My dying day
Last week, I was walking on promontory point in Magnusson Park and I noticed the madronas had shed a multitude of lovely coppery curls. It cast my memory back, way back when, in summer when Seb took us on foraging hike. She’d said that you could make a dye with madrona bark… Ooooooh… Said my brain(and yes, my brain does speak in bold italics when she’s excited about something). 
So, bark in hand:
I hied away home and bubbled and boiled the pretty curls in salted water(according to an onion skin recipe which was the closest I could come on the ‘nets),
adding vinegar at the end for good measure.. The result was disappointingly pale brownishness, so I added some terra cotta clay and redyed the items(including a pair of Sam’s socks ‘cuz he wanted something dyed too and the only white things he owns are sox-no whities for my boy!).
I was rather surprised that we didn’t get that gorgeous rich madrona copper color, but well content with the beautiful cafe au lait of my new pjs!
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaah…
More dying pics here.
February 7th, 2009 at 9:48 pm
What a neat project- you clothe yourself in he colors of nature and the energy of
a tree- now that’s magic! Hope Sam’s socks pleased him…
BB
February 8th, 2009 at 3:34 am
Yeah, ’twas fun. Sadly, Sam’s socks just look kind of dirty.