Celebrating the Colours of Nature
There’s something beautiful, magical, almost alchemical about natural dyes, and this week we’re highlighting a few of our very favourite things from the world of natural dyeing.
The ability to collect perfectly ordinary plants that anyone could encounter (if they know where to look) and turn them into works of art in their own right and the building blocks of the craft work we all make is truly inspiring. Not only does it remind us to look for beauty in unexpected places, it also deepens the relationship between the work we do and the natural world, our artisan predecessors, and the many generations who will come after us.
One of the naturally dyed products that’s most dear to us is the Teinture Sauvage Embroidery Wool Thread Boxes created just for Loop by Céline Philippe, and we’ve just received a new batch for summer. Each of these specially selected colour palettes contains five mini skeins of wool embroidery thread, naturally dyed by hand using only plants. The threads are produced in France from beginning to end, with the impact on the environment considered at every stage.
The specially designed and hand-stamped box these threads come in is the perfect size to keep your Teinture Sauvage thread set together, and it can be used to store other threads and haberdashery bits and bobs once you’ve used the set. Teinture Sauvage Embroidery Wool creates stunning stitchwork. These threads will work perfectly in any project where you want to add depth and dimension.
If Céline’s creations inspire you to try your own hand at natural dyes, Emma Kylmälä’s new book Dyeing Naturally is the perfect way to learn how to harvest the colours of nature. This book launched a few weeks ago and we’ve absolutely loved having it in the shop — and we have more on the way! Former Loopette Emma is so skilled at breaking down all the steps to start your natural dyeing journey and making it feel less daunting.
And of course Emma’s own line of naturally dyed yarns are utterly gorgeous. Not only is she an experienced natural dyer, she also used to work as a shoe dyer for the Royal Ballet! And Town Dyer yarns bring all her years of experience to bear. We’re thrilled with the gorgeous Krea Deluxe Organic Cotton base Emma has dyed just for us. She has created a new range of colours for us this summer and we are totally in love with the bright, saturated colours she has chosen. The fantastic cotton base makes this yarn perfect for summery clothes but also for toys, cloths, or towels. We can’t wait to see these brilliant hues all around the house!
Last week we brought you brand new colours in some of our very favourite yarns, and they just keep arriving! This week we’ve received two new colours of Qing Dashing (in addition to the new Melted Baby Suri colours from last week). “Soft Grey”, “Milky Way” and “Sunset Dreams” show off the versatility of pastels on a 100% superfine merino fingering weight base. Dashing is a great versatile yarn, making anything from cosy winter socks and hats to open-knit summer clothes and accessories, and we’re super excited to have Tiny Tassels Kits in Soft Grey too!
We also have two new limited edition colours of John Arbon Textiles Yarnadelic, “Moonage Daydream” and “Dark Star”. If you recognise the names of these colours that’s no accident — Yarnadelic is inspired by John Arbon’s cavernous record collection containing everything from punk to funk and each colour in this range is inspired by a song. The Florence shawl and Soundwave Static Cowl were both designed specifically for this yarn, but the stitch definition and drape make this base perfect for just about anything you can dream up!
We’ve got some lovely bits in our sale section at the moment! Border Mill Alpaca Tweed, which is being discontinued by the mill, is available at a discount while supplies last. This 100% alpaca is a soft and silky blend of naturally hand-dyed fibres produced entirely in the UK. La Bien Aimée Mohair Silk is also on sale in the colour “Sansa“. This stellar lace-weight yarn has a fabulous sheen and a lovely halo that elevates any knit, whether it’s held alone or together with another yarn. And finally, if you’ve been waiting to get your hands on a top-of-the-line set of interchangeable needles, now is your moment. ChiaoGoo Forté Interchangeable Needle Sets are on sale! Beyond the huge range of needles, this set has all the haberdashery bits you need, from scissors to stitch markers, and it’s all kept in a convenient case that keeps everything organised at home or on the go. What a treat!
Happy weekend!
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