Wednesday, July 27, 2016

More Scarves-always a learning experience

The first set of scarves have the blue/purple with the Hollyhocks.  These were using just alum as the mordant.  





These scarves started out the bright magenta pink.  I'm playing with PH and used an acid with the mordant.  After finishing they turned a bit of a red violet.  My water is neutral to alkaline....
















Monday, July 18, 2016

Plant Dyed Silk

These are a few of the newly dyed items I have.  There are more scarves yet to be photographed. 















 Calendula Flowers and Black Hollyhocks





The blouses started off pink, white and yellow.  The yellow has some indigo sprinkled onto the front.
I'm using black hollyhocks, calendula flowers, basil leaves and flowers from last years crop.  













Chenille Scarves!

Rayon Chenille is so soft when finished!
These are some of the current scarves.
One I used as an experiment a novelty yarn
of cotton/rayon.  The feel is different as is the look
but still lovely!
I sell these for $60 each
 plus any shipping costs.


Tuesday, July 5, 2016

Century Plants in Bloom and Their Lovely Designs







What do you do with small amounts of yarn?


What do you do with small amounts of yarn?  Yarn left on bobbins after a project?  How about a caplet!  Or scarf with different fibers.  

This is my most recent warp for a caplet:


This one is a bit out of focus....but I wanted you to see my warping 
technique.  I learned to warp back to front and with fragile or fuzzy yarns
 I believe it is the only way to warp a loom.  The yarns do tend to get tangles so I straighten them out, mainly pulling on themmove the lease sticks down the sliders on each sideand wind the warp on the back.  I tension the warp by pulling
on the whole mass and tightening it on the back beam.  
I also tighten it on the back beam after tie it on the front beam extension (stick).I use this technique for the fine unmercerized organic cotton yarns also.

Can you see the different yarns? They all shrink just about the same, but there
are several different types of accent yarns along with the rayon chenille.  Some are taken from extra bobbins, some chosen because they are a neat accent, but wouldn't want to do a whole project with them, and some I just have a little left so throw it in.
There is a little trick of shrinkage differential making the ruffle collar.

I'll added the finished caplet when it's finished.