COTTLECOT ~ 100% Cotton, vegan friendly
Cottlecot is our newest addition to our plant fibre yarn range. It was hard to find a plant based yarn that is pleasant to knit with. After much back and forth, we settled on this one. Though we could have gone for a cheaper cotton or an organic cotton, at this time, Cottlecot was the best. Why? It is soft and doesn't split while knitting. It will not hurt your fingers, something I have been recently told, is very often the case with cotton yarns. It is a fantastic yarn for the classroom, beginners and perfect for crochet.
The yarn is produced in South America and spun into a 3ply yarn in Italy.
Vegan friendly: Naturally dye includes insect based dyes, which is not something every vegan conscience person is aware of. We make a point of keeping our Cottlecot yarn range vegan friendly and only using plant dyes, organic and/or homegrown whenever possible.
Natural Dyes: Cottlecot isn't an easy yarn to dye naturally, especially evenly. Due to the thick and 3 ply nature of the yarn, the natural dye finds it hard to penetrate through to the core. Therefore, most of the coloured yarn will fall into the category of semi solid.
Patterns: Criostal Cardigan by Knitwear designer Albina McLaughlin
In a nutshell:
Fibre: 100% Cotton
Yardage/Meterage: 182yrds/167m
Weight: suggested Aran knitting weight ~ 100g
Origin: Grown in South America
Spun in Italy
Needle size: 3-5mm
Suggested handwash or up to 60C degrees in gentle cycle.
Let’s celebrate the humble nettle! Doolin can also be used for all softwool patterns.
Doolin is made from 80%wool and 20% Ramie and the bigger brother of our 4ply Turin, made from a similar blend but including Silk as well. Ramie is a bast fibre, made from the inner phloem of the nettle. Ramie not only gives the yarn a gentle sheen, but also provides strength and stability needed for the heel and toe areas making it a great alternative to nylon rich yarns. Ramie doesn’t absorb dye the same way as wool does, giving this yarn a unique two-toned mottled effect.
Doolin and Turin are 'all rounder' yarns suitable for any project you set your mind too.
Like with all hand knitted items, a gentle handwash is best, however, this yarn has been washing machine tested by us and can be wool washed if preferred.
We also have some stunning patterns available for this yarn in our pattern section, designed by LBhandknits for AppleOak FibreWorks.
Patterns shown:
Ascophylia hat pattern
Sleeping in the Garden sock pattern
Rochelle Sock pattern
Let’s celebrate the humble nettle! Doolin can also be used for all softwool patterns.
Doolin is made from 80%wool and 20% Ramie and the bigger brother of our 4ply Turin, made from a similar blend but including Silk as well. Ramie is a bast fibre, made from the inner phloem of the nettle. Ramie not only gives the yarn a gentle sheen, but also provides strength and stability needed for the heel and toe areas making it a great alternative to nylon rich yarns. Ramie doesn’t absorb dye the same way as wool does, giving this yarn a unique two-toned mottled effect.
Doolin and Turin are 'all rounder' yarns suitable for any project you set your mind too.
Like with all hand knitted items, a gentle handwash is best, however, this yarn has been washing machine tested by us and can be wool washed if preferred.
We also have some stunning patterns available for this yarn in our pattern section, designed by LBhandknits for AppleOak FibreWorks.
Patterns shown:
Ascophylia hat pattern
Sleeping in the Garden sock pattern
Rochelle Sock pattern
In a nutshell for 1 skein:
80% wool & 20% Ramie
weight Sport
100gr/ 3.5oz
300m/ 328yards
2-3mm needles
Dyed in Ireland naturally using fresh organic Coreopsis plants.
Origins: Wool USA, Ramie China, spun in the Czech Republic
Stockholm is a beautifully simple semi solid yarn, very soft and easy to knit. You can knit a sweater within a couple of days and it is suitable for quick knits, children and beginners. It is a pleasure to work with and due to its bulky weight gives quick and satisfying results as well as a clean and visible knit.
