What’s New in the fire

In “olden” times (when my children were little), a good thrifting trip was a success if I found something for me and them. These days, we each do our own thrifting. I hit the kitchen section first, and proof of a successful trip is finding a steel cooking pot, and if I’m lucky, the matching lid. This week - in my smallest vintage pot - I have the last of this year’s Spicebush leaves - which were gathered by the creek. I also have 2 tall pots full of two kinds of fallen bark - one of which is a very thin single layer of bark (maybe Sycamore), and the second is a thick multi-layered bark from one of our maple trees, that sheds in the front yard. The newest addition to the fire, is the gorgeous long spent seed pods that fell from one of our Catalpa trees. I’ve been gathering the seed pods when I began noticing them a few weeks ago and finally had a full Lowe’s bucket. These may not produce a desired color, but I’m willing to augment with Iron to get a nice green if necessary.

And now the wait for latest fiber to dye is nearly at an end. I ordered more cotton/hemp for smaller weaving projects, and for the first time - worsted wool - for winter knitting projects. This weekend, I will strain the plant material out of the dye pots, and add the latest fibers, and gently heat them up over a new fire, and let them soak for a while.