House Dyeing and Lessons Learned

Well, we are not technically dyeing our house of course, just painting it. We still are applying pigment to a porous surface, in this case a cellulose in the form of wood. We have the first coat on and then there is the trim and doors....
In spite of painting today, I managed to squeeze in a dyepot. I used Weld flowers and Lac. More variations on orange and pinks. I will have a picture for the next post. As I am sure many of you who paint their own houses know, a lot of thoughts go through your head while you are painting. Today I was thinking of what I have learned so far at this point in my dyeing project. So here are some of the things I have learned in no particular order:
If the yarn is already mordanted, I can get a dyepot going in less than 5 minutes. That is dye measured, water added, mordanted skeins prepared, thermometer clipped on, and burner going.
I can tell the temperature of the dyepot by looking at it. I know just when it is at the perfect temperature to hold. I still use the thermometers though. I found out I could tell the temperature by looking at the dyepot when I forgot to put the thermometer on and didn't realize it until well into the process. Seems kind of funny I know, but when you dye day after day these things happen.
I know I need to double and triple check that I have turned off all the burners and that they are turned off all the way!
I am getting pretty good at predicting the colors I will get when combining dyes.
I have memorized by accident, some of the dye amounts I need for certain WOG* and DOS.
I am learning when to deviate from the book and break the rules and when to know the book is right on.
I am learning to follow my curiosity off the determined path.
I learn a great deal from my mistakes!
With the exception of the yarn burnt to a crisp, everything is usable.
Skeining yarn is not my favorite part of the project but it goes a bit easier with comedy on DVD borrowed from the library.
Well, those are some of the things I have learned so far. I hope to post tomorrow but cannot guarantee it until we are finished painting the house.
Hope summer is going well for all. -Renee
*see glossary