Dyeing Day

I was supposed to work on Sunday, but my boss, who is the best (no, really, I've had lots of bosses -- he's the best), gave me the day off and did my stint at the convention thingie for me. And it was beautiful here in Michigan --


One of those perfect fall days that makes me think it isn't so bad to put up with months of gray slush.


And so of course, it was a perfect day to dye --

That's me at the trusty Weber grill, submerging some of my Rambouillet fleece into the dyepot. Cushing Dye. Salmon.

Now, to me, salmon implies an intense orangey pink. This is what I got dyeing 1/2 pound to full exhaust (the amount of dye is suggested for 1 lb at full depth of shade)

The photos don't really do justice to this blah color. If I were making lots of little stuffed caucasian dolls for Christmas, this would be the perfect color for skin tone. Not quite what I had in mind. I was more inspired by this --

the dogwood turning russet-colored in our backyard.

So back to the dyepot with some terra cotta. Lots of it.

Now this is more like it --

Next stop after drying -- carding and spinning.