Pattern design by Ailbíona McLochlainn
In a nutshell:
100g/3.5oz
100m/109yards
6-9mm needles
Hand wash
Suitable for felting
Fibre Origin: America museling free farms
Naturally dyed with Organic fresh Irish Weld
African Tagetes Flowers
Dye Colour: Yellow and Orange | Botanical: Tagetes erecta | Grown & Dried in Ireland
Experience the joy of working with our fully dried African Tagetes flowers, which we personally produce and hand-collect in County Clare, Ireland. These vibrant yellow and orange flowers are packed with natural dye, ideal for colour extraction. While they may not be suitable for flower printing due to their bulkier size, they are perfect for adding a rich, warm tone to your dyeing projects. Limited availability – don't miss out on these unique, locally grown flowers!
Colour Fastness: Poor to Medium
Product Details:
Mordant-Based Recipe for Wool (Hot and Cold Dyeing):
Ingredients:
Instructions (Hot Dyeing):
Instructions (Cold Dyeing):
Enjoy the vibrant yellow and orange hues that this locally grown Tagetes will bring to your wool fibres, whether you prefer hot or cold dyeing methods!
Join The Natural Dyers & Growers Academy to share your experiences and get support from fellow growers.
Dye Colour: Yellow and Orange | Botanical: Tagetes patula | Grown & Dried in Ireland
Bring the warmth of summer to your fibre work with our hand-harvested African Tagetes flowers (Tagetes patula), grown and dried in County Clare, Ireland. These marigold-like blossoms yield rich yellow and orange hues ideal for natural dyeing.
Unlike Tagetes erecta, this smaller-flowered variety is more delicate in shape, making it well suited to both dye extraction and eco-printing, as well as bundle dyeing. Its accessible petal structure makes it a favourite for surface design artists - though the pressed or fresh versions would work better.
🌼 Limited availability – grown in small batches using ecological methods.
Poor to Medium
Quantity: 25g (approx. 25–35 flower heads)
Grown & Dried in: County Clare, Ireland
Ideal for: Colour extraction, eco-printing, surface design
25g of Tagetes patula flowers
100g of wool fibre
10% alum mordant (based on fibre weight)
Soak flowers overnight in water
Boil for 1 hour to extract the dye, then strain
Add mordanted wool and simmer for 1 hour
Leave the wool to cool overnight in the bath for richer tones
Rinse gently and dry
Soak the flowers for 24–48 hours in cool water
Strain the flowers and add mordanted wool to the bath
Let sit 1–3 days, stirring occasionally
Rinse gently and dry when colour is achieved
Enjoy rich, locally grown colour whether you're dipping skeins or creating botanical prints.
Join the Natural Dyers & Growers Academy to share your results, get support, and connect with fellow fibre growers and natural dye artists.
Creating wearable Colours in a close relationship with nature - this Palette has been inspired by Fruiting trees & Shrubs, Irish River Meadows and Late Indian Summers.
Only selected baby alpaca fleeces from the Peruvian Andes are used for this incredibly soft and light Alpaca yarn. Spun in Peru, Alpaca Light still keeps with the general slouchy and drapey character of any Alpaca yarn. It is best suited for flowing and body skimming pieces, ideally knitted seamlessly. Unlike its bigger siblings, Alpaca Light is perfect for delicate knits, baby clothes or undergarments.
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All our Alpaca yarns come from the Peruvian Andes
The entire production ~ from Alpaca farmer to the spun yarn ~ is done within Peru, supporting local employment and a low carbon footprint.
Pattern: Harvest Season
In a nutshell for 1 skein:
100% baby Alpaca
4ply
100g/ 3.5oz
400m/ 437.4yards
Needle size 2-3mm
Origin: Peruvian Andes
Spun: in Peru
Dyed naturally in Ireland with rhubarb root
Indigo* - herbaceous plant ( you might get a bit of blue on your hands while knitting - that is easily washed of with soap and even healthy!)
Vegan note: please be aware that we use Lac and Cochineal dyes as well, which would be of animal origin ~ Cochineal** - small louse; Lac*** - the casing made by beetles to hatch and protect their eggs.
Botanical name: Bixa orellana
Dye colour: Yellow, orange, copper
Wool, silk, cotton and linen can all be dyed successfully with annatto. It yields warm yellows to rich orange tones and combines beautifully with other dyes such as cochineal and madder for extended colour ranges.
