Modern Natural Dyer A Comprehensive Guide to Dyeing Silk Wool Linen & Cotton at Home

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Very thorough and instructive, with beautiful photos throughout. Shade cards for protein-based and cellulose-based fibers are provided. The projects are set up to walk you through specific skills and have step-by-step photos. Kristine Vejar is both an expert dyer and experienced instructor; it really shows in this book! This is an excellent introduction to plant-based textile dyeing and a useful resource for more experienced dyers. The materials used are all obtainable in North America and a list of resources is included. There are a few limitations - not all of us can set up an indigo vat, for example. Although she does have good instructions for setting up workspaces, and gives instructions on a manageable medium sized vat, you must wear eye protection and gloves, and I personally would not do this in a household with small children or pets around. You will likely need to make some purchases, whether for equipment or dye supplies (lye, soda ash, pH testing strips), although many of them can be obtained through thrift shops and garage sales (such as pots, tongs, and spoons). The projects often include the use of mordants and plant extracts that are easy to purchase. This makes sense - it's easier to get started and to get more predictable results - but if your aim is to do something low cost or easy to do with kids, this may not be the right book to start with.