nichepoetryandprose

As I get ready for my first experiences with dyeing, I have thought about the materials I will be using.  I don’t want to get too complicated and sabotage my real aim, the poetry I will write.  I will try to keep it simple and generate lots of fuel for my writing.

Textile fibre:  As I explained in my previous post on ‘harvesting colour’, I will use both plant (three old cotton shirts) and animal fibres (unspun wool and silk fabric).

Source water:  I will be using our well water – slightly acidic and high in several minerals.  Our water is so acid, it reacts with the copper piping in our house to stain all the drains in our house a copper sulphate blue. I know that the acidity of the source water influences the colour outcome.   For some of the plant dyes I will use (for example madder), I will want to adjust the water acidity to get a full range of possible colours.

during our problems with our pump and well in 2013, we missed our tasty well water

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Utensils:  Last fall I bought myself a large stainless steel pot for my dyeing projects since I know it is important to keep my dying utensils separate from our cookware.  I also have my Mother-in-law’s copper teapot if I want to add some ‘copper kettle’ to my dye projects (copper is a mordant, an addition that helps keep textiles colourfast).

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my mother-in-law’s copper kettle – since my husband doubts it is solid copper, I may have to add some copper pennies to get the mordant effect of copper

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Plant material:  Even in winter, I have access to many plant materials for dying.  I have various flower petals and other plant material from my various botanizing adventures.  The drying line in my kitchen has a bouquet of tansy gathered last fall and a net bag of onion peelings I have collected since Christmas.  I have acorns collected last fall and, outside, access to the bark of various trees, including birch (I am anxious to try this since I understand birch bark can dye in hues of red).   In my freezer, I have frozen berries, including a tub of red currents picked by my Mom over ten years ago – I plan to use her berries to dye material for my weaving, after I have gained a little experience.  As for in-season plants, I know my husband is looking forward to being dragged all over the countryside in search of various kinds of plants (he was a very helpful participant in my ‘growing and gathering’ project.

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oak leaves with a cluster of acorns

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For next Friday’s ‘harvesting colour’ post, I’ll talk a little about mordants and colour modifiers and I think I’ll post my first poem in the series!

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Copyright  2014  Jane Tims