SDA Book Club: Gathering Colour reviewed by Faith Hagenhofer
March 11, 2026
Gathering Colour: Foraging Magic & Making Art from the World Around You Paperback by Caitlin Ffrench
With a book as enthusiastic as this one, I have considered some criteria regarding intent and results. Does the book inspire? Does it enlighten and inform? Finally, is it entertaining? There are many books published on textile crafting and fabrication, and more specifically on natural colors and dyes, that have the intention of giving detailed instructions for the reader to follow. Other books rely on project examples and the inclusion of gallery pages for any offering of inspiration. This book is full of photographs, but they strike me more as an album than a gallery or guide.
Gathering Colour by Caitlin Ffrench is a very personal book—Ffrench foregrounds ethics and inspiration, often at the expense of detailed instructions. Ethical and sometimes ritual foraging is the entry point for any techniques that are discussed, whether for plant, earthen mineral, or other materials. Underlying this is Ffrench’s commitment to creating their own art supplies.
Topics covered in pretty good detail include gathering, scouring, mordanting, iron modifying, eco-printing, cordage making, earth pigments, and paint-making. Ones mentioned without much detail include growing and using a dye garden, knitting, embroidery, tapestry, rust and other kinds of surface printing, quilting, ceramics and chalk making. Where the instructions have step-by-step photos, the information seems quite sound. The writing is generous—Ffrench shares so much and earnestly wants readers to “get it”! She speaks personally and directly to us: “I want you to first think of what aspects of the project are important to you…to figure out what is going to activate your creativity.” (p.120).
On page 103 Ffrench writes: “My art practice has been focused on storytelling with pigments. I like to use pigments gathered from specific places to tell the stories of these places, what I was doing when I gathered them, and any anecdotes about the location and the materiality of place.” She relates this to the field of psychogeography. In Wilfried Hou Je Bek’s definition psychogeography holds the idea that “…you have an opinion about a space the moment you step into it.” This coupled with her knowledge of place is the basis for Ffrench’s art practices.
The last third of the book comes full circle to Rituals. Here there are conceptual prompts, intended to inspire. That said, readers can decide for themselves where they find the most inspiration in Gathering Colour. Taken as a whole, there is absolutely no doubt that Caitlin Ffrench’s book Gathering Colour is entertaining.
–Faith Hagenhofer
- Publisher: Nine Ten Publications (buy it here)
- Date: March 2024
- ISBN: 978-1777387051
If you’ve read this book, leave a comment and let us know what you think!
Do you have a recommendation for a recent fiber-related book you think should be included in SDA’s Book Club? Email SDA’s Managing Editor, Lauren Sinner, to let her know!
