Monday, August 25, 2014

Dyeing with Spotted Joe-Pye-Weed

These wild flowers are all around our homestead.  The color is really pretty - a pink/mauve color.  
So I made a dye bath with a full pot of the flowers only, used alum for a mordant for the wool yarn, and the color came out a soft green/yellow.

I have been thinking about why God made so many plants that give us yellow dyes.   You know, God, gave us everything we need in his creation and maybe wearing yellow wool sweaters all winter would be a welcome reminder of the warmer days to come.

5 comments:

  1. Oh, yes there are indeed a kazillion plants that dye yellow! I love your theory for we certainly need a little golden sunshine in our dark valley in the depths of winter. Love it all!
    xo Jules

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  2. I never thought about how there are so many plants that do dye yellow! I think I may have to add a little more yellow to my winter woolens. Thanks!

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  3. I really like your reasoning for all the yellow, makes perfect sense to me.
    Love the yarn.

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  4. It is a very beautiful yellow. I wonder if you used vinegar for the mordant, would the colour come out different? I am hoping to try some dyeing soon. Done lots of reading but still have not taken the plunge. I am guessing my first attempt will be either yellow or green. I have been soaking tansy flowers in the old fashioned way to extract the colour. Its very bright yellow so far.

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