I know, I know, the dyeing/dying pun has probably been beaten to death. Oops. I did it again, didn't I?
NOTES ON WHAT I DID (added later):
First, mordanted yarn with alum and cream of tartar. Second, rewound yarn into long skein and marked off in two places. Third, soaked yarn in water. Fourth, gathered plants: Whole bee balm plants, and Tansy flower tops. Fifth, covered plants with water and simmered for awhile (about an hour), bee balm in a rusty old iron pot to get the greenish color, and the Tansy in a nonreactive, stainless steel pot, and then let sit overnight. Sixth, strained off plant material and poured dyebaths into separate jars within another pot with water in it. Seventh, entered wet skein into dyebaths, half in one and half in the other. Eighth, brought to a simmer and held it there for about an hour, maybe less, until I liked the color. Ninth, pulled yarn out, and hung it to dry. After drying I probably should have rinsed it again, but I was too impatient and wanted to see what it looked like in a skein.
If you are interested in trying this, I would recommend getting a book or two on natural dyeing. I've got a whole pile of them, and they each have something to offer. The latest one I picked up is WILD COLOR by Jenny Dean and Karen Diadick Casselman. I think this is a pretty good and thorough one, both for beginner and experienced dyers, as it has clear, basic intstructions as well as great photos and more advanced techniques. Not only is it a beautiful book, but it is packed full of information, too.
