Dyeing With Walnut Hulls

Here I’ve dyed two pieces of even weave linen and a small trial of herringbone twilled raw silk, all for embroidery. Using two heaped tablespoons of husks a friend gave me (bought at Kryal Castle, The Forest & The Fae).
I read up on dyeing with walnut at Woodlark blog, though instead of soaking my cloth in water and vinegar as they do, I used a bit of detergent as I would with wool dyeing. The purpose being to open up the fibres to soak in the dye. I used some vinegar to set the dye after it had been cooking for a while. Quite a while.

You can see the colour, compared to the stark white plastic box behind. One piece had previously been dyed lightly with (I think) red onion skins. But very lightly, ineffectually.
I tried to leave the cloth unagitated so as to get a mottled effect, then threw in a handful of coffee beans and let simmer for a couple of more hours.
I don’t know that these or the lack of agitation made much difference. The dye is quite even across the cloth, saving for a few crease marks. Even though, to look at the pot, a lot of residue was sitting on the top, it didn’t create a darker patch.
It’s a very beautiful taupe colour though, nothing to disappoint. My only concern being it is a cool brown and for an aged look (for a sampler) it might do well to be warmer?
Today I’m going to try some mohair handspun. I’ll add more than the two tablespoons I think and see what happens. A cool brown suits my skin so that will be perfect.
Thanks Nicole!

Update: I’ve decided to try one of the linen pieces in tea. It’s just in a baking tray, sprinkled strategically with tea leaves. Some parts have none or few leaves. 

I’ll leave it overnight then rinse and see what I have.

Also, the mohair is on, brewing as we speak. Someone told me that walnut is acidic, so washing out all residual dye is important. I may even put the mohair into a washing bag, tied so it won’t move about, and machine wash it on a gentle cycle.

Plans For A Hall Rug

I was given a couple of hessian coffee bags and the size lends itself to being a hall rug. We’ll have a hallway when we renovate. It’s a bit over 2 metres long.
I’ve collected designs on Pinterest for some time and made a Short List folder and the feeling became clear. The pictures are largely German folk paintings but remind me of Heronemous Bosch, a favourite. Maybe it’ll change more, who knows? It’s not hard to over draw.

This time, unlike the footy rug, I’ll use colours that fit with how we intend to decorate. Old colours I suppose, though these things change. The figures look a bit cheesy here, but I can imagine them subtlety done and not dominant. No hurry though, I have the other rug to finish. Oh, two other rugs.
Look here.https://www.pinterest.com.au/robynemelia/rug-hooking-inspiration-for-rugs/hall-rug-short-list/

I want to use old clothes and my fabric stash, not wool.

Baby’s Jack In The Box Wagga/Quilt

Made using an old dressing gown and some dyed blankets. Extra to rug making, I have a lot of dyed cloth here.

Just About To Steek... Bit Scared/Excited.

Alice Starmore’s ‘Thoroughbred’ using Kate Davies’s ‘ Bluebell’ as a template.
I’m up to the steeks now. It’s not designed for them as you would see (since there are no extra stitches in the middle). But it’s a bit small, or ok, the truth is, I’m a bit bigger now than when I started this in November 2015.
I had put it aside for vast periods of time, obviously.
But here we are! And I’m very excited. More excited than frightened to be fair, after watching many a tutorial and thinking and thinking about it.

The photographs don’t show the fluro nature of some of the colours. It’s at once bright and soft and I had no intention of it being so colourful but I love it. The question is, do I (after steeking ) work the bottom and neck bands before the button band. I guess so... I’ll have to think some more.

Lock Down Stash Down Endeavor

Vintage fabric lined with a soft cotton muslin. The cord, ribbon and ric-rac comes from Mum's stash and probably originally from Grandma. I've had the felt forever. 

This was the first in this fabric and I had no more of the cord nor any pom-poms. So disappointed until I raided the Major (as opposed to minor) trim box. There are little lace motifs above the pom-poms too. 

This is the most gorgeous wool flannel and again, the gross-grain tape comes from Mum's stash. I had a time getting the ribbon through the felt whatsits and used an awl followed by a big knitting needle to force a hole.

The green with pink roses has been in my stash for over a decade (as in, not so long). I had wanted a shirt but those days are done. The tie is done Knitting Nancy style, with a windy thing, not no pins.

These two little crocheted florets were on a little bag of nothing much at an op shop. This is one I'm keeping. You buy these little blossoms because they're pretty and they sit there until a purpose presents itself.

Mostly bought new fabric, excepting for the brown on beige floral, which was a 50's dress. You can't see, but the lining is a flesh coloured cotton Mum had for her doll making.

The main cloth is decades old, from my early patchwork days. I love this one. Feels Japanese.

Made mostly from a little bag of bits I bought at the Wandin North Primary School Harvest Festival, just pre lockdown., as is the bottom bag.

