I finally started dyeing today (sounds terrrible, doesn't it?). I have tried SO HARD to be patient with it all and prepare the dye properly etc. So I spent most of yesterday and today preparing the indigo vat for my first dye and look what happened!!!!!!!! PINK!!!!!??????
I actually don't mind the colour, but it was just such a suprise. I emailed this lovely lady from whom I bought some of my dyes and she replied that pink can happen if you have soft water. So now I have had to add soda ash and I'll give it another go tomorrow.
I have also been setting up some other dyes for another day. I have some madder soaking and some lichen I collected in Vermont sitting in a jar with ammonia on it.
I wish I had been interested in chemistry at school...if I'd known it would help with dyeing I probably would have!
The blue knitted piece (shh it's an Xmas present for someone) is made from some of the Icelandic Lopi I bought for mittens and from some wool I bought in Vermont. I love the colours together.
And the rainbow scarf is coming along nicely. It is SO SOFT and warm that I am tempted to keep it for myself. I suspect that it will be too long for Ella anyway...I love knitting it, as I keep going until I get to the next colour. I had originally intended to crochet it with wavy lines going the length of the scarf, but finger won't allow crochet. I had never realised before that the left middle finger does very little when I knit. It's slowly getting better and I may even be able to drag myself along to the pool tomorrow although I'm still feeling sluggish after the Thanksgiving revalry.
I've never used indigofor dying wool, but we used it for shibori dying of material with the Japanese woman i did a workshop with, years ago, so it IS possible.
ReplyDelete