Tuesday, February 09, 2010

Colour For Nothing

It's a fact that if you have do something every single week, you will get better at it.

Example #1:
This seemingly modest colour was made from the water left over from soaking black beans. My first attempt at this resulted in an even more modest silver colour, barely visible to the naked eye. This colour, which in comparison is nearly florescent, is quite lovely. The fact that I have dyed wool with this liquid and made any colour at all seems nothing short of a miracle.

Here we have some mohair dyed with onion skins. I know, I know, the old stand-by, but look at that colour! I would go so far to declare it nearly tangerine. And imagine, all from stuff that others might pour down the drain or toss in the compost or worse.

This is the onion skin dye on some naturally brown BFL fibre.

My indigo pot was acting up yesterday. I think I pushed the limits of my non-scientific dyeing technique and it finally pushed back. Nothing was really working, but I did get this lovely greyish blue mohair.

And the creme de la creme! An amazing green - of course it is incredibly difficult to photograph accurately but trust me on this one. Indigo and onion skins on mohair.

Also had some nice results with orange peels and banana peels, and coffee grounds. Why do we ever throw anything away?

5 comments:

Unknown said...

Use it up,
Wear it out,
Make do,
Or do with out.

We didn't used to be a throw away society.. its a new post WWII thing.

and even after used for dye matter, the vegetable matter is still good for composting, and for slopping pigs (Ok, so that is not likely to happen any time soon in NYC, but.) and other stuff.

Like many, i am spotty about recycling.. some things i am very good about, others, not so good.. It is so easy to just throw things out.

skoog said...

Hello, simmons student here. :) What do you use as a mordant?

Robyn said...

Hi Simmons student! I use mainly tin as a mordant, which I know isn't the best from a safety point of view but it sure makes nice colours! Alum is good too but, when I have it, I use tin.

Xxx. Xxxx said...

Gorgeous! I love the way mohair glimmers glassily w/ whatever color it is. Silver and gold, Robyn.

Brenda Stratton said...

Hi Robyn
Indigo always needs a day of rest if she has been very kind to you the day before. That's why you always need two vats! Either way, it all looks wonderful. xxxb