Natural Dyeing Experiments #2 and #3

Here's my next two experiments with natural dyes. This one is a superwash sock yarn, dyed with Logwood Blue, Lac (burgandy/purple-ish pink) and Cochineal (lighter, reddish-pink). I totally love how this turned out!
Reskeined, it's a beauty!
Next, I dyed up almost 2/3 of a POUND of wool roving in the five different dyes, and got interesting results with the exhaust. From left to right, Osage Orange, Madder, Logwood (was BLUE! I think I should have added more dye or less wool, but it is a nice beige shade!), Cochineal, and Lac.
Once it dried completely, I folded, braided, and rolled it. This pancake is HUGE! (10 1/3 ounces!)

Natural Dyeing Experiment #1

Wow- two whole months! I'm such a slacker!

Not much exciting to blog about- just a couple of pair of socks for the SAM5 knit-a-long. BUT- on to the title- I aquired a bunch of natural dyeing supplies from Maiwa and got BUSY!


Behold- Experiment #1

Yarn: Cascade 220 (1 skein) Originally natural colored.

Dyes: Madder Root, Osage Orange, and Logwood (blue), premordanted in Alum & Cream of Tartar
Simmered at 140 degrees in quart jars for about 1 1/2 hours.

Rinse- it took about 8 rinses for the Madder section to (finally) run clear.

Outside Drying! These colors are SO vibrant! I have plenty of dye left in the jars- I'm mordanting some spinning fiber now to use as exhaust.

I also have dye material steeping (Lac and Cochineal) to try some more tomorrow. I have one skein of bare sock yarn premordanting now, but I have plans this evening, so it'll have to wait until tomorrow (at least.)

I found MY summer time-waster! LOL!