THE MID ESSEX GUILD OF WEAVERS, SPINNERS & DYERS
Jean (our mem. Sec.) has been spending some time trying out natural dyes using no mordant.
The top skein (right) was overdyed with a stonger mix of daffodil dye. The dye was more bronze.
Here she has used the same weight of daffodil heads to wool.
Shown next to a skein of Hedbridian for better colour contrast.
In this photo, the third skein had onion skins added to the daffodil dye pot.
Here just onions were used, the same weight of onions to wool for the first skein gave the bronze colour and the other two skeins were from the remaining dye giving a caramel colour Onions skins only were used to dye these skeins. Again, no mordant.
Chris has been spinning some Portland fleece - one of the Rare breeds that Jean gave us to spin. Rolags are on the left and the skein is right. It did spin up very easily but seemed quite ‘hairy’. So I thought I’d try it semi-worsted. See below
Right my semi worsted rolags and right the resulting skein. Just a little less ‘hairy’ but I’ll try knitting a square of each to see if there is a difference there
This is Tina’s loom being dressed. Hope to bring more shots of her progress.