Dyeing During the Dog Days of Summer

You seriously didn't think I could get through a post on dyeing without some puns on the word dyeing did you?  Anyways, it was a perfect day to dye on my old Victorian porch.   Well almost perfect, if you don't count the dueling lawnmowers from my two adjacent neighbors and my husband using his chainsaw to cut this year's wood.  I did manage to really have a pleasant time working up a batch of hand dyes. 

You see I treated myself to 5 yards of PFD at QBL this year and I was itchin' to get after it.  So I set up my make-shift dye station on the porch complete with me sitting on a bucket.   My porch is a super convienant place to dye - well if you ignore the mail carrier navigating through all the paraphanlia strewn all over.  He must have done it successfully though, 'cause there were bills in my box as always.

New Use for the trusty red Beer cup

I once again used the helpful methods put forth on Fabric Dyeing 101 with the addition of Linda Johansen's new book a Fabric Dyer's Dictionary.  Its super useful with its 900 recipes to get just the color you are looking for.

Still that wasn't my problem.  I tend to just sorta guess at what colors I need thinking over my stash.  It seems right now I have a lot of saturated pure colors so I need more murky muted colors to round it out.  Also I need some decent dark darks and light lights.   Leaving them sitting all night gave them a really cool molted effect that adds the needed texture in my work.  Next time, though I think I'll take them out and rotate them a bit.
So,dyeing is so much fun, I can see how people can get addicted.  I don't see that happening to me anytime soon though.  Working at a station which includes me sitting on a bucket and dyeing in beer cups doesn't sound like the making of the next Jane Dunnewold.  Right now though, I'm just having fun dyeing!