Thursday is Dyeing Day

Yesterday I went to London and met up with a group of Kennet Valley weavers at a Paddintgon Station coffee shop. After which we took a tube to Finsbury Park and invaded Handweavers Studio who behaved with impeccable courtesy as we all clustered around giving each other advice. I was very good. I only bought some high twist S and Z yarn because I bought some before and found I did not have enough to make anything with it. Now to re-read Anne Field's book on Collapse Weave. I also bought Marg Coe's book and read a lot of it on the train coming home. Since I am studying Tied Weaves, it is timely. We invaded a cafe up the street and had a very good selection of sandwiches. Some of the group went off to be intellectual at Tate Modern. Marie and I took a tube to Russell Square and walked down Southampton Row to Falkiner's, the paper people. Oh my, what a lovely shop. They sell bookbinding things. But tools are in the basement while the ground floor is full of paper, handmade, decorated, you name it. I found some interesting Italian decorated paper. The patterns were a little large for anything I might make so I left them but have stored away the data for future use. Lovely Japanese chiyogami and katazome paper. Also very fancy patterned Japanese tissue paper. Can't quite see a use for it or I would have bought some. They also had some patterned sheets with pre WWII designs which I did buy. Shades of Ravilious. And some glue and manila.  Marie bought some glue and some Japanese paper. After which we returned to Paddington very happy and caught trains home.

Today Michael was off before 8 o'clock for treatment and may not be back today. So I set about the dyeing. Some items on my list have been done.

1.  dyeing Madi's skeins to various shades of indigo blue by varying the number of times each skein is dipped - no indigo bath today - do at weekend
2. dyeing some skeins of wool/silk in violet dye and finishing off space dyeing a section of that warp in a darker shade of violet - done
3. trying out some black Procion dyes on cotton fabric. The last time I got a dark grey which was quite attractive but I really wanted black so on Thursday I shall start by dyeing small pieces of cotton in each of the three different blacks I have and then try a larger piece using the best of them - done. After Sandra Rude's comments on strength, temperature and timing for Procion MX black, I have done three samples with increasing strength of dye and they are sitting in the scullery in the warm.
4. trying out colours and dyeing times for some samples of fleece and handspun. This is preparation for the re-enactment of 'The Weaving of the Newbury Coat' which happened in 1811 and was the result of a wager between two Newbury men. Could a coat be made in 24 hours starting from the sheep? It could. So the Guild is going to do it again. - unable to find out what I am supposed to be doing with this. Hence no indigo bath till I find out
5. I would like to weave a pattern of fishes in Summer and Winter using space dyed yarn. So I will be doing that as well. Not done. I have gone off the fishes anyway! I prefer trees.
6. dyeing some skeins of wool two colours of yellow. I am preparing for weaving my yellow scarf for the October Exhibition at Greenham. I am also going to do a yellow scarf in lace weave as the improvers in the Guild weaving course are all doing lace weave this year. And I don't see why the tutors can't join in. Done - very satisfactory. 3 skeins 70 gms each of lemon yellow and one of gold ochre.

Here  are some of them hanging up in the garage with the two colours of yellow in the foreground.

And I have warped up a loom for a beginner who starts the Guild weaving course next week.