Exotics..

It is a rainy Sunday here so I thought I would sit down and label some

naturally dyed yarn samples.  These mini skeins were dyed with left over dyes from

a guild program I did last week on four exotic natural dyes:

Cochineal, Fustic, Logwood, and Madder

While Madder is currently my favorite dye, I am LOVING

the trio here obtained with Logwood combinations.

Lovely rainbow achieved from the four dyes, but I want to try to add

a green without using indigo..

~

Getting lost..

Five dreamy days unplugged,

in a cabin,

hiking,

knitting,

and listening to the rain.

The solitude fuels my soul.

Pink Lily-of-the-Valley and the 'Wildheart' shawl.

The madder dyed yarn reminds me of the

damp pine needle hiking trails along the creek.

Dyeing up a few samples of Fustic, a tropical hardwood natural dye.

Lovely soft, clear yellows.

Soft peach after a dip in a exhausted madder root bath.

~

Butter

In 1785, the Society for the Promotion of Agriculture in South Carolina offered a premium for growing madder.  Thomas Jefferson and Dolley Madison, 

strongly urged farmers to raise this useful plant. 

~Rita Adrosko

The lightest skein is from hickory hulls and the others are from madder.

The lovely rose skeins will be added to Saturday's shop update at 7p EST.

These skeins are on Wren House Luxe ~ a sublime yarn created with

baby alpaca, cashmere, and silk.  

It's delicious..like butter.

A photo posted by Wren House Yarns (@wrenhouseyarns) on Mar 3, 2016 at 1:34pm PST

Coaxing color..

Last weekend I headed South to attend the

Southeastern Animal Fiber Festival

near Asheville, NC.

The road trip was inspired by the opportunity to take a class from the delightful 

master natural dyer Jackie Ottino Graf.

You can listen to a wonderful interview

with Jackie HERE

Some of her gorgeous natural dye swatches from

Swans Island Yarn Company:

Over the course of the day we mixed, brewed, and coaxed twenty different colors

from ONE natural dye: madder root.

Our results were breathtaking..

Thank you Jackie for the bond you've created around the dye pot.

You really "Make it Madder"..

~