~ Dyeing, .... Naturally ~

 

 

 

 

 Good Morning Friends & Folk!

and a very happy Sunday to us all...
hoping you're all safe, happy & healthy this Memorial Day Weekend ~ 

 I've been saving all kinds of things for natural dyeing, avocado stones and peels, onion skins, flowers, leaves and grasses.

I wanted to just dye a couple of skeins of 'white' {beige, flax, ecru, etc.} colors to see how they would tun out. Mind you, they are not heavily dyed, but more subtly, which is a wonderful look!

I simmered my avocado stones & peels then plopped in the cotton thread skeins...all in the same pot, and let them simmer for about an hour.

 

 this is the result when still wet:

after drip drying for a little while, I then carried them outside
and dried them in the full sun, turning them and separating the threads a bit more...

and here they are all dried:

 

you can see the differences in their hues better in the photo above than below ~
I really do like the way they came out!

I made enough of the dye that I jarred it,
into the jar of dye I added one solitary clove
to keep the natural dye from spoiling until I use it again. 

 

I'm planning on using these skeins in a punch needle project design
that is living in my sketchbook...

~ I'll share that with you in my next post :)

 

Blessings from the Farm
~ Lori

~ Dyeing ~

I want to do this:

photo from Pinterest

{oh, wait....}

 lol I AM happy here! 

our farm is made of deep woods, open fields, creek-beds and blossoms ~

tall trees and ground lichen

moss & mushrooms

& everything wild in-between.

photo from Pinterest

 what do we 'farm' you ask?

the earth, and all that springs from it...

hay for our animals, vegetables for our bellies, herbs for our medicines

and flowers for our souls.

I also want to do this:

photo from Pinterest

photo from Pinterest

photo from Pinterest

...try my hand at doing more dyeing of my own textiles for use in my embroidery/needlework...

I would love to also make some of my own clothing from said textiles, or at least eco dye already finished garments for myself to wear ~

 

I am collecting leaves, both green and not-so.

 those below are dried Nadina leaves, dotted with fungi...

a few black walnut leaves, more nandina and a few hydrangea leaves ~ 

to add to the mix:

a rust/vinegar mordant is brewing in my old jars out in the sun ~

the rust will come from the many pins, needles & iron scraps found here at this old homeplace...

and the liquid will turn a beautiful shade and deepen with age,

then I will begin my process of laying leaves & petals, 

along with other botanicals on my prepared fabric ~

 

I am starting out small, using Osnaburg as my base fabric choice, 

which I will use for my embroidery ~ 

it is soaking inn a solution of clear dish-soap and salt,

to open the fibers to better take the dye...

 

...the seeds in the Osnaburg fabric 

will make for an interesting combo with the dyeing outcome ~

can't wait for the mordant to brew!

stay tuned for the results, I'm hoping a week of brewing will get me the right color.

{perhaps sooner if I am not patient enough!}

~ are any of my readers here dyers?

~ what are your favorite methods for natural dyeing {not using processed/commercial dyes}

~ how long have you been dyeing?

would love to hear your input....

 

Blessings from the Farm

 ~ Lori

~ Shop & Studio Open and Much More ~

 If you're in the neighborhood ~

come for a visit to our Needlework Shop & Studio here at

~ Notforgotten Farm ~

Do you have a project already in progress? 

~ GREAT! come for a visit and bring it with you to work on ~

Are you looking for a NEW project?

we have patterns & supplies for rug hooking, punch needle, cross stitch and applique ~

come see what we have!

Need a refresher?

if you need a refresher on how to punch, stitch or hook ~...

come on in on our "Open Studio Days"

 and I will do my best to help you get where you want to be :)

 

In The News:

we are working on new class projects for SPRING & SUMMER ~

 I,  myself {Lori} will be offering classes on:

 • all hand-stitched "little quilts" {doll-sized or for mats} embellished with embroidery stitches.

• awesome unique finishes for cross stitch designs ~ boxes, baskets &  bowls.

• OUT of the BOX ~ Folk Art Jewelry ~ oh my stars...you will LOVE this class!

• Wearable wool yarn rug punch projects~ Pins, Brooches & Necklaces

 • and more embroidery hoop finishes too!!!

 AND for the Autumn/Winter months of 2019:

~ we will be offering classes for:

Primitive Watercolor

Wool Dyeing

Applique

Crochet

Mixed Media/Painting

 

we are also SO honored to be hosting upcoming classes

for some very well-known needlework designers...

Stay tuned for info ~ check our 'Classes & Events' link above as we add more classes!

 

Blessings from the Farm

 ~ Lori

~ Dyeing ~

.... dyed some Osnaburg last night ~

I dislike the name osnaburg, ~ so I nicknamed it cupboard cloth.

just love to stitch on this...

embroider or cross

~ it reminds me of old-fashioned seed cotton cloth. 

 

not sure what I'll stitch, 

~ but the reproduction calico and threads will be a part

in my work....

almost forgot ~

I dye my cloth with dye I make 

from our black walnuts harvested in the autumn.

 

 

Blessings from the Farm

 ~ Lori

~ A Wild & Woolly Dye Class! ~

Hello Friends & Folk!

today was our fabulous Dye at the Farm day!

our guest teacher was sweet-as-pie Nancy Z. Parcels ~

{{ Oh Nancy! you have created wool-monsters out of us my friend! }}

** Kindly click on each photo to enlarge **

Nancy began the class by sharing with us a few tips and techniques she has honed...

everything from storing wool to using a smaller {than my usual} cut and lots of goodness between.

she showed us a beautiful rug that she had hooked using wools that she dyed

in the very same techniques she was to show us today ~ yay!

this particular rug was hooked from a jigsaw puzzle design!

it is beautiful and so old looking ~ a floral pattern with such a wandering background....

we got right into it with the 1st technique:

Tie Dyeing!

wrapping & rolling our wools to take full advantage of the way we were to dye ~

 using men's silk ties!! 
{Nancy has an article about this technique in the upcoming issue of Rug Hooking Magazine}

we were all fascinated with the way she showed us how to deconstruct
 and use the silk ties to their best advantage for dyeing...

into the electric frying pans our wool/ties went!

