Tuesday, 25 December 2018



Vesel Božič  -  Merry Christmas!

Thursday, 3 May 2018

Barvanje z lubjem asimine - Dyeing with pawpaw tree bark

Na srečanju vrtičkarjev je kolega prinesel vrečko vejic asimine Asimina triloba po pomladanskem obrezovanju. Lubje sem olupila z vejic in razdelila na dva dela in z vsakim poskusila barvati po različnem postopku.

En del lubja sem namakala nekaj dni, nato sem v vedro s tekočino in lubjem dala štrenico čimžane volnene preje in meter, dva nečimžane. Po nekaj dneh je bila bledo rumene barve - premalo, da bi bila uporabna. Zato sem lubje odcedila, volno pa v barvilni tekočini grela pod vrenjem okrog dve uri in pustila, da se shladi.
Drugi del sem grela  okrog dve uri, pustila stati nekaj dni. Bilo je toplo vreme in je začelo fermentirati in seveda smrdeti. Potem sem tudi to precedila in v barvilni tekočini barvala volneno prejo kot s prvim delom lubja.

In rezultat? Prav boren: nekaj bledo umazano rumenega in nekaj bledo sivorjavega :(  
Skratka - ni uspelo...



I was given a bagful of prunings of pawpaw tree Asimina triloba at  a gardeners' meeting. I peeled the bark from the twigs, divided it into two portions and tried to dye with it following two different procedures.

The first portion got a several days soaking after which a skein of alum mordanted wool yarn went into it, and also a few metres of unmordanted yarn. After some days it got pale yellow, not enough for use. I therefore strained the bark and heated the bath with the yarn in it up to simmering for about two hours then let it cool.
I simmered the other portion for about two hours and let it stand for some days. As the weather was quite warm the liquid started to ferment and smell. I then strained the bark and proceeded in the same way as with the first portion.
And the results? Rather poor: something pale dirtyish yellow and something pale greyish brown :(
A failure, in short.


Friday, 13 April 2018

Čebulne lupine - Onion skins

Za Veliko noč pirhe vedno barvam tudi s čebulnimi lupinami.

I always dye Easter eggs also with onion skins.

    

Po praznikih v vodi, v kateri pustim tudi lupine, še pobarvam volno.

When the festivities are over  I use the dyeing bath including the skins to dye wool.

   

Od leve proti desni:
1. štrenica volne
2. štrenica volne
3. bombaž
4. štrenica volne
na krožniku: pirhi v različnih rjavih tonih.

From left to right:
1st skein of wool yarn
2nd skein of wool yarn
3rd cotton
4th skein of wool yarn
On the saucer: Easter eggs of various brown hues.

Prva in druga štrenica sta bili barvani istočasno, a sta dobili drugačen odtenek; nista bili povsem beli, ker sem ju že  prej z nečim barvala.

The first and the second skeins were dyed together but obtained different shades; they were off white since I'd dyed them before with I don't know what.