Dying with black beans? Really?Yes. Really. I read it on the internet. And I have a friend who tried it (hookedferret/silverdragon). And I've seen pictures with a range of different results, from blah gray to brilliant blue to deep amethyst purple.Here's what I did: soaked 2lbs of dried Goya brand black beans in tap water … Continue reading Dying with Black Beans
Category: natural dye
Indigo
A long time ago, in a land not that far away, I got a Jaquard Indigo Dye Kit from Knit Picks. It's been so long that the product packaging has been updated. I finally used it by starting an indigo vat in mid-June with hookedferret/silverdragn, my dye buddy and enabler. The kit comes with enough … Continue reading Indigo
Dandelions
When I took the natural dye class this spring, taught by Sylvia De Mar through The Art League of Alexandria over the course of 3 Sundays, Sylvia asked us to gather dandelions and bring them in for our last class. She asked for the whole plant - flowers, leaves, stems, roots. I know that dandelions … Continue reading Dandelions
Lily of the Valley
The house I grew up in had a big patch of lily of the valley (and lots of other perennials) next to the front door, which we never used. I don't even remember if there were steps going to that door, though I may be confusing it with my mother's current front door, which doesn't … Continue reading Lily of the Valley
Day 6-7 Avocado Dye Experiment
Well, I couldn't wait any more. With the butterfly bush dye experiment, I admit I also dyed some samples in the avocado dye baths. See?Imagine the yarn is layed out in a circle. Starting with the top-most bunch of samples going counter-clockwise, we have:Pre-mordanted samples - alum, copper, iron Pit-dyed samples - alum, copper, iron Peel-dyed samples … Continue reading Day 6-7 Avocado Dye Experiment
Butterfly Bush (Buddleia Davidii) Natural Dye
I've planted lots of butterfly bushes in my yard. By lots I mean more than 10. I started with two - a white one and a purple one - ordered online as bare roots; all the rest are children of those plants. I got them originally because I love lilacs but still don't have a … Continue reading Butterfly Bush (Buddleia Davidii) Natural Dye
It’s all about the visuals …
First, an update on the avocado dye experiment: Day 5 after adding water this morning to bring the water level back up over the materials. Mr. Q. called the one on the left a peach color and I reluctantly concede that he's right. While it's only day 5 of what I envisioned being a long … Continue reading It’s all about the visuals …
