Great oaks from little acorns grow

And so do great inks and dyes! The acorn, a staple for every natural colour maker. Whether in town or country you can not fail to have noticed the abundance of acorns this year. That bumpy crunch underfoot as you head out is such an autumnal pleasure. For foraging it has been a dream because however many collected you never felt you could possibly be depriving the oak tree dependents of their winter feast.

There is something truly magical about an acorn. This small bundle of energy with the potential to grow into a mighty oak gives up an amazingly rich colour. It feels like a privilege to know their secret and an honour to work with them. Their ink is a joy for calligraphers and their dye provides the natural dyer with both fabulous earth tones and deep dark hues.

The acorn was our first love, our first experiment, our first success. With plenty still stored in the shed we will have the pleasure of working with acorns all winter, ever grateful for the wonders of nature.