A Rather 'Spicy' Scarf!

The telltale color of turmeric dyeing...



...is one that I like very much! 

 

You can see how the red wool...



...has migrated through the fabric to the 'silk side'! 

Nuno felting makes for lots of lovely ruching. 

 

Here's a view of the 'wool side' of the scarf.

 

There's quite a contrast between the two sides, don't you think?

 

I prefer the lovely texture of the silk side, myself.

 

After our jacket workshop in Tennessee...

...I had a couple of extra days to spend with my dear friend, Kathy.

Inspired by a week of intensive feltmaking and a trip to an International food market...

...(and aided by the purchase of an enormous bag of powdered turmeric)...

...we decided to make a couple of nuno scarves.

We soaked the silk in a solution of water and vinegar...

...and brought our turmeric solution to boil in a pot.

The fabric was added to the pot and taken off the heat...

...then allowed to sit with the lid on for some hours.

After rinsing, we proceeded as usual for a nuno scarf...

...and the color remained bright and true despite all of the soapy water and handling!

Turmeric-Dyed Nuno Scarf Part- 2

The finished scarf after dyeing.

 

Close-up of one of the circular sections that was left bare of fiber.

 

Look at the color change in the undulating stripes!

 

The lovely texture of nuno felt.

 

After felting...

...I placed the scarf into a solution of turmeric, boiling water and vinegar.

I let it 'steep' overnight...

...then rinsed it quite a few times to remove the yummy Indian food smell.

As you can see...

...the turmeric altered both the color of the silk, and the wool roving...

...and gave my hodge-podge color scheme a lovely uniformity.

Turmeric lends fibers and fabrics a very intense color...

...that I think you either really like, or really don't.

I didn't get much of a chance to wear my new scarf, though...

...since it disappeared after Spring break with one of my daughters! :)

Turmeric-Dyed Nuno Scarf- Part 1

Laying out fiber on silk gauze in an undulating pattern.

 

Wool roving, mohair waste and Angelina...plus other 'mystery fibers'.

 

Wetting out the scarf...I left some circular sections bare of fiber.

 

Starting to roll the scarf.

 

I was in a playful mood the other day...

...and I wanted to use some of my odd bits and bobs of fiber in a new way.

So I cut a nuno scarf base of undyed silk gauze...

...and just started applying any fibers which struck my fancy!

After rolling for quite a while, some of the fibers weren't adhering very well...

...so I yanked them off and considered my options.

I could have left it as it was...

....but as the gauze was both un-hemmed, and un-dyed , it seemed a little...erm...unfinished-looking to me.

Then I remembered that I had once dyed a scarf with powdered turmeric...

...and I knew just what I wanted to do!

Next time: the finished scarf in all of its marigold vibrancy!

Eco-Dyeing Success! (Finally)

 

 

 

 

After my smelly black walnut dyeing experience last Fall...

...you may have thought that I'd given up on dyeing with natural substances altogether...

...but you were wrong! :)

I continued to read and marvel at the amazing dyeing experiments going on in blogland...

...and over time, one substance began to 'speak to me'...

...powdered turmeric root!

Some bloggers are not fans of yellow, but yellow (especially this golden shade) is one of my absolute favorites!

I took a silk scarf blank and put marbles, held with clips, intermittently down the length of the scarf.

I mixed some turmeric powder with boiling water and a little white vinegar...

...and let my clipped scarf soak for several hours.

I rinsed and unclipped my scarf and voila...

it's the 70's all over again!! (Tie dye)

I then needle-felted red bits of fiber in the center of the circles...

...and made a thin wool batt to nuno felt to the back of the scarf.

After the obligatory lots of rolling, the scarf was finished.

I'm really happy about the way it ruched up...

...like the skin of a dried apple head doll! :)