Sheep Shots: Three Time's the Charm

Friday, August 18, 2006

Three Time's the Charm

I swear that Blogger is toying with me. It takes three tries every single time to get photos to load. I can see where a less patient person might give up and not bother!

But I am a patient person (shut up!) and words alone will not convey the loveliness of the ammonia and copper water.

This is after 7 full days of steeping in (mostly) sunny days in the garden.

Isn't that a pretty color?

Well, I'm here to tell you that natural dyeing is not an exact science, and that Things You Do To The Wool can affect the final product.

I had a whack of vinegar in a bowl that I added to the soak water for my skein of white yarn. Don't ask why I dumped it in, 'cause I am clueless. (It seemed like a good idea at the time.)

I drained the soaked yarn. Then I put the yarn into the jar of ammonia water and pennies (see above) and waited 15 minutes.

Then, I dumped the newly dyed yarn (to the left) in warm water to which I had added a small amount of alum and cream of tartar.

My blue-gray yarn (left) turned a lovely sorta-celery color (below).

I'll take it! I think it will be lovely with the marigold and birch-dyed yarns from previous experimentation.

Mittens and hat. Stranded pattern.

Yummy!

Here's the post-mordant, post-rinse yarn, hanging to dry. It's the color of old weathered copper (think Statue of Liberty), but pale.

I think I really like this color and I think that I may dye some other of my natural wools with the dye bath that remains.

And now for a little secret about the sheep gang:

While I was stitching on ears, I discovered that the tails I had already stitched were, indeed, ears, not tails, and so, all six have ears on their butts, 3 have ears where their ears belong, and the other 3 have 2 tails (ponytails? pigtails?) on their heads.

I don't think that anyone is likely to notice. These body parts are about 3/8" square.

Don't tell!

// posted by Ann @ 8/18/2006 05:40:00 PM

Comments:

I am firm in my resolve to not get involved in dyeing - but your penny experiment has me very tempted. I love the light green you came out with, it's beautiful. And I think your little sheep are adorable, no matter where their ears are.

# posted by

Jane : 9:52 PM

Ann -

You are making my co-workers look a me strangely (be quiet!) since I am here cracking up about sheep with ears on their butts!

# posted by

mary : 12:47 PM

I've heard of talking out of your butt, but hearing out of it? Hmmm.

Blogger wouldn't post pictures for me at all for a few days and I think my one feed is no more. Grrr.

# posted by

Carrie K : 2:42 PM