harvesting colour – onion skin yellow
About a month ago, I stuffed an old white cotton shirt into a pickle jar with onion skins and cider vinegar (https://nichepoetryandprose.wordpress.com/2014/02/21/harvesting-colour-onion-skins-in-a-pickle-jar/). It was all I could do not to open the jar early to see how everything was progressing, but I was patient. On Friday, I opened the jar to see the results!
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the pickle jar containing cider vinegar, my old shirt, and a few handfuls of onion skins
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cotton shirt and onion skins released to the sink
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onion skins picked away to reveal yellow and maroon
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a rinse with water
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and my ‘new’ shirt hanging on the line to dry!
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I am so pleased with the results. The yellows are bright and an old shirt is wearable again. The dried cloth is soft and smells clean and fresh. And, most important, I have another poem to add to my growing collection.
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transformation
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cotton shirt
soft and comfortable
but stained, unwearable
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stuffed into
a pickle jar
onion skin and vinegar
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thirty days –
yellow cheer,
saffron and sienna
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stains concealed
tears dried
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Copyright 2014 Jane Tims
nichepoetryandprose 
Hi Jane, I enjoyed reading several of your posts this evening. So interesting and beautiful as always! Ellen
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Ellen Grace Olinger
May 4, 2014 at 8:41 pm
Hi Ellen. You are one of my longest followers and I always like to hear from you. Your lovely posts pop up on my email regularly and I always enjoy the sentiment they provide … often positive and uplifting regardless of the season or day! Jane
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jane tims
May 4, 2014 at 9:27 pm
It’s beautiful. I love the mottling of the colors. It makes me want to give it a try with an old shirt. Or maybe even a not-so-old shirt that could use revitalizing.
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Robin
April 5, 2014 at 10:15 pm
Hi Robin. Thanks! Try it … so simple. Jane
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jane tims
April 9, 2014 at 8:25 am
Totally fascinating idea 🙂 Every late spring, I cut off bunches of chive flower tops and throw them in a gallon jar of vinegar and set it out on a window sill for a month or two. Pretty in pink, chive vinegar. Something about your pickle juice and onion shirt dye reminded me of doing this. Maybe because I have the same type of feeling of anticipation and want to run and check how pink the concoction is every day.
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francisguenette
April 4, 2014 at 12:53 am
Hi Fran. I will try this. I often dry chive flowers. Jane
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jane tims
April 4, 2014 at 11:07 am
So what am I? Chopped liver? How come I never get thanked for being a faithful listener and commentator? Sheeeesh!
Well, Jane and Carol, now that I have the two of you together, how’s this?
We had a cat Once – yes, that was his name
(we knew we would never replace with the same) –
so… it’s cushions in tatters; furniture a-fluff;
curtains now, too, ‘cause Once was enough!
– from Lil and Bob – 2 Yorkies who know better
PS – We think our Master is the best poet in the world.
So there!
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Neil
April 3, 2014 at 6:56 am
Hi Neil. You are also a welcome and faithful commentator…. A little more amusing than all of my other followers combined … Poem about Once is a case in point!!!!
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jane tims
April 3, 2014 at 10:41 am
Thanks for sharing this fascinating journey and the photos and poems. Can hardly wait for the book.
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Carol Steel
April 2, 2014 at 9:02 am
Hi Carol. Thanks to you too, for being a faithful listener and commentator – as for the book, this watching of simmering dyepots is making me patient!!!! Jane
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jane tims
April 2, 2014 at 3:17 pm