Pits and Peels: Adventure in Avocado Dyeing

I love the idea of dyeing with avocadoes.  It's one more useful step before they hit the compost pile.  I saved up avocadoes for a week or 2, washed carefully and frozen, for dyeing. I had about a cup of each, pits and peels, and much wonderful guacamole. February 27--mordanted silk scarves 8 oz. in .1 oz alum .03

oz. tartar 8 pints water trying to keep at 180 F for an hour

Put pits and skins of avocados (about 3 cups each) in 2x

Amount of water, bringing to simmer, repeat every 2 days

for 9 days

February 29--binging avocado dye pots to simmer this AM

pits dye looks pink purple already

Just brought it to a boil, which one is not supposed to do,

now it looks greyish.  I hope it's not ruined.  More Guac.

Peel dye pot brought to 180 degrees, used thermometer

like a smart girl, looks OK

March 2--brought both pits and peels to simmer

March 5--brought dye pots to simmer, put in wet silk,

simer one hour.  Pits take on lighter color, peels seem

deeper rose. Let cool in dye bath, rinse, dry, then

mordant a couple for flower smashing

tied a couple of loose knots on 2 scarves

Lightened as they dried

March 6--dyeing bamboo rayon alum-mordanted scarf in leftover avocado peel dye pot, brought to simmer wet scarf immersed, simmer 1 hour, then cool, rinse Noticed faint tie-dye lines in Peels scarf when ironed Bamboo scarf noticably lighter, whether due to material or spent dye, I know not.  A light peach color which will be good for something

March 6--dyeing bamboo rayon alum-mordanted scarf

in leftover avocado peel dye pot, brought to simmer

wet scarf immersed, simmer 1 hour, then cool, rinse

Noticed faint tie-dye lines in Peels scarf when ironed

Bamboo scarf noticably lighter, whether due to material or

spent dye, I know not.  A light peach color which will be

good for something

AVOCADO PRESERVED LEMON GUACAMOLE RECIPE

Mash 2 ripe Haas avocadoes with 1/4 cup chopped red onion (save the peels for more dyeing), 1 clove minced garlic, 1/2 ripe tomato, chopped, 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro, 1 diced fresh Serrano chile (or to taste), 1/4 Preserved Lemon, rinsed and diced, plus 1 Tbsp. Lemon juice from the preserving liquid.