What's cooking? Spaghetti with a green pepper? Beets and shredded cabbage? A very bad stew? Well, no......not exactly. Clue: it isn't edible. How about lily of the valley leaves, grape leaves, and cochineal?
On Thursday my spinning and weaving group had a "dye workshop" at the farm of one of the members. I was only able to go for a while since I was spending the day with a friend who was here from Iowa. But I was able to take these pictures during the process. The gals set up lots of large pots in the back yard and some were dying fleeces and others yarn. We were to separate our yarn into bundles of about 12-15 yds., tag them with a plastic tag and then dye them. It's quite a process. I didn't do any, but plan to try some dying at home with powdered drink mix. The lily of the valley and grape leaves make a light green or yellow finished product and the cochineal a wonderful striking rose/pink. I was told that cochineal is some kind of bug! Imagine that!
I would like to learn the art of dyeing. I love the look of naturally dyed wool. As well as the beautiful finished products, the ladies had a great time eating a carry in meal together and just sitting around and knitting or working on other needlework projects while waiting for the wool to dye.
I always feel a little closer to the Proverbs 31 ideal whenever I can do a project like this. After all, that woman was noted for her spinning and textile crafting. "She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands," "She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff." "She is not afraid of the snow for her household; for all her household are clothed with scarlet."I love to learn the old time ways to use in my own homemaking. This looked like a lot of work, but the finished products will be all the more special because of it! Blessings, LORI
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