Dying to Dye

I was browsing Cindie Kitchen's Etsy store to see what other kinds of fiber she has (for future reference) when I came across this bump of roving that she had dyed way back when she dyed roving as a business.  It's Merino and Tencel and some of my favorite colors at a discounted price.  It's does need a little purple I think.

Nobody in our family drinks juice so I finally broke down, went to Bi-Mart and bought eight of these priced at 2/$4.  I really want to dye my white roving this week.

Glug, glug, glug, down the sink went the "juice."

Today was the day.  I've only ever dyed with Procion acid dyes and was flummoxed by these "primary colors" from Jacquard.  I crossed my fingers and called Laura, hoping she would pick up the phone!

She tried to explain some of her favorite blends and I was madly jotting note when she asked if I could just mix the dyes today and when she comes to the Social Security Office in Bend this Friday, she'll come over and help me blend the colors I would like to achieve.

The painters mask was miserable.  I think I had it on wrong but I once got started, I wasn't willing to take a risk and mess with it.  It's old and if the elastic broke, I'd be stuck and I really don't want to breathe these tiny little dye particles.  All instructions on dyeing warn you to wear a mask and I'm not a risk taker.

In the end the final result almost looks like the original bottles.  I have eight dyes:  golden yellow, teal, cherry red, turquoise, yellow sun, brilliant blue, hot fushsia and gold ochre.  If I need black I'll just use a couple grains of my Mother MacKenzie black dye powder. Between now and I Friday I'll get to the dollar store and buy some squirt bottles and mesh laundry bags.  More hurry up and wait.

The Navy blue and white roving that I blended is turning into a really pretty scarf.  I'm pleasantly surprised and especially like the pop of white from the soil noil.  I probably should just have stuck with weaving towels in this short time period as I'm not going to have a lot of either scarves or towels.

These towels bring my total count up to 43.  I had planned to make my current "desert sunrise" warp be the last one before the fiber show and even though I'm following from my notes, it's a disappointment.  I blame bad note keeping - not the first time that's happened.

We've had several unusually warm and lovely days.  It was 65 yesterday which set a record, but that is changing today.  My back hurt after I finished standing on the tile floor mixing the dyes so I made time for a visit to the hot tub. The birds were singing and the sky was blue.  Much better now :)