Fibre is dry and braided into mini braids. I couldn’t be happier with the results. The star of the show still is that yellow! I love the colours, from a slight peach to buttery yellow to light gray and a warm light tan.
The modifiers I used were iron, cream of tartar, soda ash, and citric acid (not in that order). I used 10% weight of fibre for my alum mordant and 2% to 10% on modifiers. My weight of lupin leaves was very minimal and not weighed.
Hand dyed with Lupin Leaves Lupin and Modifiers
I would say this is a win! I will add these to my collection of combed top experiments for now and spin with them this winter when I’m craving colours from my garden.
My experiment dyeing combed top with Lupin leaves.
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.
Turkey cooker
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.
Butter yellowSadden with iron
It’s now 8:30pm and I will let it sit till tomorrow morning.
RESULTS
On A Quest For Fibre Dyed Fibre With Lupin
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.
I have tried for so long to dye combed top with plants.
I get frustrated dyeing with a combed top. My issues have been felting and the dye not penetrating the colour deep enough. I end up returning to dyeing yarn with natural dyes…My heart is so with an undyed combed top as I am a spinner. I love to spin with a supported spindle.
These past few days, I have been dyeing Cheviot with some fresh hibiscus flowers, marigolds, tango cosmos, and some sunflower seeds, all from my garden.
Tango CosmoHopi Sunflower
Here is a video of my fibre soaking in the dye from the flowers. https://youtube.com/shorts/k0lrNySFgeA?feature=share I used alum and cream of tartar for my mordants. I kept most of the smaller flowers and seeds separate from the fibre.
I have to say I’m pleased with the results. I created a Fade fit Fall. From orange to pink to spots of violet, I can’t wait for this to dry so I can start spinning on my wheel.
Today I have to dye Day 11 of my Advent Fibre Bits Club. Hello Autumn Fibre Bits club is complete, and I’ll start packaging and sending them out next week. 😊
Well time to get my morning coffee as it’s 6:12am and everyone is still fast asleep in my house; best tome for me to write.
Hand dyed by me with flowers and plants from my garden.
Pumpkin Patch Botanical Yarn
I used marigolds, St. John’s Wart, Madder, and Japanese indigo. All but the madder root was from my garden as I have some growing, but it takes two to three years to mature.
You can find these mini skein sets at my Etsy shop. I only have three available (one set has four mini skeins). The rest have three.