Nancy 'mashes' the wools/ties down into the water...

and then we set a timer and wait...

{NOT so patiently for the results}

while Nancy talks about mordants and wetting agents...

she has a plethora of knowledge and experience with anything to do with wools, 

wool dyeing and hooking... 

Nancy is a certified McGown teacher/instructor 

and brings her soft and carefree approach of rug hooking to class ~

we enjoyed every minute!

to learn more about Pearl K. McGown and her Hookrafters, click HERE.

while students waited for their wool to steep...
they snacked, talked, laughed and shopped ~
and got a closer look at Nancy's fabulous rug:

and then the timer went off!
we took our wrapped wool/ties out of the frying pans...let them cool a bit...
then
unwrapped the goodness!!!

we each were astounded at the way the prints of our individual silk ties
had transferred onto our wool....

there were many "oooh's & ahhh's" during this class :)

unexpected and unbelievably BEAUTIFUL results were achieved!!

we drooled over each other's tie-dyeing results, 

then it was time for the results of the 2nd part of our class:

"Color Plan in a Crock Pot" 

{or as Nancy said today - a PARTY in a crock pot!}

holy moly....

Nancy had us divied our wools into 

Lights

Mediums

Darks

{because apparently we could not really tell the difference between some 

but boy she thankfully showed us}

a table full of color!!!!

and just look at those colors ~ some we would have never ever expected even ~

yes, we were so proud of our results!

Thank you Nancy Z. Parcels

 for coming out and teaching us with your boo-boo thumb on a rainy December day!

your beautiful wools brought us much-needed sunshine :)

and thank you students for bringing your smiles and friendship today!

Blessings from the Farm 

~ Lori

~ The Final Countdown ~

Good Morning Friends & Folk!

and happy Saturday to you all....

We are now just one week away from the 9th annual

Gathering of Primitive Friends Show

here at our beloved Notforgotten Farm

can you believe 2018 will mark our 10th year hosting this?  ~

well we have some BIG surprises in store for our tenth year:

....will be including a Rug Hooking Day here at the farm 

in combination with our vendors and dealers of folk art, antiques & primitives, 

we will be adding fresh faces to our line up of regular dealers 

which will include sellers of 

Wool, 

Rug Hooking Patterns, 

Jewelry & Clothing

and other Needful Things for those who love all things....WOOL :)

We will also be hosting a small 'hook-in' for those who would like to perhaps travel together or meet up here for a relaxing day of hooking {this will require pre-registration}

IF you are a vendor/seller/dealer of 

Wool and/or Rug Hooking/Rug Punch/Spinning/Wool Yarn related items

and would like an invitation to be a part of our 10th year woolly celebration, please email me at:

Notforgottenfarmwitch@gmail.com 

 

In the meanwhile....

I am working away here in my sewing room....

finishing up my own one of a kind goods to be offered at the show ~

 I've been playing in the dyepots, too!

creating formulas for my own mellow & spicy hued woolens....

and taking my cue from our farmyard surroundings,

I am rug punching up some smaller projects...

 

(((( I really love how wonky my rug punching turns out! ))))

don't you just love tomato reds and late-summer greens?

 

Hoping you all enjoy your weekend,

but please remember there are those who need our prayers and help 

in the paths of the storms and fires.

 

Blessings from the Farm

 ~ Lori

~ Frying Pan Dyeing Class ~

 ok, so I will tell you first off...

don't be fooled by these beautiful, smiling faces:

they are trouble.

with a capital T.

& I'll prove it further down in this posting....

l - r ~ Robin, Heather, Joan, Jonette and Nancy

 the class began with us heating up the frying pans...

do you remember these? 

I am fortunate to have had my mom & sisters be on the look out for them 

and they found three of them for me.

{thankyouverymuch}

 so we added wool that we wanted to dye,

and each frying pan was to be for a different technique...

"No Dye" method of transferring color from one wool to another, with the wool being rolled up like a sushi-roll.

 and: 

Dying with Cushing's Acid Dyes ~ using the "Scrunch & Sprinkle" method...

and ~

Dyeing our wools with Onion Skins.

 After the wool simmered and the vinegar mordant was poured in...

we set about hooking and stitching for a while...

and we made a video too: 

 https://www.facebook.com/lori.brechlin/videos/10212422743149590/ 

AND THAT"S WHERE THE TROUBLE started!

{view the video and you'll see what I have to put up with}

after the wool was finished soaking up the mordant, 

we hung it outside to dry...

everyone's wool looked so very different from what it started out being!

Nancy looking at her wool...

 see this face below?

yeah, she's a badass.

she's one tough cookie {eater} that you don't want to mess with.

uh huh.

I love a hooker with an attitude!

I wanted to get us all together in front of our wools for a picture ~

the weather was so pretty!

so here we are...

 

 and these are the 'out-takes' ~

look closely and you'll see the shenanigans going on behind me without my knowledge....

Class Clown Nancy

Trouble-maker Robin

 I'm figuring things out now, by the snickering around me...

Notice Joan, Jonette & Heather....

how very innocent {not!}

 oh well, 

that's what I love about them!

here is our beautiful wool...

so pretty, no?

 crazy things happen in the dye-pot

{and at a dyeing class }

;)

 

~♡~

Thank you girls,

for being the fun-loving friends you are...

lets do this again soon!

Blessings from the Farm

 ~ Lori