indigo

a few weeks ago, kathy mentioned that she had to put together and indigo pot, would i like to dye something. not being completely literate in all things wooly, i replied that i would love to. notice two things in that sentence that should be a concern..... i wasn't completely sure what 'put together an indigo pot' meant and then i enthusiastically agreed. i have to fess up, that i have infrequently had my complete, unreserved enthusiasm lead me astray in my wooly pursuits. if i were into honest self-assessment, it has probably lead me to my closest friendships and most fabulous adventures.
so, the indigo pot. kathy is enrolled in an intensive fiber program that required her to experience a 'natural' dye technique first hand. i use quotes because 'natural' dyeing has many components that can be toxic. in this instance natural does not mean risk-free. we employed all the safeguards needed and began to put the ingredients together. it always makes me chuckle to see how easy it is to get information and have at the ready. the counter was covered with books, instruction sheets, a lap top and ipad..... we were set!

i was surprised that we didn't use any heat with this technique. i'm used to hot liquids when i'm with amythefibergoddess, so this offered different options.
we soon took the entire process outdoors (much to the amusement of the neighbors) and got busy! when you submerge the wool into the pot it becomes the best shade of green. as you remove it the chemical reaction occurs, as the air hits the fiber it turns blue.

the lawn was littered with roving as we gently pulled the fiber apart to expose it to the air. after a bit, i chose to submerge some again to enhance the color. we had a perfect day to let it dry in the breeze. i took mine home and the next morning rinsed with cool water, added a splash of vinegar to help it set, then hung it out to dry. i had two different fibers, this is cormo alpaca blend

and 4 ounces of a BFL,alpaca and mohair blend.

it's all rolled up, waiting for a turn on the wheel.