FIRST SPUN YARN AND DAHLIA DYE

These are some of my first skeins using Annabel a blue Faced Leicester fleece. Very thick and thin but ok for weaving projects. I have made small skeins using hand to elbow which is a useful size for me to handle for dyeing.

 

The two skeins are Blue Faced Leicester. 

Using alum as a mordant the left was from some lovely deep red Dahlias so I was so disappointed they turned out this colour. I had previously experimented with them but only left in the pot for a short time and they were a lovely red shade. This time I left them when they were red and when I returned they were this mucky colour. I think it is because the green bracts and a bit of stem were in the pot and affected the colour the longer it was left. I hope to try it again using only petals and fingers crossed we get a few more blooms to add to a few I have previously dried. 

The middle is alum mordant and a collection of orange and pale cream dahlias using the whole flower heads such a lovely colour.

The fleece on the right was Black Nosed Valais previously soaked in soya milk which can soften colour, mordant was alum and the same yellow dahlia dye. 

Yes I know maybe Dahlias are not the best dyes - fugitive, but for my personal use I am happy to use them.

Earlier post on scouring https://orangecottagescrafts.blogspot.com/2020/10/scouring-annabel-blue-faced-leicester.html 

My 9 year old Granddaughter wove this Jerkin on her Ashford Rigid Heddle loom, using the wool I spun shown above from the Blue Faced Leicester Fleece.