Small batch dye days start long before fabric goes into the pot.

Measuring, batching, and keeping notes are what make it possible to recreate a color — even when working with natural dyes.

This jar is walnut dye. It can produce anything from soft warm browns to deep chocolate tones depending on how the batch is run.

I’ll probably be dyeing with this next weekend.

Do you prefer lighter walnut tones or darker ones?

#naturaldye #crossstitch #handdyedfabric #moonlitdyeworks

Kihada.

This yellow comes from wood chips — not a synthetic dye.

Same slow process, small batches, and a lot of testing to get it to this tone.

I love how it sits on Lugana — warm without going neon, soft without going flat.

#NaturalDye #HandDyedFabric #Kihada #CrossStitch #TextileArt #Needlework #SmallBatch

This scarf is a gift for my uncle, inspired by quartz clusters we saw together backpacking in Cottonwood Canyon in Death Valley. From what I've been reading I think they were formed by intrusive igneous rock forming around xenoliths, and by cooling very slowly forming the incredible quartz crystals we saw, which looked like rings around the darker xenoliths in the weathered rock face we saw. I'm not trained as a geologist though and would love to find more information about the geology of Cottonwood Canyon from someone with some real expertise!

The wool is targhee roving I got at the nor cal ren faire. I spun it on my small cross arm spindle and wove it on a loom I've been borrowing from a friend. It's plain weave set at 8epi. It looked very open on the loom, but fulled into a wonderfully bouncy and dense fabric.

After fulling I scoured the fabric, then used rubber bands to do this shibori inspired dye process. After putting on the rubber bands I gave it a bath in tannins I extracted from an oak gall, then in a bath of cool water with just a tiny bit of dissolved ferrous sulfate. It was so exciting to see the fabric turn grey in a a matter of just a few minutes when I put it in the iron bath!

#handweaving
#weaving
#handspinning
#naturaldyes
#dyes
#textiles
#handwoven
#handspun
#tiedye
#shibori
#oakgalls
#ferroussulfate
#naturaldye
#targhee
#wool
#geology
#xenolith
#quartz
#deathvalley

I finished plying my first little ball of cotton yarn. I pre-shrunk it by soaking it in hot water from the tap and a drop of soap. I arrived at that method from a combination of skimming the internet and doing what made sense to me. I've also seen people steam their yarn.

Then, I thought it would be neat to use roselle or butterfly pea to dye the yarn since I have both in the garden. I found this blog post and I'm excited to try it tomorrow.

https://obovate.wordpress.com/2015/07/10/colors-from-rosella/
#FiberArts #NaturalDye

🍍 International researchers have developed a way to dye clothing using discarded pineapple peel - an approach they say can help upcycle food waste and provide a more sustainable option.

✨Follow the link for more information on this story✨
https://www.scimex.org/newsfeed/pineapple-peels-can-be-used-to-dye-clothing

#science #sciencenews #research #stem #facts #knowledge #sciencefacts #naturaldye