We offer three forms of annatto due to availability:
• Organic Whole Seeds – Wild harvested in Côte d'Ivoire
• Non-Organic Whole Seeds – Standard dye grade
• Non-Organic Powdered Seeds – Finely ground for quicker extraction and even application
• Use with cochineal and cream of tartar for orange-red colours
• Pre-dye silk with madder, then add to an annatto bath for copper-orange
• Combine with tartaric acid to achieve yolk yellow
The dye is not very lightfast and may need to be refreshed after a few years. However, blending annatto with cochineal improves durability.
100 g wool or silk, mordanted with 15% alum and 10% cream of tartar
100 g annatto seeds
Soak annatto seeds overnight with 10 g soda ash
Blend the soaked seeds and simmer for 1 hour
Strain through cloth and tie off seeds in a dye bag
Add silk to dye bath for 20 minutes at 80 °C
Remove silk; simmer wool in the same bath for 1 hour (without dye bag)
Return silk for an additional 15 minutes
This bath can be reused for lighter yellow-orange tones.
Pre-soaking wool in a vinegar bath for 10 minutes can enhance the brightness of the final shade.
• Material: Annatto seeds (whole or powdered)
• Botanical name: Bixa orellana
• Grades offered: Organic, non-organic, powdered
• Dye colours: Yellow, orange, orange-red, copper
• Fibre compatibility: Wool, silk, linen, cotton
• Fastness: Poor to medium
• Best used with: Cochineal, madder, cream of tartar, tartaric acid
The birch tree, scientifically named Betula pendula, is a type of thin-leaved deciduous hardwood tree found in the Betulaceae family. This family includes other types of trees such as alders, hazels, and hornbeams, and is closely related to the beech-oak family Fagaceae. When using birch bark (cut), be aware that the dye colour of pink, browns, and salmon, though very pretty, can have poor to medium colour fastness.
Colour fastness: poor - medium
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Basic Recipe:
Alum (mordant) 10-15% D.W.F
Birch Bark 100-200% D.W.F
Pour boiling water over the bark and steep for 24-48h
Boil the bark for two hours and strain. Add the mordanted yarn to the bath and leave until desired colour outcome or overnight.
*You can change the colour using iron, or other shifters like soda ash or citric acid
EUROPEAN MERINO WOOL ~ Small farm production, Europe only productions, dyed to high oekotext standards in Switzerland.
There are 6 colours in this collection: baby, shell oyster, peach, blush, rose, lipstick
This European Merino Wool 27 micron wool roving is available in 60 trendy colours including 10 trendy mixed colours. This wool is dyed with synthetic dye from Switzerland according to the standards of Oeko-Tex 100 and EU Ecolabel for textile products.
This soft wool is produced in Europe, closer to home than your regular merino wool! The wool is produced on small farms in Europe and is mulesing free.
This European Merino Wool roving is a soft, voluminous and affordable all-round wool. It is great for wet felting as well as for needle felting, spinning and of course for XXL chunky knitting. All fibers align in the same direction and the roving has a regular thickness, making it an easy wool to knit with.
Wool is usually sold per weight. But sometimes you want to know how long the wool roving is. We have calculated the roving length of the different packages below:
Please note that this is an approximation. The length can vary per type of wool, per colour or per production. And the harder you pull, the longer the roving becomes.
Would you want to make sure you get the wool roving in one piece?
We try our best to deliver the roving in one piece. But please count in that even when we try our best we don’t always succeed. Sometimes we have no choice but to deliver the desired quantity in two or more pieces.
EUROPEAN MERINO WOOL ~ Small farm production, Europe only productions, dyed to high oekotext standards in Switzerland.
This European Merino Wool 27 micron wool roving is available in 60 trendy colours including 10 trendy mixed colours and several mixed blends. This wool is dyed with synthetic dye from Switzerland according to the standards of Oeko-Tex 100 and EU Ecolabel for textile products.
This soft wool is produced in Europe, closer to home than your regular merino wool! The wool is produced on small farms in Europe and is mulesing free.
This European Merino Wool roving is a soft, voluminous and affordable all-round wool. It is great for wet felting as well as for needle felting, spinning and of course for XXL chunky knitting. All fibers align in the same direction and the roving has a regular thickness, making it an easy wool to knit with.
