• Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

Shilasdair Yarns

Naturally Dyed Yarn on the Isle of Skye

Basket (0)Checkout
  • Home
  • About
    • About Us
    • Yarns
    • Natural Dyes
  • Visit Shop
  • Workshops & Retreats
  • Come and Stay
  • A dyers diary
  • Location
  • Contact Us
  • Buy Online

A dyers diary

Latest Entries
    • Bog MyrtleBog Myrtle
      November 14, 2019Natural DyesBog myrtle Bog myrtle was one of the first dye plants that I experimented with many years ago using nothing but my intuition and limited dye knowledge. I was very free and easy with my methods but always got a pleasant result, and this in turn encouraged me on in my natural dye pursuits. Since these experiments I have researched and learnt a lot more about this Skye shrub that grows all around us here at Shilasdair. Bog myrtle or Myrica gale is a woody deciduous perennial shrub from the Myricaceae family. It thrives in damp or boggy soils, which explains why we have so much of it here! As with many of these ancient plants people have used them in the past for all sorts of uses – the Vikings are said to have used Bog myrtle to treat depression and poor memory and to give a sense of well-being. We use the leaves ourselves in a tea and on Skye it makes an excellent midge repellent. But it is for it’s secret dye colour that I have my strongest connection with the plant. We tend to harvest the bog myrtle in late August but it is still possible to sneak in a final forrage as late as October before the first frosts have arrived. We use not just the leaves but also the woody twigs and stems. Without these twigs a lovely warm yellow colour can be achieved. As can been seen above. Just an over nights soaking in cool peat water can produce a yellow dye – however further heating unlocks the rich tannins which will aid us in our pursuit of a richer colour. For it is the warm khaki green that we just love to get from bog myrtle. After long and slow heating we dye our fibre in the yellow dye liquor and then leave to cool over night. The following day we reheat the dye pot and do a post mordant iron bath where we add just 2 % of dissolved ferrous sulphate. Bringing the pot back up to a low heat for 20 minutes the colour transforms before our eyes to a warm khaki green – soft and earthy it is all the more special for coming from under our feet on the hills here on Skye....

Instagram

We are still busy stocking our shelves working out We are still busy stocking our shelves working out how and where our displays will go this year.  The shop will open on Monday the 26th of April in accordance with Scottish government guidelines.  It will be wonderful to have customers in our building again...it definitely suits the buzz of people coming and going.  In the meantime the online shop is still stocked up.  This picture is of our ‘molach’ Wensleydale Dk yarn in 50g... dyed with local meadowsweet and dock....shining little rays of sunshine today ☀️

#naturallydyed #meadowsweet #dock #wensleydale #plantdyed #shilasdair #isleofskyenaturaldyecompany
Spring on Skye.... beautiful big skies with lazy c Spring on Skye.... beautiful big skies with lazy clouds ☁️ hanging around over the sea... these kind of landscapes force you to slow down.. we never take it for granted and are so happy that you can very soon travel and visit Skye too. Booking for our B and B is open again.. link in bio...we would love to be your hosts to the island.. good times ahead ☀️ xx

#glenviewskye #isleofskye #trotternish #islandescape #hebrides
Pattern up dates! There are still a few colours le Pattern up dates! There are still a few colours left of our coara rope for @kariebookish Cuillin sweater including the madder red shown in Karie’s original design.  Like buses all our pattern plans are arriving at once!!! Here is a sneaky peek at a beautiful shawl designed by @madewithloops made all the more exciting because it is launching a new 4 ply yarn base which is so soft and squishy to wear.  This is all doubly exciting as it will be released to coincide with @botanica_yarnfest (so many links in one post!) on the 1st of May x

#kariewestermann #madewithloops #cuillinsweater #smuid #shilasdair #isleofskyenaturaldyecompany
In between the snow showers we had lovely spells o In between the snow showers we had lovely spells of sunshine yesterday.. perfect opportunity to take a picture of one of our new yarn bases being launched at @botanica_yarnfest on the 1st of May.  Smuid is a 4 ply blend of blue faced Leicester and Gotland fleeces. It’s a dream to work with and we are very excited to have it in our range x

#naturallydyed #indigo #shilasdair #isleofskyenaturaldyecompany #indigodyed
Tada! @kariebookish #cuillinsweater pattern is rel Tada! @kariebookish #cuillinsweater pattern is released today.  This is actually the first jumper I have ever knitted so I can definitely recommend it as a quick and easy pattern with enough interest going on to make you feel proud. The online shop is stocked up with coara rope ready for you ( link bio)😍

#kariewestermann #cuillinsweater #coararope #isleofskyenaturaldyecompany #shilasdair
Follow Me!

Footer

Find Us

Shilasdair Yarn,
Culnacnoc,
Isle of Skye,
Portree IV51 9JH,

Tel: 01470 562248

Email: hello@shilasdair-yarns.com

Connect With Us

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter

Our Yarns

  • Visit Shop
  • Buy Online
  • Yarns
  • FAQ

Glenview-skyepiecafe
Glenview-skyepiecafe

© 2021 · Shilasdair Yarns · Website Design Isle of Skye by West Coast Media