2019 Calendar - Twelve Months of Plant Dyes - Now Sold Out

The 2019 Calendar Twelve Months of Plant Dyes is now Sold Out.

One thousand copies were printed.
Thanks very much to everyone who bought one.

'Each month, this calendar shows off a natural source of plant dye, together with a method for extracting and using its colour. From March onwards, the pages also include advice on growing your own dye plants, harvesting them and saving seeds for next year. 
The calendar starts with the easiest dyes and simplest processes, building up your skills with the idea of learning by doing. Follow the monthly projects and come the end of the year, you will have practiced many of the basic methods and tried a good few of the fancier techniques of plant dyeing.'

My companion, Elinor Gotland, sat at the table reading out loud the introductory page of my new plant dye calendar. I waited while she pushed her specs back up her nose and took a sip of tea.
'Well, at least you finished writing it in time for 2019, Beaut. To be honest, I'd given up hope.'

I leaned across to flip up a proper page.
'See how nice it looks, though. I wanted the 2019 calendar to be better than the one I made for 2017. Lovelier pictures, clearer instructions in a smoother learning structure, all put together to make twelve of the finest pages anyone could have hanging on their wall.'
Elinor sniffed.

'Handsome is as handsome does. I remember you howling with your head in the wastepaper basket when you realised some of the information in your first Calendar was wrong.' She sighed and sat back. 'Maybe it's a mercy you didn't rush this one, but taking two years, for twelve pages of work? It's hardly "War and Peace."'

'Wasn't just me working on this. I owe a debt of thanks to everyone who gave me feedback on the 2017 Calendar. It did take all of 2017 to do the original growing and dyeing projects again myself and I've improved some and cut out others entirely. This year, I needed to double check other dye plants and techniques to make some fresh pages.'

'Hope you've added a bit more zing to the 2019 Calendar. Logwood and safflower?'
'Not my bag, Elinor. All the plants are still ones you can forage or grow in the UK. I've broadened the colour range though, this new version includes growing madder roots for red dye and woad or Japanese Indigo plants for blues. Plus there's ivy, tree leaf and berry dyes.' 

I tapped the calendar. 'Go on, read some more, you'll see the 2019 Calendar is streets ahead of the old one.'
Elinor flicked through the pages to December.  
'Nice hat. And fair play, the printer has done a great job. Real quality finish, much better than your home printed original.'
I lifted the calendar out of her hooves and hugged it to my chest.

'The thrummed knitting pattern for the hat will be my first blog this December. It looks great on my daughter, in fact, I'm delighted with how the whole calendar has come out. Deciding to give the job to a printing company with FSC accreditation and environmental impact certification hasn't meant sacrificing a first rate end product. Even the envelopes I've bought are 100% recycled.'

'So, how many calendars did you have printed?'
'Three hundred.'
My companion looked at me.
'You've nailed your plant dyed colours to the mast this time, then, Beaut.' 
She poured a slug of sloe gin into my tea and raised her own cup. 
'Fair play. Best of luck selling them.'