Wool is usually sold per weight. But sometimes you want to know how long the wool roving is. We have calculated the roving length of the different packages below:
Please note that this is an approximation. The length can vary per type of wool, per colour or per production. And the harder you pull, the longer the roving becomes.
Would you want to make sure you get the wool roving in one piece?
We try our best to deliver the roving in one piece. But please count in that even when we try our best we don’t always succeed. Sometimes we have no choice but to deliver the desired quantity in two or more pieces.
EUROPEAN MERINO WOOL ~ Small farm production, Europe only productions, dyed to high oekotext standards in Switzerland.
This European Merino Wool 27 micron wool roving is available in 60 trendy colours including 10 trendy mixed colours.This wool is dyed with synthetic dye from Switzerland according to the standards of Oeko-Tex 100 and EU Ecolabel for textile products.
This soft wool is produced in Europe, closer to home than your regular merino wool! The wool is produced on small farms in Europe and is mulesing free.
This European Merino Wool roving is a soft, voluminous and affordable all-round wool. It is great for wet felting as well as for needle felting, spinning and of course for XXL chunky knitting. All fibers align in the same direction and the roving has a regular thickness, making it an easy wool to knit with.
Wool is usually sold per weight. But sometimes you want to know how long the wool roving is. We have calculated the roving length of the different packages below:
Please note that this is an approximation. The length can vary per type of wool, per colour or per production. And the harder you pull, the longer the roving becomes.
Would you want to make sure you get the wool roving in one piece?
We try our best to deliver the roving in one piece. But please count in that even when we try our best we don’t always succeed. Sometimes we have no choice but to deliver the desired quantity in two or more pieces.
Corrie Buí (yellow) ~ Wool yarn naturally dyed with organic buckthorn bark
Corrie is a soft single ply, velvety yarn that knits up quickly. It is our little sister to our chunkier Stockholm range and our first dyed DK yarn. It is a pleasant, fast knitting yarn, good for beginners and for quick projects!
Corrie is made from 100% pure wool. The yarn is fully processed in Peru, from raising and shearing of the sheep to the finished yarn.
Once done, we apply the final colour touch, using only sustainable, no impact dyeing methods and organic ingredients. Corrie is a joy to dye and it has a beautiful saturated, yet semi solid colour uptake.
In a nutshell:
Weight: 100g = 3.5 oz skeins
Meterage: 200m = 219yards = DK
Suggested Knitting Needles: 4mm (metric needle size) = Size 6 (USA)
EUROPEAN MERINO WOOL ~ Small farm production, Europe only productions, dyed to high oekotext standards in Switzerland.
This European Merino Wool 27 micron wool roving is available in 60 trendy colours including 10 trendy mixed colours.This wool is dyed with synthetic dye from Switzerland according to the standards of Oeko-Tex 100 and EU Ecolabel for textile products.
This soft wool is produced in Europe, closer to home than your regular merino wool! The wool is produced on small farms in Europe and is mulesing free.
This European Merino Wool roving is a soft, voluminous and affordable all-round wool. It is great for wet felting as well as for needle felting, spinning and of course for XXL chunky knitting. All fibers align in the same direction and the roving has a regular thickness, making it an easy wool to knit with.
Wool is usually sold per weight. But sometimes you want to know how long the wool roving is. We have calculated the roving length of the different packages below:
Please note that this is an approximation. The length can vary per type of wool, per colour or per production. And the harder you pull, the longer the roving becomes.
Would you want to make sure you get the wool roving in one piece?
We try our best to deliver the roving in one piece. But please count in that even when we try our best we don’t always succeed. Sometimes we have no choice but to deliver the desired quantity in two or more pieces.
Dyer's Chamomile Flowers
Dye Colour: Yellow | Botanical: Cota tinctoria | Grown & Dried in Ireland
Experience the joy of working with our fully dried Dyer's Chamomile Flowers, which we personally produce and hand-collect in County Clare, Ireland. These vibrant yellow flowers are packed with natural dye, ideal for colour extraction. They are suitable for flower printing and are perfect for adding a rich, warm tone to your dyeing projects. Limited availability – don't miss out on these unique, locally grown flowers!
