I’m a little bit mad about madder! It is such an easy to grow dye plant and gives a good range of colours; from dark brick red and brown, through rusty orange and peach to pale apricot and pink. All from uninspiring looking roots.
I grow madder in the garden here in Cornwall, in a very large pot. It can be quite invasive, sending its roots and shoots everywhere. This may be fine for you if you want lots of dye stuff or have a patch that can be taken over like this. It has beautiful lime green foliage that is really looking lovely right now. In the late summer I will tip the pot out onto a tarpaulin, and pick out the roots, remembering to save some to plant for next year. Then it gets dried and its ready to use.
This unasuming looking collection of twiggy bits gives:
these colours and more! If you want to buy madder to dye with, rather than growing your own, I recommend Helen Melvin at Fiery Felts.
I also use madder in the DIY Daylight Dye kits . This month (May) the kit has madder, and the yarn is the sumptuously soft Blue Faced Leicester and Silk 4 ply yarn from our collection. Although the yarn is a silvery grey marl, it takes the colour beautifully. Each kit also has a free pattern. This month it’s my “go-to” basic sock pattern. Imagine how lovely this yarn will be made into socks, or anything else really!
I hope you are keeping well at home, and enjoying some creative time. Why not sign up for our Newsletter and get more news and information from us. This month the newsletter is looking at Stash Busting!
Bye for now,
Caroline
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