Michelle Parrish is an enthusiastic and knowledgable ambassador for natural dyeing. Over the weekend I spent two days with a group of women — art students, fabric artists, knitters, weavers, painters, ceramists, knitters and spinners — all eager to learn the secrets of dying with local plants. I’m thrilled to have been able to be a part of the group, and, like bobbin lace, am unlikely to do it again. I’m awed by the work our ancestors undertook to make fabrics of blue and red and yellow. It’s back-breaking work. Just gathering enough material for some of the colors can take months — even years — to obtain enough raw ingredients to fill a dye bath.
Michelle Parrish pointing out the best examples of Goldenrod to gather for our dye pots. This was one of the plentiful raw materials that could be gathered in one go, unlike the lichens or other plants that might have to be acquired over a whole season or several years.
We worked with garlands of marigolds and woad from Michelle’s dye garden, and madder root (in powdered form so that we didn’t have to pound roots for hours).
As gorgeous a product as you can get from madder, the mess was nearly overwhelming. The powder was so fine that it had to be sieved through layers of tulle and cheesecloth (which took forever), then squeezing out all of the liquid so that we didn’t waste a precious drop.
At the end of two days I came home with zip lock bags of wet linen and wool yarns — all of the samples still need to dry in the dye (to soak up any remaining goodies), and then will be rinsed and dried again to have yarn for….who knows at this point?
While I’ve seen yarns come from indigo dye pots and instantly begin to turn from a yellowy-green to blue as the dye oxidizes when it hits the air, it’s still magic.
I’m still trying to decide if my crankiness towards this kind of dyeing is more related to having to wear a mask (and being in a constant state of fogged glasses) or a truly aching back from hauling 5-gallon buckets filled with water and wet wool. Probably a combination.
I’m pretty satisfied with the results of two days of dying. I think my favorite is the cosmos on wool (bright orange toward the right side). The lemony yellow from goldenrod is also a lovely color.
Meanwhile…..
Josefin Waltin and I are pleased to announce that our book, Knit (Spin) Sweden is now available for pre-order at Cooperative Press. We are still hoping that it will be printed in time for Virtual Rhinebeck the weekend of October 17-18. The Press has posted a few pages from the book on their website to give you a little bit of a preview. Anyone ordering the book and wishing to have a signed bookplate should send me a message and a snail-mail address. I am so proud of the work Josefin and I have done and hope you will enjoy it as well.