Colour Fastness: Good - Excellent
Product Details:
Mordant-Based Recipe for Wool (Hot and Cold Dyeing):
Ingredients:
Instructions (Hot Dyeing):
Instructions (Cold Dyeing):
Enjoy the vibrant yellows that this locally grown Dyer's Chamomile will bring to your wool fibres, whether you prefer hot or cold dyeing methods!
Join The Natural Dyers & Growers Academy to share your experiences and get support from fellow growers & Dyers.
EUROPEAN MERINO WOOL ~ Small farm production, Europe only productions, dyed to high oekotext standards in Switzerland.
There are 6 colours in this collection: Wedgewood green, Veronese, pistache, spring, moss, deep forest
This European Merino Wool 27 micron wool roving is available in 60 trendy colours including 10 trendy mixed colours. This wool is dyed with synthetic dye from Switzerland according to the standards of Oeko-Tex 100 and EU Ecolabel for textile products.
This soft wool is produced in Europe, closer to home than your regular merino wool! The wool is produced on small farms in Europe and is mulesing free.
This European Merino Wool roving is a soft, voluminous and affordable all-round wool. It is great for wet felting as well as for needle felting, spinning and of course for XXL chunky knitting. All fibers align in the same direction and the roving has a regular thickness, making it an easy wool to knit with.
Wool is usually sold per weight. But sometimes you want to know how long the wool roving is. We have calculated the roving length of the different packages below:
Please note that this is an approximation. The length can vary per type of wool, per colour or per production. And the harder you pull, the longer the roving becomes.
Would you want to make sure you get the wool roving in one piece?
We try our best to deliver the roving in one piece. But please count in that even when we try our best we don’t always succeed. Sometimes we have no choice but to deliver the desired quantity in two or more pieces.
FUSTIC HARDWOOD ~ Dyer's Mulberry, Old Fustic or Yellowwood
Dye Colour: Yellow and Green | Country of Collection: Unknown (Typically sourced from tropical regions) | Maclura tinctoria or Chlorophora tinctoria
Fustic, introduced to Europe in the 16th century, is a classic natural dye that produces vibrant yellow tones and clear greens when overdyed with indigo. Sourced from the hardwood of the Chlorophora or Morus tinctoria tree, a member of the Mulberry family, Fustic is known for its strength, requiring only 50% of the dye by weight of fibre (W.D.F.). The wood chips used for dyeing are reusable, allowing for multiple dye baths.
Colour Fastness: Poor to Medium
Colour Outcomes by WOF Ratio:
Basic Recipe for Dyeing:
Unlock the potential of this traditional dye, whether you're looking for a rich yellow, earthy green, or vibrant hues when combined with other dyes like Indigo.
Join The Natural Dyers & Growers Academy to share your experiences and get support from fellow growers.
German Weld (Reseda luteola) – Dried Natural Dye Plant
Our German Weld offers clear, lightfast yellow for your natural dye projects. With a yellow dye content of 5–8%, this classic botanical dye delivers reliable, vibrant results on wool, silk, and cellulose fibres. Sourced from Germany and carefully dried, it’s a staple for every natural dyer’s studio.
Weld (Reseda luteola) is renowned for producing beautiful yellow shades and for its role in creating historic greens such as Saxon or Lincoln green (achieved by dyeing indigo first, then weld). Consistent, high-quality results every time.
Colour fastness: Excellent
Simple Recipe:
A basic recipe for dyeing wool with Reseda:
Use 50–100% Reseda (Weld) extract at 80°C for one hour. (Strongest yellow achieved with 100%)
Add 7–10% soda ash
Wool mordanted with alum at 10%—leave overnight for best results
Perfect for beginner and experienced dyers alike!
Sourced from Germany
5–8% yellow dye content
Dried, cut plant material (not powdered)
Sold by weight (kg)
Excellent lightfastness
ORGANIC HEATHER DYE (Calluna vulgaris)
Dye Colour: Golden Yellow and Green-Brown | Country of Collection: Croatia
This organic heather dye (Calluna vulgaris) is wild-harvested in Croatia and includes the aerial parts of the plant—stems, leaves, and remaining flowers—making it a strong and versatile botanical dye. Traditionally used for colouring wool and tweed, it produces rich golden yellows and green-browns, especially when modified with iron.
