BRAZILWOOD DYE EXPERIMENT My instructions (from Deb Bamford) called for heating the sawdust and soaking water together for about 30 minutes at 80C. Alas, I inadvertently let the mixture boil, which means the color will shift to into the brown range of reds. Frankly, the dye liquor already looked quite brown before I began heating it! After that initial boil, I turned the heat down to a simmer and let the dye continue simmering for about 30 minutes, after which I turned off the heat. When the dye liquor had cooled a bit I strained off the liquid into another dye pot and have saved the solids for a possible future dye. The flash washed out the color quite a bit\u2026.it\u2019s a much deeper red. Who knows, it might be this color when rinsed, but I\u2019m hoping for darker!<\/p>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n KNITTING SPINNING <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n I think I will use the grey\/brown Corrie to make a lace cardigan sometime in the future. It\u2019s a dream to spin, but I will put that project aside in order to spin the Shetland for the the stranded sweater. Well, now! Aren\u2019t I being mature?<\/p>\n
<\/strong>Today I\u2019m finally dyeing with the Brazilwood sawdust that I began soaking in February. I was advised to let the sawdust soak for 6 months so this is the right time to revisit my dyepot. I had the dye liquor covered with plastic film to prevent molding, and it seems to have worked!<\/p>\n![\"Aug.](\"http:\/\/lh3.ggpht.com\/_wMHmSKIt2bg\/SpbLSBzY8KI\/AAAAAAAABNo\/Moa_xroGR7o\/s1600-h\/Aug.%2009%20024%5B5%5D.jpg\" "\\"Aug.")
<\/a> I then put in 2 oz. of my pre-mordanted yarn (Henry\u2019s Attic \u2018\u2019Texas,\u2019 wool\/mohair blend previously mordanted with alum and cot) which had already been wetted. It immediately turned a medium value of dull orange. I have been reheating the mixture more carefully now, trying not to exceed 80C, and it is now simmering at about 75C for 1\/2 hour. The color on the yarn has become a deep red\/brown\u2026more red than brown! I like it very much!![\"Aug.](\"http:\/\/lh6.ggpht.com\/_wMHmSKIt2bg\/SpbLS0O0HFI\/AAAAAAAABNw\/IhFT6J8YIkE\/s1600-h\/Aug.%2009%20028%5B4%5D.jpg\" "\\"Aug.")
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<\/strong>While dyeing I have also been finishing up a simple vest project that I\u2019d like to wear in Maine on cool evenings. It\u2019s a vest knit entirely in stockinette from yarn that I got from DBNY<\/a> (Discontinued Brand Name Yarns). I have sewn on the zipper now and am now sewing a decorative ribbon (from LFN designs) over the zipper to add some visual interest when the vest is open.<\/a> <\/p>\n<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n
<\/strong>My dark brown\/grey corriedale which I washed and sent out to be processed into bumps, and which I was spinning during out last sailing trip, is not <\/em>the right color for the stranded knit sweater I have in mind for the multi-colored roving, in a colorway called \u201cGrapevine\u201d which I got at MDS&W from Gale Evans<\/a>. <\/a> Earlier this morning I sat down to spin a little of the dark charcoal Shetland roving that I recently got from Hatchtown Farm, and it appears to be just right for the Grapevine. I am considering doing this<\/a> sweater from the Twist Collective.<\/a> <\/p>\n