Category: eucalyptus

Posted in eucalyptus, FybreSpace the shop, lac, Madder, Natural Dyes, Naturally dyed threads, quebracho rojo, solidago, tansy

the PHD post (Piling it Higher and Deeper), and shop update

Posted on by arlee

I’m not hoarding, but it’s starting to look like that in my studio: piles and slipping stacks of various fabrics and colours, snarls and twangles of thread in more fibres and colours, and nowhere to move or work!

There’s so much here that i will never use–and never mind how much UNdyed i have still to work through! I’ve been putting aside small packs for myself with the intention of Making, but this time i slipped in notes and sketches so i wouldn’t forget what was so all fired fascinating about the selection at the time 🙂

So….threads and fabric packs now in the shop!

A sampling:

Posted in eucalyptus, lac, Natural Dyes, Naturally dyed threads

new threads, and the hunt for the elusive lavender

Posted on by arlee

YUMMERS.

Below lac, brazilwood (sappanwood), and onion, and combos:

 

A comparison of the previously dyed onion:

Some of these will be in the shop, announcement to be made when listed 🙂 Obviously being as delicious as they are, i have reserved some for a special person: ME!

The onion gives greener tones initially, but there doesn’t seem to be much difference when overdyed. My lac and BW however were a stronger WOF for these babies, so deeper shades resulted. YUM!

These are from previously used dyebaths, after doing cloth. I don’t waste a drop! From Lac, the natural dye that shows up in searches as anything but a natural dye: lac, lac with iron, and eucalyptus:

These above are included in a new fabric pack in the shop.

And a combination of the two (because with natural dyes, purple/pink and yellow don’t always make mucky brown):

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I have had through my dyeing days (years now, wow!) ONE skein of lavender thread. I don’t remember what i used, but i suspect it was cochineal, and the thread was silk. I’ve been partial to lavender as an accent with rust and neutrals since the days when i first started all the hand stitching. The ones i used below are commercial, but there’s no reason not to try for a natural version. The purples and lavenders on the fabrics however IS natural, from Brazilwood, and i covet those various shades!

Mother’s Heart, 2013:

The a Difference Between A Plum, detail, 2013:

Strange Soul Take Flight, detail, in progress, 2013:

(2013 was a very productive year…..)

The Mini Goddess Moons, 2018, lavender leaves on 3 of them. (These are *completely” done in natural dyes, both fabric and threads.) I like the way the lavender gleams amongst all the stronger natural dye colours.

 I suspect it’s time to get the cochineal out and try weaker solutions to get that glowing shiny shade!

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