DYEING OMBRE – Easy step by step with lots of pictures to show you how.

Tie the locks together and insert a skewer under the tie with the locks hanging free

Coffee brewing plus snack

Small amount of water in the pot , add mixed dye so that the tips of the locks are in the dye mix.

See the dye – line ….This is stage one. Allow the dye to saturate the tips of the locks

Interruption no. 1. A little chocolate thief.

The dye is starting to take on the locks – time to add more water.

Add more boiling water – about 3 cups full for stage two

Time for coffee and chocolate!

Add some citric acid or vinegar to help the dye take.

Interruption no.2 – the rumours of chocolate has spread…

The ombre look is starting to show and the dye mix in the pot is a lot more dilute.

Add more water, until the locks are as immersed as you want them . I wanted to keep the ends white, or I would have fully immersed the locks at this stage

The finished locks – ready to rinse and dry.



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ART YARN

I have tried many different media in which to express my creativity.  I think the fact that I have an urge to do this is a given.  Even when working with something like metal.  I’m using this as an example, because it isn’t a medium that I have a natural feel for.  But if you put the tools in metal in the same room as me, sooner or later I will gravitate in that direction and start making something.

I think buying a spinning wheel and learning how to use it has been an absolute catalyst in my life,  and it has changed how I look at my life.  Yes, that is quite a bold statement!   Absolutely true though,  because I now live according to my creativity.  When I create yarns, or when I help to make a new spinner in my classes.  I am living by what I love doing, and that is a blessed place to be.

Auto ply super chunky thick and thin merino

Hyper texture. A huge array of wool, silk, fabric scraps, thread, to make a crazy batt to spin just how it presents itself.

Pastel coils resembling little seed pearls.

Bulky squishy super coils with all the colour

Loose and wild Masham locks in a tailspun yarn. Currently being woven into a scarf.

Inspired by Laburnum trees in bloom. Silk rods, yellow silk, shetland and felt inclusions. Textural joy.

Beautiful Teeswater tailspun on a Corriedale Core. Wisteria now lives somewhere in Maine with a happy new owner.

thks

Creative Hiatus? Not quite….

Seeing the potential…

I love what I do. So then why am I feeling a little frustrated with myself at the moment?  I am so excited about working towards an exhibition with two other artists, I have wool, skill and ideas. I am not creating… This is my present debacle.  Well.  Not entirely true – I am busy knitting myself a jumper out of hand spun yarn and it will be chunky, beautiful, warm and mostly green.  I am also in the process of knitting up some socks from my hand spun.  I’m testing out Dorset Down wool.  I have quite  a lot of it, and will dye some for selling to spinners specifically those who want to make sock yarn. I am also spinning some awesome soft yarn for bedsocks for myself, out of a merino camel blend that I hand painted.  This is purely a luxury item.  And an absolute treat to spin – I splashed out on a little Snyder spindle last year.  Great spinning tools really turn a pleasure into something totally luxuriously delicious! But still I’m feeling a little antsy…  I’ve been mulling this over in my head, wondering whether I’ve finally encountered creative block.  Then suddenly I realised that I simply have no time at the moment!  It isn’t lack of creativity, it is too many other tasks that are getting in the way.  It is ‘that’ time of year.  Fleeces of all descriptions are coming my way, and I have about 50kg in fleece that I have to wash and card before I’m going to have time to spin too much up.  Yep, and then there’s all the dyeing to be done… (poor me, eh?  I love dyeing!)  And then there will be more fleeces on the way.  Plus the house is in an unholy disarray due to all the fleeces.  The hallway is lined with bags of fleece and my box-room door won’t shut anymore.  Ok,this is a real problem.  I may have to call on some friends to help when the fleeces are clean… I had a huge push towards getting some of my fleeces washed and out of the way today.  Realising that I can get back to spinning some art yarns as soon as I’ve made some space had given me huge incentive to work my way through the wool, and I am planning an awesome tailspun yarn with super-duper long Lincoln locks. And the thought of that gorgeous yarn has wiped all of the doubt from my mind, I’m feeling the inspiration, and impatience to get started.  Plus, my mind has jumped to the exhibition, and I now have a whole host of projects.  Every fleece I’m washing has a purpose or potential. I love what I do!