Pioneer Woman at Heart

One Flourishing, Frugal and Fun Family!

One family learning to live off the land, cut back on expenses, and to live a simpler and a more self-sufficient lifestyle.

Adopted Motto

"Eat it up,
Wear it out,
Make it do,
Or go without."
~A Pioneer Sampler, by Barbara Greenwood~

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Another Journal for the Journal Junkie - My Natural Dye Swatch Book

Summer here is very busy with gardening, stocking up, repairing, building, etc. I have little time to work on the "little" things.

I finally dug out my swatch book, and put a cover to it.  I could have decoupaged it, painted it, and so many other ways. However, I simply used a piece of stationary and printed it from the computer.


Here is a peek inside my journal/book.  I simply bought tab dividers with color tabs already adhered.  I don't have all the colors, but it's pretty easy to use with the ones do have.  I can also add more by using cardstock and adding a tab.


For yarns, I simply adhere a piece of the dyed yarn to the page, and write what mordant I used, the material I used, the date and then a year later I update if the color held.

For example, I dyed a 100% cotton doily that I crocheted, using red onion skins a year ago.  It has since faded from not using a mordant.  I did not have a yarn swatch, so I printed photos of the before and after, wrote down information, and punched the page with a 3-hole punch.  I added it to the journal for reference.


On my recent hikes around our 6 acres, and into and along the woods, I discovered rosehips.  I decided to pick them and use them as a dye to dye wool yarn. 

I see it's too late this season to dye my yarn with goldenrod.  Time got away from me this season.

Today the chimney sweep comes.  Finally.  

I've got another busy day today, despite how I am feeling.  I woke with both eyes burning and itching and watering.  Fall allergies are here with a bang.  I hope to get a small break in the day, after laundry gets put on the line, kitchen swept and mopped, canning completed, and so forth.



4 comments:

Patricia @ 9th and Denver said...

Girl! you are so endeavorous (is that a word?...spell check says NO.)
anyway...you forage for plants on your place to make dyes with? So creative.
And you journal about it...I love that about you. No wonder you call your self a journal junkie.
I think I used to be a journal junkie...but don't hold a candle to you. :)

We've got a touch of allergies today...we worked at my daughter's house, painting and cleaning up. I'm sure it's just dust allergies and hopefully will pass soon.

take care have a wonderful Tuesday, my friend! Pat

Anonymous said...

I didn't do much dying this year either. The season went so fast! I'm interested to see what you'll get with the rose hips. And the binder idea is very clever. I need to get more organized like that.

Candy C. said...

What a good way to keep track of your dyeing efforts. Too bad about the onion skin dye fading, I'll bet it was beautiful! :)

ladaisi said...

That's so cool! I know nothing about dying fabrics or canning. I would love to learn though. I want to take culinary and batik-ing classes!