Friday, February 22, 2013

More Frozen Hollyhock Dyeing

I think I got mixed up again!  I put some of the frozen hollyhock flowers into a very loosely woven muslin bag, using equal amounts of flowers and warm water.  You are supposed to soak it to get the dye solution.  Here is where I got mixed up again.
I put the muslin bag in the pot where I had placed the folded silk, which had been soaked in alum.  Then I put it aside to let the dye soak in, totally forgetting that I wasn't doing a contact dye experiment.

Well, I am now.  I am going to leave it for one or two days and see what happens.

It is summer here and I have left it in the glasshouse, so the heat may affect the colour too.  I remember reading that heating red plantstuff changes the colour, reduces the redness, I think.  So I will see what eventuates. Not that it will get as hot as simmering it.

I am thinking that I might be able to use some of the pieces of fabric I have dyed in the Traveller's Blanket.  I certainly have plenty of pieces of silk lying around waiting to be useful.

No comments: