catching up with the dyeings

I haven't dyed in September, but I did in August. And more than once actually. I'm going to show you three of them, since I have not taken photos of the other ones.

I've used two plants that I had already tried last year, phillyrea angustifolia & rhamnus alaternus. The first one gave approximately the same results, the other not.

This is what phillyrea angustifolia gave :

phillyrea angustifolia dyeing

This is what rhamnus alaternus gave :

rhamnus alaternus dyeing

cotton teeshirt & scarf

For the comparison, this is what it gave last spring with iron :

rhamnus alaternus

And what it gave last summer :

rhamnus alaternus // 2nd & 3rd dyes

Quite different, right ?! That's the joy of natural dyeing !! :)

And the last dyeing I'll show today is avocadoe skins. Nothing original, I know, most dyers have already used them, but I hadn't & still wonder why ... since it gave such a lovely lovely hue !! (silly me !) I've done it again since that day, and still have avocadoe skins to use for a next dyeing.

avocado skins dyeing

avocado skin dyed

Here is a group photo with the other dyeings I had done in the summer. I think they look nice together, like all naturally dyed fabrics/fibers usually do ... they are harmonious, no matter the colors.

summer dyeings palette - linen
linen (above)

summer dyeings palette - cotton
cottons (above and below)

summer dyeings palette - cotton

If you are still wondering if I'll ever start using all of my dyed materials .... the answer is YES ! I have started, this summer, when I was at Margie's. And what I had been brewin' ... well, I'm starting the see the light at the end of the tunnel (so to speak of course), and ideas are taking shape, some are being processed, and I hope I'll have enough material to fill the shop (and to show you) later this month. Beyond the experiments themselves, it'd be pointless to stock all these dyed fibers & not using them. So it will come, lovely people, it will come ... in time, I promise. Until then, I'll keep on working on my ideas.

Comments

  1. I'm amazed to see your great results!
    I have tried to find a way to dye cotton, but none of my attempts have been successful. I tried to search your blog for a recepy, but couldn't find any. Have you posted a recepy for your dyeing?

    Have a lovely day!

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  2. I love the green colour. I don't know the plants you use, but thank you so much for using the latin names. That makes it very easy to identify wxactly which plants you are using and if there are any close relatives of them that I can use. And I love all the different materials you use and the photos.
    To Unni: Aluminium acetate is the best mordant for cotton. It's not the same as that which is used for wool.

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  3. @ Unni : thanks for your kind words. I have never posted a recipe on the blog. I have always followed a recipe from a book, and have always used alum and nothing else for my dyeings. I know I could use other things (or not mordant at all) but I am stiicking to it for now. It doesn't mean I will never change my mind, but since it has always worked for me, I will not change now.
    @ Ambra : one of the reasons I try to use the latin names is for that precise reason, and I'm happy someone agrees with me. Not all species of all the plants of the world has a common name in all languages, so it's better for me to stick to latin when I can. I had never heard of aluminium acetate, and alum seems to be working fine with my fibers so far.

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  4. oh excellent! You gave me the idea to use fig leaf a few months ago and it was successful! thank you

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  5. Fabulous colours you've achieved here! My Avocado experiments always turn out more brown than you've produced......a very pretty pink!

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  6. @ A.N : oh fabulous ! so happy you could use fig leaves ! (and didn't it smell heavenly ?!) Thanks for letting me know !
    @ Julie Shackson : thanks a lot ! I was also surprised by the lovely hue of pink ! I think it will be a staple of my dyed fibers, as I have now started using my fabrics & fibers for creating handmade goodness. :)

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  7. Just popping by to say- I always love looking at your photos, you do such a beautiful job laying them out, and I love seeing all the different samples.

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  8. @ Jenn : thank you very much ! and for taking time to say so too ! :)

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  9. Amazing again... I'd like you to know that I've featured your lovely work in a modest "blog prizes" chain (http://cosespetites.blogspot.com/2011/11/un-gran-gracias-y-un-pequeno-premio-big.html). Kind regards,
    Verónica.

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