Madder Week

Dyeing with Madder Root all week.  Soaked the roots for a week or so, then did a solor dyeing which yielded a salmon colored skein (not pictured).  Then ground the soaked roots in the blender and did a dye bath, simmering soaked wool yarn for 1 hour.  I put the blended root in a bag, but I really should have sieved it first, as little bits of dyestuff remain in the wool.  I did 2 more dye baths on the next two days which yielded different shades...the brick red becoming more burnt orange.  In my readings this AM, I learned that leaving out the Cream of Tartar from the mordant bath would yield stronger reds and including it throws the range more to the orange.

The silk tie was bundled with eucalyptus, cherry leaf, yarrow sprays and iron nails, simmered 1 hour, left overnight and opened.

The cherry bark was soaked for about 3 weeks and simmered an hour, left to cool, then the soaked yarn was added the next day and simmer 1 hour...forgotten for a day or two before removing.  I like the color, quite golden and looks lovely with the madder skeins.