Summer is Here!

And when it's summer, that means that Dye Day is coming.....Saturday.

This year we will be learning to Dye Progressions! Everyone should have gotten a handout at the Winery, but just in case, here is what you will need to bring with you.

There will be the progressions project which will require a number of skeins that will be based on the number of colors that you start with in your progressions, being around 2-4 colors and then figure 2-3 small skeins of yarn (think 10-50 yards) per base color. No more than 1 pound of fiber for this part of dye day, please.

For the progressions project, you will also need measuring spoons or baby syringes, 2-4 plastic bottles for the dye stocks that you will use, an equal number of containers for the skeins either plastic or glass or plastic bags, a large pitcher for adding water, plastic forks and spoons for stirring etc. Other standard dyeing supplies will be supplied.

Please also bring fiber for the dye pots! The natural dye portion of Dye Day will require pre-mordanting of some of your yarn. The Mullein plant that gives the yellow-green color needs to be pre-mordanted---that means we need to boil it in a pot with alum for about an hour before we dye it. Please arrive at 10:00 so we can get this done, or drop your skien off by the night before --well tied and labled--and Linnie will take care of it for you.( you can leave it on my bench) Linnie will start the mordant process promptly at 10:15. It is possible to dye without the pre-mordanting but the results are unpredictable. Kate is bringing Red Corn and it gives a wine color that is sort of red. Please bring one skien for each pot medium size or small and bring extra skiens in case we have more room and dye than we expect to use.

Please bring a sack lunch, sunscreen, a hat, gloves, an apron and your spinning wheel if you want. Linnie will have icetea, lemonade and water, I will also have popsicles and a baked "something" for a snack/treat.

Please call Linnie if you need directions--Linnie Altman 944-3483

Finally, please bring a skein or ball of yarn for another experiment (think enough for socks!) that will be a surprise!

See you there at 10 am until who knows when!