'If you make happiness your goal, then you're not going to get to it… The goal should be an interesting life."

Dorothy Rowe

Monday 2 February 2009

Question: what is the opposite of 'Making hay while the sun shines'?

Answer: snow dyeing while you've got snow.

You may never have heard of snow dyeing - I had only heard of it because there are keen snow dyers on 'Dyehards', the dyeing list I belong to. I don't usually take much notice, due to a shortage of one essential ingredient, but when we were affected by a 'severe weather incident' I decided to take the opportunity to try it out.

I consulted the experts on Dyehards and Googled [although several of the hits were from the blogs of members of Dyehards].


There are a number of methods.

You can bundle the pre-soda-soaked fabric [UK muslin in this case] over a grid. I don't have a suitable grid, but I tried this sweater dryer [which usually has drying papers on it]. I did pop another piece of fabric [cotton jersey] under the grid, and some threads, to catch the drips.

Then you spread snow over the fabric and drizzle dye over the top. I suspect this choice of colours may result in several shades of mud.


An alternative method is just to put the fabric into a tray, add snow and add dye. There is a piece of viscose velvet under all this lot.

There is a third method which involves putting the dyes directly on to the snow outside, which I may try tomorrow if the snow is still there. Good job the neighbours can't see into the garden ...
And finally - I mentioned that at the end of January 2008 I had posted a picture of the flowers on our cherry tree.
This is what it looked like this morning.
Please take this as today's photo, although I don't think you will get a stamp to go with it!

1 comment:

Julie said...

Ooh! Thank you for reminding me about this Celia. I might have a go tomorrow. I will have to check up about the soda as I don't have any treated fabric.