it to be the best. So its really the only plant I use for bright yellows and for over dying with woad for the best acid greens. However it's a bugger to grow on demand. It will grow quite happily in those waste patches of turned earth and old industrial sites but try to sow seeds where you want them. Not a thing. So i now leave my weld to chance and serendipity. Bit of a risky strategy but it hasn't failed me yet.

Going for walks this time of year is more like a trip to the shops. I can't leave home without a bag and secateurs. I'm always spotting useful plants. I've been watching this patch of weld for a few weeks. This morning I harvested it. Its all chopped up and soaking . And if you do try this at home never take it all, always leave some to seed for next year. But then you already knew that anyway... So get your sunglasses on and watch out for some kerpow in your face yellows 👓💛😁 #fibreworkshop
#weld #dyersrocket #resedaluteola #dyersofinstagram #dyersgottadye #naturaldyes #plantdye #naturaldyersofinstagram #plants #thisismyprocess #yellow #foraging #naturesharvest #sustainableliving #ecofriendly #botanicaldye

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