Due to its natural tannin content, this heather dye is perfect for creating deeper, earthier tones that reflect the plant’s native landscape.
Colour Fastness: Poor - Medium
Ingredients:
• 100–200% Heather (by weight of fibre)
• 10% Alum (for mordanting)
• Optional: 3% Iron
Instructions:
Join The Natural Dyers & Growers Academy to share your experiences, join courses and get support from fellow growers and dyers.
Lása Buí (yellow)~ Wool yarn naturally dyed with organic buckthorn bark
Lása is an unusual addition to our yarn range and should strictly speaking be on the weaving page. It is considered a weaving yarn and I always feel like getting loom every time I look at it! The colour uptake of this yarn is unreal ~ incredibly deep and satisfied colours, though still being semi solids. Lása can be added as an additional yarn to thicken a thin yarn or even held double, though it is very fine. For the lace maker a joy to work with and anyone else who enjoys delicate knits.
Lása is made from 100% pure wool. The yarn is fully processed in Peru, from raising and shearing of the sheep to the finished yarn.
Once done, we apply the final colour touch, using only sustainable, no impact dyeing methods and organic ingredients. Lása is a joy to dye and it has a beautiful saturated, deep, yet semi solid, colour uptake.
In a nutshell:
Weight: 100g = 3.5 oz skeins
Meterage: 1000m = 1093yards = 2ply lace yarn
Suggested Knitting Needles: 2-3mm (metric needle size) = Size 3-4 (USA)
Lima Buí (yellow) ~ Wool/Linen/Tussah Silk yarn dyed with organic buckthorn bark
Lima is a new and rather cool addition to our growing yarn range. The yarn is soft, light and with a little sheen. Rather than mulberry silk, Lima is made using tussah silk, also known as peace silk. The worm had the chance to leave the cocoon, creating a partly crystalized silk thread. This results in a difficult fibre to dye, but works beautifully in a blended yarn.
Add the linen content and Lima has a more speckled and slightly textured appearance. Lima is a versatile yarn, with structure, softness and longevity. A pleasure to knit and wear, especially in the warmer seasons.
Lima is made from 50% pure wool, 25% Tussah silk and 25% Linen. The entire wool production is done in Peru from the raising of the sheep to the finished yarn. The mulberry silk is imported from China and the linen from South America, but all is spun in Peru.
Once done, we apply the final colour touch, using only sustainable, no impact dyeing methods and organic ingredients.
In a nutshell:
Weight: 100g = 3.5 oz skeins
Meterage: 350m = 383yards = 4ply/Sport
Suggested Knitting Needles: 3mm (metric needle size) = Size 4 (USA)
EUROPEAN MERINO WOOL ~ Small farm production, Europe only productions, dyed to high oekotext standards in Switzerland.
There are 7 colours in this collection: ochre, moss, dark petrol, aubergine, carmine, Bordeaux, silver mix
This European Merino Wool 27 micron wool roving is available in 60 trendy colours including 10 trendy mixed colours. This wool is dyed with synthetic dye from Switzerland according to the standards of Oeko-Tex 100 and EU Ecolabel for textile products.
This soft wool is produced in Europe, closer to home than your regular merino wool! The wool is produced on small farms in Europe and is mulesing free.
This European Merino Wool roving is a soft, voluminous and affordable all-round wool. It is great for wet felting as well as for needle felting, spinning and of course for XXL chunky knitting. All fibers align in the same direction and the roving has a regular thickness, making it an easy wool to knit with.
Wool is usually sold per weight. But sometimes you want to know how long the wool roving is. We have calculated the roving length of the different packages below:
Please note that this is an approximation. The length can vary per type of wool, per colour or per production. And the harder you pull, the longer the roving becomes.
Would you want to make sure you get the wool roving in one piece?
We try our best to deliver the roving in one piece. But please count in that even when we try our best we don’t always succeed. Sometimes we have no choice but to deliver the desired quantity in two or more pieces.
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