so i avoid the crusty and tell you the good stuff.....my life is far from perfect.
i've been spinning for our county fair. i never seem to get it all done-like the handspun baby sweater or the art skein i signed up for. oh well. i hear many folks say they don't want to enter stuff in the fair as they can't compete with all our talented guild members. i laugh- who cares? to me, it's not about competition or the ribbons-it's about supporting the fair which i love so much-if no one enters things, there will be nothing to look at. it would be a very boring fair indeed. my family loves looking at all the entries. i can't post any pictures-cause i know all the judges are reading my blog-ha!
i started some solar natural dyeing- i began with some old wolf bane lichen i gathered years ago in the high sierras. i only gather the lichen that has blown from the trees as i know it is very slow growing and very beneficial to the environment(as with all native species.) wolf bane has a high content of alum so it needs no mordant. in the past-i simmered the wool with the lichen and got an intense chartreuse. attempting to use the power of the sun-instead of heat up my already broiling kitchen. i put the lichen in canning jars and let the sun extract the color ooze.
the color was a lot softer-not so intense. i let in sit for maybe 3 days. it wasn't getting any darker so i strained it and added my handspun yarn i had soaking in water. the dye was a light chartreuse. i should have taken a pic right away but i waited till i got home from town and the dye was already exhausting.
it's going to be pretty pale-but it's my first solar "natural" dye project. i also have some marigolds steeping in the sun-not much to look at now:
i've resumed my mr. green jeans sweater-and i'm starting the cables-yahoo! 
family is summoning-gotta run!
8 comments:
I totally agree about supporting the fair. I always enter more stuff than I finish. I sure hope I'll be able to get over to yours this year. I haven't formally signed up for a time because I don't know if I can get over - still hoping to squeeze out an extra day and make it happen. I love being there.
Miss Daisy, Your craft takes my breath away. I wish I knew how to knit or something so that I could weave your incredible creations. Thank you soooo much for blogging about this . . . I have a co-worker who's a real Annie Oakley of a gal who loves quilting and knitting and I'm gonna send her to this blog TODAY!
Don't let the crispies get you down . . .
Oh, The power of the sun and natural dyeing! Even though I love the precision of store bought acid dyes, the subtle colors and (sometime) surprises are so fun. Keep it up Woolygurl.
can't wait to see the results of the lichen dye project...and to learn more about dye processes. you inspire me, maybe some of my creations will have to go live at our fairgrounds for a while this fall...it's been since junior high i think since anything of mine was in the fair! you're right about supporting it and enjoying it. i look forward to seeing those cables...and here's to lemonade!
Very fun about the dye! I can't wait to see the dry result!
And I send you some virtual lemonade to help get rid of the crispies!
Nobody's life is perfect and we're all here making the best lemonade we can. I'm glad you display yours cuz you're so darned talented!
Love the solar dying project and want to follow in your footsteps at some point. Thanks for the inspiration!
Hey love, Wow! Do I know the feeling.
Hence, why the blog has been bare for the better part of a year. Don't punish yourself & let it out. I learned my lesson the hard way.
We are ALL HUMAN! Yup.
Sending love and clouds!
I entered some stuff in our county fair this year, all inspired by you! Just some socks and a hat, but then it inspired the Hub and he entered a photo. Thanks for the motivation boost!
Post a Comment