Ah, yummy colors at last. The picture doesn't even come close to the beauty of the color even though I tried hard to get it right in Photoshop. The three open skeins at the top left hand corner were modified with iron and are a lovely blackened raspberry color. The colors just glow, not in a florescent way but with an inner light of their own. The Cochineal dye took very well, hardly any dye washed out in the final wash. I couldn't take my eyes off the skeins when they were drying. I kept wandering over to the dye area and would stand there gazing at them with visions of tapestries going through my head. That is the ultimate destination of the natural dyed skeins from this project. They will be used in tapestries. I am hoping to get a small one woven before spring.I have added a few comments to my notes on this batch. I can tell the difference between the different DOS*, but not easily. I would spread the dye percentages out a bit more to get more of a difference. Trying out the percentages is the only way you can learn the need to do that though so I am satisfied.
Even though I knew I would be getting bright colors in the red family, I am still in awe that so much vivid, lively color comes from a little dried grey bug. Nature is truly amazing. Who says that bugs aren't beautiful?
How do you connect with the natural world? I believe we humans tend to forget that ultimately we are part of this earth and nature. I think I will go walk Twill in "our" woods this morning! -Renee
*see glossary
5 comments:
Oh, wow, just gorgeous! Did you use cream of tartar in the mordant? I know its hard to get the color right, but they don't seem to have the fuchsia pinky color I get with straight alum acetate. What great reds! In answer to your question, vegetable dyeing one of the most powerful connections to the natural world I have ever discovered, but I also take to the beach or the woods when I need to get away.
I meant, get the color right in photographs. Your yarn is definately the right color.
Hi Dana, I knew you meant the color in the photos but thanks for clarifying. To answer your question, I did not use cream of tartar in the mordant but I did use it in the extraction process because that is what the book said to do. Now I am wondering what I would get if I didn't use the C of T in the extraction process! I am going to make a not of that and perhaps someday I can explore. So far I have been using alum sulfate for the mordant but will be revisiting many of the dyes with alum plus cream of tartar. -Renee
That is, I am going to make a NOTE of it rather than a not!
This is beautiful yarn! Sorry I haven't commented in a while- we're been busy at Jackie's! I love to see your dyeing progress- it's all so beautiful!
Post a Comment