Next up, Goldenrod!

Goldenrod is blooming in full glory all around me!  How could I not clip a bundle for the next round in the dye pot?  

I only needed about 2 lbs, but ended up with about 4 lbs altogether.  I sorted the ripest, most vibrant yellow flower flowers from the rest, and started the dye vat early this morning before the sun came up.  

Again, for the sampler, I will dye 2.5 oz of my 2-ply chunky handspun.  

Pokeberry results.

I am so pleased with the pokeberry!

The color shown here is very true to what it looks like in natural light.  It's a deep, vibrant crimson red.  The color is more complex and nuanced than words can describe, and this is what attracts me most to natural dyes.  Nature's palette is far more interesting than flat commercial dyes.  Every color tells a rich story of the plant and it's journey to the dye pot.  

This color reminds me that Fall is upon us!  

Prairie Dye Days.

  If I've been quiet here lately, it's because I've undertaken a big move from coastal California back to my homeland in the Midwestern Prairie!

  I have set to work right away discovering the natural dye plants in my immediate surroundings, and have been pleasantly overwhelmed at the variety and abundance within walking distance from my home.  I am working on a sampler of my local dye palette.  

First up:  Pokeberry!

I dyed 2.5 oz of my 2-ply handspun, which is currently drying in the shade.  I will post pictures of the brilliant crimson red when it is dry!