This zine turns our eyes to the great histories of natural dyers.

Women, witches and healers throughout time have practised dyeing out of necessity and joy, and passed down the sacred knowledge to their children. Now rooted in the pages of this zine, we honour these women - the women who taught us how to deliver our babies, to use herbs as medicines, to cook, spin, sew, and dye.

It features 8 dye recipes available to any forager, alongside their accompanying folklore. Including oak, apple, and elder, this zine will teach readers the basics of natural dyeing with local and readily available ingredients, thereby helping in saving the ancient practice of colouring cloth.

Its author, artist Ciara Callaghan, hopes that by practicing natural dyeing the reader will also enjoy a new and intimate relationship with the natural spaces around them.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ciara Callaghan is an artist based in the UK working primarily in textiles. Through her research and practice in dyeing, embroidery and quilt-making, Ciara explores the role of heritage craft in contemporary culture, feminism and the interrelation between object and owner. She is interested in themes of place-making and belonging; the importance of hyper local colour and textile objects in relation to place.

Ciara regularly works in collaboration with communities to explore these themes in their own experiences.

Ciara is an associate artist at MK Gallery and the Milton Keynes Art Centre. Her work has been exhibited at MK Gallery, The New Earth Art School and The Barbican Centre.