Saturday morning found me back at the dye pots with some more wool yarns ...
My first attempt at natural dying with Queen Anne's Lace ... hubby and I picked a TON of the flowers Friday afternoon on a slow drive through the country ... I dutifully cleaned the leaves and stems away ... and yuck, they stink and are a bit sticky ... I simmered the flowers for an hour or so and let the concoction cool ... strained the dye through cheesecloth ... and what a disappointment ... not much color ... the end result was not good ... I ended up overdying the yarn with Cushings ... I think I'll stick to my onion skins for yellows and golds ...
And here it is ... Cushings dye in the left pot ... clear water in the right pot ... thought I'd see if I could get some good varigation in the yarn doing this ... and it worked!
My first attempt at dip dying ... it was fun to mix up small amounts of this and that dye and dip, dip, dip ... I'll be dip dying again very soon ... I want to dip dye some fat quarters of wool for a new rug I have drawn up ... see the background yarn hanging on the far right side of the old drying rack? I love how it turned out once it dried. **********
All my finished goodies ...
Confession ... remember that vow to not buy any new fabric except for quilt backings and bindings? 
I didn't make it ... but I didn't blow it by much really ... only three fat quarters and a new little purse pattern ... not bad really ... you should have seen this quilt shop!!!! Actually, you CAN see the shop ... here's the link ... http://www.quiltersgeneralstore.com/ Gorgeous fabrics everywhere!!! Civil war and reproductions galore!!!! I bought the backing for my king sized quilt and my twin quilt for $4/yard in the clearance section (NICE selection too!!!) ... I got such a deal on 16(!!) yards of fabric, I "rewarded" myself with the fat quarters and pattern. All my new fabrics have been washed and dried ... it's time to start ironing and piecing the backings ... can't wait to take them to the long arm quilter ...
Confession ... remember that vow to not buy any new fabric except for quilt backings and bindings?
I didn't make it ... but I didn't blow it by much really ... only three fat quarters and a new little purse pattern ... not bad really ... you should have seen this quilt shop!!!! Actually, you CAN see the shop ... here's the link ... http://www.quiltersgeneralstore.com/ Gorgeous fabrics everywhere!!! Civil war and reproductions galore!!!! I bought the backing for my king sized quilt and my twin quilt for $4/yard in the clearance section (NICE selection too!!!) ... I got such a deal on 16(!!) yards of fabric, I "rewarded" myself with the fat quarters and pattern. All my new fabrics have been washed and dried ... it's time to start ironing and piecing the backings ... can't wait to take them to the long arm quilter ...
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3 comments:
Hey did you pre-mordant your wool? If not, that may be the problem. Also, I dyed with stems and all and got a beautiful greeny sage - it was light but just gorgeous. I can't remember if I soaked the Queen Anne's Lace all in a bucket of water first because it was a couple of years ago.
Hey Jill!! I did use alum as my mordant but I didn't soak it for a long time so that may be part of my problem. I guess I was hoping for a nice yellowish gold for background punching and it wasn't at all. I overdyed with a nice light brown mottled and am anxious to get my punch out and just go for it. Still trying to finish up a couple of other projects before I start a new one. And that basket of woolies is KILLING me!!!
Hi girly! I love how these turned out, so pretty and colorful. I really love that little purse, I hope you make some to sell. If you ever get back to this part of Arkansas I would likle to take you to met one of your distant kin and show you her quilts. ~~Pam
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