D15 of August Break: My Favorite Natural Dyes

Oak galls (or Oak apples, as they’re sometimes called) fascinate me. They are a result of  the puncture of the bark of an Oak tree by the female Gallwasp, Cynips Gallae-tinctoriae, who lays its eggs inside. Five to seven cm in diameter, they make a smokey grey or black dye. Beautiful.

Thank you to Rebecca Burgess who introduced me to the brilliant world of Oak galls and bioregional, low-footprint and natural dyes. Rebecca is the author of the gorgeous and inspiring new book, Harvesting Color. I highly recommend her book for your own sensual pleasure, and for my favorite vacation project with my kids: let’s naturally dye some stuff today!