Going Wild for Natural Dyes and Fabulous One-of-a-Kind Finds

Going Wild for Natural Dyes and Fabulous One-of-a-Kind Finds

We just love naturally dyed fibres, and this week we are spoiled for choice with gorgeous deliveries from three of our most cherished fibre producers: Teinture Sauvage, Town Dyer, and Mette Mehlsen!

Celine of Teinture Sauvage, via @teinturesauvage on Instagram

The beautiful wool embroidery threads of Teinture Sauvage, which roughly translates as “wild dye”, are the result of working with only natural materials. Celine, the brilliant mind behind these gorgeous threads, worked as a lawyer for more than 20 years before she escaped the city and fulfilled her dream of cultivating a wild garden, living with the seasons, and hearing birdsong. Her love of plants is what drove her interest in natural dyes. Celine’s dyes are made only with natural materials. Through combining different plants, she has even been able to eliminate the metallic mordants that are sometimes used in combination with plant dyes. She describes the delicate process of plant dyeing as being similar to growing a garden: you have to know how to observe the process, know when to intervene, and avoid ruining the dye. The reward for this meticulous labour is gorgeous, rich tones that sing.

We are so excited to have two new colour collections of Teinture Sauvage threads in the shop. ‘Heather’ is a collection of pinks and greens while ‘Autumn’ features yellows, brown, olive, and earth tones. We have also restocked our Purples + Yellows, Greens + Blues, and Sweet Roses colourways. As always, these threads are made from 100% traceable wool from artisanal spinning mills in France where only ecological products are used. Celine’s dyebaths are also fully compostable thanks to her plant-based mordant.

Town Dyer’s natural dyes on a Krea Deluxe Organic Cotton base

We are so excited to also have a delightful new batch of yarn from Town Dyer in the shop. Former Loopette Emma Kylmala uses plants from her own London garden as well as the surrounding area to make her dyes. The Krea Deluxe Organic Cotton base Emma uses is a sustainably produced natural cotton that is wonderful for babies and for people who have allergies. The colours that have just arrived are so summery, with hints of coastal fog, forest lichen, and crystal-clear streams.

A bounty of Plant Dyed by Mehlsen at Loop

We have also received a lovely package of Plant Dyed by Mehlsen — a yarn we fell in love with as soon as we saw the delightful little cakes. These naturally dyed delights are from Denmark, where Mette Mehlsen hand picks her dye ingredients in the western part of Jutland. The subtlety of these colours and the vast range of hues Mette manages to capture is just stunning. Mette’s yarns are also available as part of our Flower Power Crochet Scarf Kit, Wildwood Crochet Scarf Kit, and knit Colourwave Scarf Kit.

Fabulous One-of-a-Kind Finds in Our New One-Off Collection

The best thing about running an independent shop is the opportunity to meet so many brilliant makers all over the world. Over the years we’ve seen the most beautiful crafts from every corner of the globe and built so many lovely friendships with the wonderful artists behind them. Sometimes we find something truly incredible that we nevertheless can’t stock regularly for one reason or another, and have to bid a fond farewell. That is, until now. Our new ‘One-offs‘ section on the website is a ‘curated flea market’ featuring special items we come across in our travels that we just can’t resist. From a rare stash of vintage, never-been-worn, iconic Wrap Bracelets by Chan Luu to incredible one-of-a-kind creations by Grainne Morton, these finds are among our favourites.

Wee Kittens Join the Wee Creatures Family!

Lesley McCormick’s sweet critter creations – Bunnies and Kittens

We’re huge fans of Lesley McCormick’s wee bears, dogs, and bunnies, and we are so happy to welcome Wee Kittens to the shop as well! These brand new creations have just tiptoed into the shop along with a few Wee Bunny pals and there’s nothing unlucky about these black cats! Each hand-stitched mohair kitten is given a name and comes with a hand-stitched pillow made from vintage fabrics. Whether you’re completing your collection of Wee Creatures or just starting it, these cute kitties are sure to fit in purrrrrrfectly.

Happy crafting!

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