The Lingonberry Sweater is moving along rapidly! Such bright colors for Fair Isle work, but I felt compelled to move forward with this project for the fun of it as well as for the challenge. The photo capturing the colors? Meh. And of course the knitting is not yet blocked.
But the promise is there.... just like spring.
FIBERSHED DINNER
Last Sunday we went to the Community Cloth fundraising dinner in Point Reyes Station, California. This dinner and fashion show organized by Fibershed Project Rebecca Burgess (I wrote about the Fibershed Project a few weeks ago). The goal was to start raising money for a local fiber mill that can produce the fine yarns—in particular, cotton—needed for industrial fabric processes.
The tables were covered with naturally dyed and printed fabrics and scattered with leaves and casual centerpieces.
And there was music! Banjo!!! Performed by Tim Weed & Friends.
HARVESTING COLOR
Rebecca Burgess's lovely book Harvesting Color: How to Find Plants and Make Natural Dyes came out just in time for this event. In addition to exploring the dye possibilities available to her near her home north of San Francisco, Burgess also learned from experienced dyers in the Southwest and the Midwest. Harvesting Color differs greatly from other books on natural dyeing. Burgess talks in depth about where to find dye material—how to work with restoration ecologists, for example, to gather invasive weeds while clearing areas—and how to grow dye material.
The harvesting instructions are quite detailed and respectful of the plant's role in the environment. For example, here are the instructions for harvesting California sagebrush:
Sagebrush is most potent for dye use in the mid- to late srping through the beginning of summer, when the rains have subsided. I harvest sprigs from the plant, gently pruning back the long, leggy branches to keep the plant confined to a dense and bushy state. If there are late rains the plant will often stay green well into the early-to-mid-summer. It is important to let the plant successfully seed, so all harvesting should be completed prior to the seed head's emergence in the midsummer.
I am fascinated by the 1-day Japanese indigo recipe that uses Specralite and the 3-day version calling for corn syrup and wheat bran.
Paige Green's photographs in this book are spectacular: evocative yet detailed enough to be useful.
I think this is a marvelous book, well worth the $24.95 price.
NATURE'S CAULDRON CSA
And if gathering dye materials sounds like something you are quite unlikely to do—and don't feel bad about that, we don't have time to do EVERYTHING!—Birdsong has just started the first natural dye CSA (Community Supported Agriculture), Nature's Cauldron. She will be growing and gathering natural dyestuffs and will be sending out four shipments for the subscription price (which includes a copy of Harvesting Color).
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