Some Thoughts On Proddy Rugs

Within the group, we have made a few Proddy or Proggy or Clippy or Peggy rugs. I’ve made two myself, with another on the frame. 

Whilst you can’t get the finesse or detail of hooked rugs, the ‘impressionist’ look you will achieve is lovely, let alone the beautiful softness. But I have some opinions on the matter, and for my own future reference and to share I'll stick them together and have a blether (something for the new Facebook page). 

Back

Anne Shafer's Liquorice Allsorts proddy rug. The colurs are well defined against each other. Each line is at least three rows of prods. Anne mostly used blankets and polo fleece.

Next is Anne's Poppy rug. Again, even with the mottled background, the poppies pop. 

Inspired to try my hand and use up a substantial amount of stash, I worked out a design and began my own. The silky nature of the fabric gives it a lovely sheen. Used are old shantung curtains, cottons, silks... mostly dress fabrics.
I cut the strips slightly off grain, not a full bias. This means the ends don’t fray. Something I ignored on the next yellow and pink version and it sheds bits all over the place. Which doesn’t bother me really. Not as much as it should.

I followed Anne's advice, making my sections each a good contrast and the lines three rows thick. The green lines separating the sectons and a dark brown behind it works quite well. I'm really happy with this one! So...

I started another... It looks brighter here I have to say. I’ll often start with a couple of fabrics (from my stash) that I want to design around. In this case it was the yellow and some pinks and lilacs (as per the centre of the first). I thought I’d cut my bits longer than the last but this was a mistake, I feel. It’s too shaggy! Mind you it feels lovely underfoot... Plus, the value or shade of the lilac is too similar to the yellow, so it’s not well defined. One of the pinks is a muted dusty colour (pretty in itself), but it looks a little muddy. While the back shows reasonable definition, the front doesn't. Still... it'll do...

To be honest, I started this one (below) second, but it's been rolled up for Quite Some Time. I do love using silks and exotic fabrics, old clothes etc., so get sidetracked, and whilst I like the colours, they're not really going to suit the house. I do that all of the time though, so what's new? It's all blanketing.

I thought that would make it tough and hard to step on, but it isn't. It's cosy.

  

OK so just get on and finish it! But, my point is (in writing this) the colour definition is nice. Note to self, take your own advice!
Chris Noorbergen is making this gorgeous tropical leafy rug. 'll get a better picture. Chris lives at lovely Loch, in West Gippsland (I'd say it's Gippy). Her strength of colour is beautiful and the dyed blackish background makes the design very strong.

Obviously there is a lot to be said for any type of design and we only have to follow our own taste. My hubby is always telling me to do a scketch first but the only one I have done is for the only one I'm not in love with. It's hard to know what fabric I'll find. If you are dyeing your cloth, then  you can colour in your drawing. But when it's all scraps and stash it's a bit more difficult.
I want to start another proggy now though. Now I know what I need to think of. Maybe I'll think through Where I want it, What is needs to go with and begin from there.
Or maybe I won't.

Jackson’s Stash Knit-Down Cardigan

https://www.ravelry.com/projects/bobbyla/f488-baby-and-toddler-striped-cardigan

Finished notes: It’s a top down pattern so I kept going to make it bigger. It’s too big now because (ha ha ha, typical) I didn’t count my stitches properly. Never mind. Children grow huh. 
I looked at other patterns for dimensions (i.e. sleeves and body length) and it should fit a 3-4 year old (little sweetie pie is just two!). Using the other design mentioned above for the hood, I picked up stitches behind the collar to begin and cut the collar off later, binding it in black. It worked just fine and looks nice. The collar makes it special. 
Also, I forgot to keep adding buttonholes (idiot!) so sewed the three I did remember closed, stitched a ribbon on the back (which makes it sturdier anyway) and hammered on metal studs. I dabbed a gloop of Fray Setter over the holes I made in the ribbon just to be sure it didn’t pull apart. 
On the hood front I continued knitting the garter stitch band and sewed it back on itself to accomodate a cord. The cord is Knitting Nancy style, with a little hand turned machine I have (not your old nails on a cotton reel style). I-cord would have done but this is good too and quick. 
The whole of it is with stash. I delved into my Spindrift for some extra blue (doubled) when the one ball of blue ran out but it was still stash. 
OK, I confess, I bought the black! Only because the very old black crepe I had from Grandma (45 years old) seemed a risk after a couple of rows. As in a bit frail. 
The colours are quite deep and the blue gives it a fantastic boost. Nice combo of brights and drabs. 
He’s a reddish blondey fair brown haired lad so it will suit him well. Little darling! 
19th January 2020 
I’ve had this pattern waiting so long that now the largest size will only fit for the shortest time, so I’m going to add increase rows before splitting for the sleeves. The beauty of top-down. 
This Bendigo 8ply is not the softest wool, but it’s practical for a toddlers needs and the colours are lovely.