Plant #1 - Wingstem

I must confess, these first few entries are me catching up with myself on the plants, nuts, and flowers that I have used to date in my color exploration. I got so excited, I started dyeing everything with within reach and lost track of what I’d done. Moving forward I will ATTEMPT to take notes and create some loose color recipes, but I’m just having fun this fall harvesting, tending fires, preparing fiber and hoping that it all creates something magical in the end. Plus, it’s very therapeutic for me.

Plant #1 - Wingstem - It grows along the border of my property, and the last few weeks has been enjoyed by myself, ladybugs and honeybees alike. I have of course decided that because I love color and insects equally, I will leave plenty behind for them to enjoy.

I put the Wingstem blossoms and stems into a pot and soaked them in the sun for several days. This time period - although somewhat accidental - created a gorgeous medium yellow in the pot. I believe that I prepared both of the following yarns in a heated dye bath. These were Skeins of Cotton/Hemp - 8/2 Weaving Yarn, alongside an adorable fluffy thick Teddy Bear Wool Yarn. Both created a gorgeous pale yellow as shown. Seeing the change from the natural fiber to the gorgeous yellows, is how I quickly became a mad scientist with too many cooking pots. Stay tuned for Plant #2 - Golden Rod!