dying wool

Yesterday, I decided to try to dye some of my hand spun yarn. I went out and gathered all the cosmos flowers I had, plus some marigolds. Simmered them for a little while.

While the flowers were simmering, I got the yarn ready in the mordant bath. It had to simmer an hour.

Strained the flowers and got a beautiful orange color. Added the yarn and simmered another hour.

                                                            And this is what I got. I just love it!

Then today, I put 2 more skeins in that same dye pot. They are so much lighter, but still really pretty. I think I might really like doing this. I can see how it can be quite addictive.

I found some gentian violet the other day at Walmart. I saw someone's post on FB where they dyed some wool using this stuff. It's what people use for thrush. It is a beautiful purple-violet color. I want to dye some alpaca next. I'm washing more white alpaca so should have enough to dye soon.

1st dyed hand spun!

This is the first dyed skein of hand spun yarn. I couldn't get it on the other post.

Making bread again...

I quit making bread when I stopped eating flour and sugar back last year in March. I have been making this bread for a very long time. I think about 18 years.

A few weeks ago, I thought I might start making bread and rolls for the market. When I quit I sold all my wheat to a friend, so I didn't have anything. I had to start all over basically. Wheat berries are expensive too. And yeast. And olive oil. I have my own milk and eggs and honey, so that helps. But now I think I would like to get 50 pound bags of wheat.

The bread and rolls are selling good. I only make 3 loaves or 3 dozen rolls. I sell the rolls in bags of 6. They really are good.

So here is my grinder. It's very loud and sounds like a jet in my kitchen!

Then I mix up all the ingredients: milk, eggs, honey, olive oil, wheat, then yeast and more wheat. Then sea salt. It gets kneaded in this DLX for 12 minutes. Then I put it on the back porch, where it's warm, til it rises to the top.

Next, I either make loaves or rolls. Then they go back to the porch til doubled. Then to the oven.

Nice big loaves of good whole wheat bread.

Tonight I'll make rolls for the Tuesday market. It takes SO long to make this bread. I'll also make zucchini bread in the morning.