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Carol in Maine
Chatty Knitter
208 Posts |
 Posted - 04/14/2006 : 4:00:17 PM
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Since last summer I've had a big pile of dried weed that grows around our garage. It's some kind of Polygonum but not sure which, a sort of recumbent knotweed. Well, finally it was either throw the mess out or do something with it, so this week I put it with water into a big dye-pot and simmered for a couple of hours. Added a dash of vinegar because I was going to dye wool. It's possible this would have been a good material (the weed, not the wool) to use in an alkaline solution...
Pre-soaked the wool but no mordant. I added the wetted wool, a commercial, uncolored fisherman's type, probably from Briggs & Little or maybe Bartlett. After an hour or so of gentle simmering I fished it out, let it stand to cool and hung it on the line outside. It was a beautiful gray-green. After letting it hang in the sun (and rain)a few days I rinsed it out in a gentle soap and it was color-fast and looks very pretty. I also over-dyed a skein of a lilac heather wool yarn (Bartlett, I think- didn't care for the original color) and it looks great, too. Then I took the onion-skin juice that I dyed my Easter Bunny eggs in and threw a skein of uncolored wool into that and that turned out nice, too.
So I'm very happy and I no longer have a messy pile of dry weeds in the garage.
If anyone is familiar with this weed from my sketchy description, I'd be interested to know what you do with it.
Carol in Maine |
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Boogie
Permanent Resident
USA
3073 Posts |
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Lanea
Permanent Resident
USA
5159 Posts |
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Miss Maia
Chatty Knitter
USA
314 Posts |
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Fivefibers
Permanent Resident
USA
1131 Posts |
Posted - 04/20/2006 : 11:54:26 AM
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Lanea,
Any chance for a picture of that beer? I've started my gardening and thoughts are turning to a nice, thirst-quenching beverage!
Fivefibers
2sheep; 3goats; 5bunnies
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AngieSue
Permanent Resident
USA
1606 Posts |
Posted - 04/20/2006 : 12:04:41 PM
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Hmmm, wonder if crab grass would make a dye. Just kidding but I would have lots if it did. We also have what looks to be wild geranium which could be something to experiment with.
Angie |
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