Only 2 weeks until my Natural Plant Dyeing for Wool Workshop at Minnetonka Center for the Arts…
are YOU registered?
If not….PLEASE join us…Friday, September 14th from 9:30 til 4
Learn how to dye wool with the rich, earthy colors growing all around us. This class will cover growing, harvesting and preparing both dye materials and wool for truly unique fabrics to use in rug hooking, wool applique, sewing and quilting.
Contact MCFTA at 952-473-7361 x 160 or on the web at minnetonkaARTS.org
While I was away teaching at Sauder Village Rug Week in Ohio…
Summer moved a little closer to Autumn. I can hardly believe it…but this IS a sign of the glory to come!
There were hints of Autumn in the early morning and evening breezes for a week or so before I left…and we saw many trees on the verge of turning on our drive thru 5 states.
And so it’s time to register for Fall Classes…
There is still space in my Folk Art Rug Hooking class beginning Wednesday, September 5th at Minnetonka Center for the Arts
This is an all-level class meeting Wednesdays from 1-4pm
I’ll be teaching a Natural Dyeing class on Friday September 14th
and an Intro to Rug Hooking on Saturday, October 13th.
Call Minnetonka Center for The Arts at 952-473-7361 for more info and to register
Or vist their website at http://www.minnetonkaarts.org
Thanks for visiting ~ Laurie
One of the HAPPIEST rugs I've ever hooked. I designed Bee Runner as a showcase for the my adventures in natural dyeing.
A much softer palette than my normal work...I'm embracing and loving it!
Linen patterns for Bee Runner will be in the Etsy Shop and on the website later TODAY;)
Well hello...
a morning visit from this 4 Horned Sphinx (Elm) Moth Caterpillar...
Wishing you a lovely Saturday, Laurie
My post today is not about fireworks, picnics or parades…
it’s about the magic in my dye pots…
Natural dyeing…or as I prefer to call it Plant Dyeing is a SLOW process, often spanning several days. I want to coax every bit of loveliness nature has to offer out of each plant.
To begin, I mordant the wool in alum and cream of tartar, then wash and dry it to have ready for the gardens bounty. I harvest a bit each day and save until enough for a dye run. A good ratio of plant material to wool is 1:1…so to dye a fat quarter of wool it takes about 3 to 4 ounces of plant material…that’s a lot of blossoms;) The 1st run gives rich, saturated colors. Subsequent runs yield softer values that sometime shift in color. Playing with modifiers often dramatically… magically changes things.
I’ll be back soon with results from run #3
Wishing you a magical, safe and happy 4th
~ Laurie
A quick peek of what's on my rug frame...
"Thank the Bees" runner...
I'm hooking it with my naturally, plant-dyed wools...
Thank YOU Bees:)
Hope you have a beautiful day...I'm heading back to the gardens!
~Laurie
This year I finally got the chance to work on the south side of our yard...
my new DYE garden...
marigolds, calendula, coreopsis, asters, rudbeckia, dahlias, zinnias, purple basil, sunflowers...with some rosemary, sage, nastursiums, squash and peppers, too ;)
Of course it was THE HOTTEST weather when I was out there building the beds.
On April 16th we had 15+ inches of snow...
and on May 29th it was in the high 90's...feeling like well over 100 degrees.
I re-did my lavender bed, too:)
Everything is growing...this pic is from this morning:)
My happy place...thanks for visiting!
~L
P.S. back soon with a preview of my newest rug design...hooked in all naturally plant dyed wool;)
