I'm dyeing!

I always forget how long it takes to prepare the fabric for the dye especially the vegetable fibres. Tannin first - I use the bath after dissolving the tannin in hot water then soak the fabric overnight. But try to remember to move it round to keep it under the water as much as possible. Then mordant with Alum or Copper. Must try Chrome and use rhubarb again when it has grown in the spring. 

So now combining madder with indigo but the madder dye vat is getting old so must go to Mildenhall to see Jean and her wonderful enterprise to buy more madder and weld. Will probably plant some of the madder roots - the weld plantlets have been planted out but the cold weather is not encouraging them to move on much. Soon be time to sow the woad seeds.    

Madder and indigo.                 

Wax solidifying.

 Using the toothbrush and cardboard strips for blanking out then overdyeing. Started with a madder background. I'm pleased with the development of this design and beginning to achieve tones of blue by overdyeing and recording the time left in the vat.

                                                                Weld next!