just before we go ...

off to yorkshire in the caravan tomorrow, so a quick update on the dyeing front

the cow parsley bundles, a couple of weeks ago, didn't really do much - probably needed different mordant or something - actually it was no longer flowering so i only had seed heads, stalks and leaves, they just yielded an indifferent greenish tint - next year i will try with flowers - i could have got some good leaf prints from the leaves which were going purple round the edges with more patience - but they will be used for over-dyeing

better results have come from cranesbill geranium leaves and yellow corydalis in our garden - the leaves from the cranesbill give a surprisingly bright greeny-yellow leaf print with good detail on fine weave cotton or silk - i haven't tried extracting dye from them (maybe i will do that when i get back) - i have over-dyed some with more of the same leaves and the original prints have darkened a bit but now have a dappled background of the lighter colour .... quite pleasing

cranesbill leaves

i harvested corydalis flowers over a couple of weeks and froze them - i used them on some silk yarn, added a little water and steamed it - at first the colour was a very promising bright yellow, like a deeper shade of the flowers, but on cooling and drying the result is more golden .... less striking but i'm warming to it

bank notes and gold ring added for colour comparison 

yellow corydalis

and here's a sample of some tie-dyes, red onion skin bundles and yarn and over-dyed some bright pink dupion (not shown) scraps i've been trying out

 
and when i get back i'm going to try some resists, i'd like to try some more defined patterns and shapes