Posted on 07/01/2023 12:34:34 PM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin
“Write it. Shoot it. Publish it. Crochet it, Sauté it, whatever. MAKE.” ~ Joss Whedon
The Monthly Create, Make and Share Thread is a monthly gathering of people that love to create and make. From yarn (crochet, knitting), fabric (sewing, quilting), threads (embroidery, weaving), wood crafts, ceramics, artwork and anything else you create and would like to share, this is the place to do it. Sharing something you’ve created and/or made is pure joy...and we need joy in our lives!
From complete Newbies that are looking to start that first project, to experienced artists, we would love to hear from you. If you have questions or would like advice, there’s probably someone on the thread who would be able to help.
It is impossible to hijack the Monthly Create, Make and Share Thread. Knitting, crochet, sewing, quilting, weaving, general crafting, art, wood working, patterns, articles on any of these topics, or even your own writing. There is no telling where it will go, and that is part of the fun and interest. Jump in and join us! Send a Private Message to Diana in Wisconsin if you’d like to be added to our Ping List.
NOTE: This is a once a Month Ping List. We DO post to the thread during the month. Links to related articles and discussions which might be of interest to other Create, Make and Share fans are welcomed any time.
Plant the Rainbow: 3 Must-Haves for a Natural Dye Garden
One of my favorite times of year is the beginning of spring. When the daffodils bloom and the trees begin to bud, you know that winter is on its way out. With spring comes a sense of opportunity, especially to learn something new with the little bit of extra daylight. Why not take advantage of all the new growth and learn how to use plants as natural dyes!
A lot of people have already started planning their 2023 gardens, but it’s not too late to add some plants that make magnificent natural dyes into the mix. In fact, your flower beds might already be full of natural dyes like black-eyed Susan, marigolds, zinnia, and hollyhock just waiting to be used.
The resulting color depends on the plant, so make sure when you’re planning your plants to have a well rounded mix of color to pick from! Or, just plant a couple red, yellow, and blue dye plants that you can overdye to create oranges, purples, and greens.
To give you an idea of which plants produce certain colors, here is a small list of easy growing dye plants (at least in North America):
Red: madder root, dyer’s woodruff
Orange: carrots, barberry shrub*, tickseed, sulfur cosmos,
Yellow: marigold, golden marguerite, weld
Green: nettle*, lily of the valley leaves
Blue: indigo, hollyhock, woad*
Purple: dandelion roots, purple basil
Responsible Gardening Practices
Depending on your location, some natural plant dyes may be classified as an invasive plant species and should not be planted.
Some online resources that discuss invasive plant species:
https://www.fs.usda.gov/wildflowers/invasives/index.shtml
https://www.invasiveplantatlas.org/
If you have any questions, we recommend you contact your local extension office for clarification before you plant your dye garden. Information on locating your local extension office and be found at this link:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/extension-search
Dye Garden Essentials
If you’re short on space that gets adequate sunlight, make sure you have these must-have dye plants as baseline for your reds, blues, and yellows.
Marigold - not only does it produce lovely yellows and oranges, the plant itself is a pest repellent! On protein fibers, marigold produces vibrant yellow, and on cotton and linen the color is paler and more subdued.
Dyer’s Knotweed (Japanese Indigo) - While the flowers are pink, the leaves are what yield a soft to medium blue hue.
St. John’s Wort* - Capable of producing reds, pinks, yellows, and greens!
And if you have no green thumb whatsoever, we carry a variety of powders, roots, and other dye materials that are ready for the dye pot!
Remember that you will need to use a mordant to get color to stick to your yarn/fabric. Before you start dyeing make sure you take all of the necessary safety precautions!
https://woolery.com/blog/plant-the-rainbow-3-musthaves-for-a-natural-dye-garden/
My wife is now making liver packs for people so they can do topical treatments with castor oil. Apparently it’s a great liver detoxer.
It’s an outside oil-resistant cover with some straps and velcro, and the oil pad is a replaceable piece that goes inside the cover against your skin.
They’re not fashionable, but lots of our friends and acquaintances seem very interested!
I made a turkey wing bone call last week.
I’m a portrait artist. Pets and people. My medium is graphite but I have recently moved into color pencils as well. Current project is Herbert Hoover. Not the politician. Herbert is my sons Bassett Hound.
No way am I computer literate, but if someone would provide instructions, I’d post a couple of my pieces.
A lot of people use postimages.org
Free and easy to use. It does the uploads and gives you links for postings. I always use the last one called hot links for websites. I made an interesting discovery about colored pencils just last week. I have a nice set and I wanted to color eyes, nose and smile on a fabric face for a doll. I wanted it to look smudgy and old. But the pencils were a little hard so I just dipped them in a little saliva and got a nice soft look.
It's Simplicity 2377; as usual, I used "free" material. I like this pattern because if you don't have enough material for the whole dress, you can mix and match with the skirt or the bodice. I added the pocket; I like to tweak things.
Yarn is Caron Jumbo (Ombre) in 'Bush & Bleu'. Yardage is 595 yds per skein. It took 2 skeins to make this shawl. Cost was $18 ..... buy one skein at $11.99, get a second skein half price.
Finished shawl:
For an album of pictures, showing the neck edge 'originial' and after slip stitching, plus the shawl with the card going with it, ruffle detail, etc., here is the link:
Two more prayer shawls to go for recent widows …..
BLUSH & blue ... not ‘bush’ LOL
That is adorable.
I am going to make a rustic cherry tart tomorrow.
Diana, you are a modern day renaissance woman!
That animated stack of fabrics reminds me of a stack of quilts in the corner of my bedroom now.
We’re moving in a couple weeks. I’ve been collecting all the quilts in the house to consolidate them in one place for the movers. I had NO idea. The pile is about 4’ high.
Yesterday I had several hours to kill while waiting for someone, so I took my crochet with me. I am making popcorn! Quick and easy to do, when strung with large red beads that look like cranberries it makes a great garland for my Christmas tree! Last Christmas I had the garland and snowflakes I had crocheted on my tree. This year I hope to double it all.
I LOVE your creations! :)
Very interesting! I have a friend with Fatty Liver Disease. Not chronic or life-threatening, but is this topical pack for something like that?
Is that to call in other turkeys, or other animals? Beau is always ‘practicing’ on his calls.
So. Gorgeous! :)
“Diana, you are a modern day renaissance woman!”
LOL! Thank you. I’m making up for lost time - I spent too much of my life in the Army, so I am catching up on living my Grandmother’s Life...which, without the abject poverty, was the life I’ve always wanted. :)
I made a Cherry Pie with cherries from our tree this past week. It was a little runny, but delish, nonetheless. And while I was METICULOUS when pitting them, Beau STILL got the ONLY piece with a pit in it!
If you have time, please share your ‘Rustic Tart’ recipe. I’m assuming it works with various fruits?
My favorite recipe for a tart is ‘Joan’s Pear Tart.’ I have had people ask me to make this tart for pay; it’s THAT good! You do need a classic Tart Pan with removable bottom, though.
Joan’s Pear Tart: https://www.food.com/recipe/joans-pear-tart-45475
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