I also fell in the dye pot, and I've actually spent quite a lot of time in there, having so much fun. To me natural dyeing is Natures magickal way of telling me some of her secrets. And it's therapeutic as well, I fell more happy and in focus dyeing with plants.
Collecting the plants for dyeing can take me places in the neighbourhood where I haven't been before. Sometimes I'm on my own, but mostly I bring my kids, making it a treasure hunt as well as fun lessons in biology. We always find much more than we were looking for, things to examine as well as things to put on the seasonal table.
The colors bring me so much joy. Mostly I know what color to expect, but often I'm surprised as well. Watching colors appear makes me dizzy with enjoyment. The resulting yarn, silk scarfs and wool fleece also brings me joy; so many wonderful hours of dreaming, getting inspired, planning and creating.
I feel the need to add, that in my opinion, chemicals and natural dyeing are an absolute contradiction! - I find it hard to understand how it it possible to take these gifts (plants and flowers) from Mother Nature, and in return offer her pollution in form of chemicals. As in all other aspects of life, we need to be responsible! Imagination, experience, studying and a bit of luck makes good ingredients in the dye pot, and makes it possible to achieve thousands and thousands of beautiful colors without chemicals.
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Thank you, Mummybear, for reminding me! - All the yarn, wool and silk in this post are dyed with common reed (Phragmites australis/tagrør). I pick the flowers when they are glistening and purple, before flowering. You can see them in the basket, at the front. The different shades of green results from differences in the nature of the dyed items, and from the amount of flowers in the dyepot. For example; hand spun yarn and industrial spun yarn absorbs the dye differently, wool and yarn from various breed of sheep absorbs differently, silk and wool absorbs differently and so on …
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Dejligt , du er tilbage :-)
ReplyDeletePlantefarvning er magisk! Jeg prøvede det på seminariet på 100 år siden, og jeg kan stadig huske, dufte og se magien.
Og hvilke smukke farver , du har skabt , sammen med moder jord :-)
What amazing colours! I love the greens and who would have thought you would get so much variation from a bit of plant :)
ReplyDeleteSikke et dejligt indlæg fyldt med smukke ord om Moder Jords gaver.
ReplyDeleteDine billeder er intet mindre end overdådige. Så smukke, at jeg ønsker at favne hvert et bundt garn, hvert et tørklæde.
Det er så dejligt, at du er tilbage. Tak endnu engang ;-)
You really got some beautiful greens and yellows!!!!! I love natural dyes as well, the whole process from gathering to drying to making with it is so therapuetic to me. I really appreciate this post.
ReplyDeletelisa
Det er magisk og smukt! Og jeg nyder at kunne få lov til at strikke med det. Tak for din tid og hjælpsomhed altid, det er så dejligt at kende dig min knæsøster.
ReplyDeleteVirkelig vidunderlige farver og ja hvad skal vi med al den kemi når det er tusind gange smukkere uden.
Beautiful greens, I love getting greens...
ReplyDeletefantastiske grønne farver!!!!!!! jeg er helt falt af vognen, virker det som. jeg læser ikke engang blogs! måske lidt fordi jeg har fået ny pc, og den har ca 15 x 25 cm skærm... det indbyder ikke lige til billedgloing eller redigering! vi må snakkes snart, jeg kan bare ikke fordra delayet der er på skype!
ReplyDelete