Tag: fibre

Lupin Leaves

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 yellow
Sadden 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.

Cheers

Keli

Mystery Plants

I discovered some amazing plants in my backyard but I don’t know what they are. Can you help me?

Thy are all doing very well! I bought the seeds from Grand Prismatic Seed. I would highly recommend their seeds.

Sand Dock?
No idea.
Buckthorn?
No idea.

I looked at my list of seeds from this year, and the sources I can’t identify are Sand Dock, Murasaki, and Soapwort. Do you think you can match seeds to actual plant?

Oh, I also got those bobbins plied into a skein of yarn. It reminds me of oatmeal in pjs. It’s a 2ply sport weight, and the wool is Cheviot. This would be great for mittens, socks or an outerwear cardigan (use it in colour work).

Botanical Dyed Handspun Yarn

So that’s it for today’s blog post. My plants are calling me to start creating some dye baths; I will wait. I think today is a good day to bake up some muffins. I can’t resist a good wholesome baked good with a cup of coffee around 10:30 in the morning.

Cheers,

Keli

Bobbins Are Full

I separated these four braids of the combed top into two piles: orange and multi-coloured orange and pink onto one bobbin and then pink and multi-blue and yellow onto the other bobbin. Some I spun forward draw, and some I spin long draw. I LOVE long draw!

Sponning All This Cheviot

I separated these four braids of the combed top into two piles: orange and multi-coloured orange and pink onto one bobbin and then pink and multi-blue and yellow onto the other bobbin. Some I spun forward draw, and some I spin long draw. I LOVE long draw!

Spinning On My Ladybug 🐞

Here are both braids spun into one bobbin. I love how the colour I got from sunflower seeds casts an ox colour onto the fibre. The hibiscus actually cast a blue colour! I said yesterday the hibiscus produced a pink but I was wrong.

One Bobbin Complete

I don’t have a picture of the other bobbin, but to describe it, I’d say it has earthy tones.

Well that is it for today. It is Sunday, so I am heading out to pick some of the last flowers that continue to bloom in zone 7 (gardening term); cosmos and coreopsis.

Cheers,

Keli