Thursday, November 12, 2015

Trying my hand at natural dyeing.

I have been dyeing wool for a couple of years now and decided to try doing it using natural ingredients.  Last weekend when DH was in the mountains he collected me a bag full of an assortment of maple leaves.  (that is love, when your DH picks up leaves for you).  I have been doing some reading online and have a few books about it.  It is  a lot more complicated that using chemicals.  There is no way that you could duplicated a color from a natural dye.  I put the leaves in a huge pot covered them with water, boiled them a couple of hours, then let them sit over night.  The next day I put in a yard of off-white wool, did lots of stirring the first few minutes, let it simmer for 45 minutes.  After letting it cool, it when in the wash then the dryer.  This is not at all the color I thought I would get but I love it. Can't wait to try something else.

2 comments:

Jacqueline said...

Hmmmmm

kristie said...

Used to dye naturally with my friend in North Georgia...wool and yarn. Colors were very cool and interesting....loved lichen dyeing...I think it naturally moth inhibits the yarn if I remember correctly. Not sure if you can find her book anymore, but next time I see you I will have to bring it.