I’m bummed. I threw one lupin plant into the compost as it wasn’t flowering. Then I found out you dye with the leaves. Oh well, lesson learned. At least I have one plant left, so I got busy and harvested the leaves I did have.

I used a burner that was advertised to cook a Turkey last thanksgiving. I filled it up a quarter and then added the leaves. I simmered the leaves for an hour and then turned the burner off and let it sit still till the next morning. The following day I poured off the dye bath and divided the liquid into four different pans.

In each pan, I put some alum mordant (10% WOF) and the following modifiers: citric acid, iron, cream of tartar, and soda ash. The fibres I used were Polwarth, blue-faced Leicester, and cheviot. I simmered the wool for an hour and then let it sit all day to cool. I have to say this one with soda ash pops with colour! The yellow is like a butter yellow. The dye bath with iron looks like sadden yellow which is what iron does.

It’s now 8:30pm and I will let it sit till tomorrow morning.

RESULTS

Please remember that this camera is not picking up the complete saturation of colour. Once it’s dry, I will take pictures in my usual spot with high contrast in the background. I just really wanted to share my experience with you as soon as I could

I love the combed top at the bottom. The dye recipe to obtain this colour will be kept in my recipe book for future dyeing for sure! The other shade I’ll keep is the top one done with iron. I wouldn’t use this colour on its own, but with another colour, I would use it for sure.

Well, I better move on, as today is the day I go to Knit City in Vancouver, BC. If you see me, please make sure you stop and introduce yourself; I love to meet my followers in person.

Cheers

Keli