I am beginning a new project. It's just at the testing stage right now as I re-approach natural dyes on blanket weight wool. The small piece of walnut dyed wool (on left in above photo) can act as a base for sampling hand stitch.
To re-enter the dye process with long pieces of heavy wool, I will use those onion skins I've been saving for two winters and the three metres of wool I already have on hand.
I covered the skins with water and brought them to a boil for 90 minutes, then let everything rest overnight. This procedure was repeated over the next two days. During the same length of time, the wool cloth was left in a mordant solution of alum, cream of tartar and water.
After those three days, the onion skins were strained off, and the fabric was placed in the dye bath and brought to a low simmer for 90 minutes. This was also allowed to steep. (over a week)
In the stitch tests on the walnut coloured wool, I tried reverse applique with velvet, and black thread as a wrapping stitch. Not sure yet if either are perfect.
At this point I have just a broad idea of the finished piece and am feeling my way into it. Literally.
13 comments:
Lovely colour!
Wolf K.
Interesting..........i'm following.
all the prepping..some don't realize that's as fraught with danger and time as the actual making--looking forward to your inestimable style on this
Following along too. I have wool bat and onion skins but haven't put them together...yet. Maybe now I'm home for awhile I will puddle along the path with you. Maybe literally, maybe just in spirit. Either way, looking forward to what happens. :-)
Well. When you scroll down quickly, you (me) see lobster pots.
Can't believe onions skins could be so vibrant, so bold and colorful.
I can almost feel the texture of the wool, good photos Judy!
i do enjoy that beautiful walnut dye and the wrapped stitches.
i'm itching to wrap something after my current projects are completed.
i'm also scouring cloth, prepping...
i also just feel my way into the work, so i understand that.
Oh my goodness Judy, so many good experiences you've encountered since we chatted earlier this year. And now with the wool, you and I are thinking on a similar plane. So happy for you that you attended Sandra's class. I adore her and now you do too! xoC
Loving the wrapped stitches, very effective
on the clothes line in the breeze it looks like a hide. potential.
How exciting! New project is wonderful. I'm following right along here - Hugs Nat
This is great! I'm so interested in what will result from your explorations. Your walnut cloth is so richly colored...my experiments with walnut gave a much grayer brown. Did you use cream of tartar in that mordant as well?
Yes, Dana.
Cream of Tartar and Alum together with the water.
Weight of fabric determines how much of these to use. My fabric was very heavy - 54" wide wool blanket cloth, 3 continuous yards of it.
Like Velma, i saw an animal hide in the breeze. Perhaps its the shape pinched--a skin. A surface container of a life, feeling through, consciousness.
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