After the frost, and himself digging woad by torchlight (really the neighbours must have wondered…) we were obliged to finish the job and actually have a go at dyeing with woad.
Using the very helpful and easy guide on dyeing from downsizer.net, we set about making the dye, going down the easy spectrolite route as a starter. Still a fair bit of faffing, and waiting, which was accompanied with a fair bit of agreeing that it was all more hassle than it was worth..
I had trouble getting the seeds to germinate (although some months later I have woad plants in the greenhouse, turns out when I re-used the compost from the failed germinating to pot up the lettuce seedlings, I was inadvertently giving the woad seeds another chance).
Then slugs demolished the seedlings, taking advantage of me not paying as much attention as I should as we were in the middle of our first lambing experience.
Then the remaining plants went outside, only to be attacked by cabbage whites! Then having to harvest in the cold night.. then all this tearing up and careful heating etc, all a bit much.
Until that is, we lifted the skein out of the murk, and it magically turned from yellowy green to blue before our eyes.
Suddenly it was great, and we are talking of where we can plant more woad next year! We got far more foliage out of the few plants than expected, and made more dye than we imagined, so hastily threw in a second skein. The second one (on the right) came out a bit paler.. either because it went in second or because it was soaked for less time.
Don’t know what we are going to do/make with it – but now we have two skeins of home grown Devon closewool wool, dyed with home grown woad.
Well done, you! That looks a lovely soft blue – just my sort of colour. I look forward to seeing what you do with it.
I’ve got some woad seeds to plant out next year, along with some indigo and madder. Not sure I’ve got enough space in the garden for all this, though.
Wow! That’s marvellous.
Jandra
thanks Jandra
thanks Sue – not sure what I am going to make with it.. 2 skeins of chunky wool.. have to think of something.
I fancy trying to grow madder – got the dyeing bug now!
indigo eh? I heard it was easier to dye with than woad, but harder to grow in the UK – is this a greenhouse job?
What a great blue. It’s amazing what you can get from natural dyes. I’ve got a book but as I’m so limited with space it’s always been between veg and dye plants and the veg always wins 😦
Spinning looks great too, and all truly home grown, very special!
I love that blue – how about knitting tychus? (from knitty.com) – doesn’t take that much yarn and it’s an interesting pattern. Or any other hat for that matter – woollywormhead’s sideways knit hats are also a good bet for a couple of chunky skeins…
I really really need to attempt dyeing some fleece – got enough to try – and got some weld and indigo as well as acid dyes at the ready – just got to take the plunge. Your post is inspiring, so maybe…
a hat is a good idea. it will need to be a small project as we only have the two skeins.. and its pretty chunky stuff – ahh too many projects so little time. what a lovely problem to have.
yup go on.. get into dyeing. its fun!