preparing to dye

this fig tree was planted 24 years ago

it has been a very good producer with more than enough for friends, the raccoons, starlings and me

I prune 6 – 8 feet off the branches every year

this year it tripled in size – a shocking sign of climate change – other gardeners are experiencing the same growth

at night the raccoons have their fill and leave a dozen half eaten ones on the ground

I cooked and strained a pot of them and added it to the indigo vat

the best fruit vat yet

the squirrels planted walnuts which grow quickly and become too large

I cut off all the branches and strip the bark to hopefully dye a dark brown

it will soak in the sun for a couple weeks

I’ve been busy spinning local wool  – 308gms. white Icelandic and 110gms. pale grey

ready for colour samples

a weaver friend who is moving on to other interests gave me 50gms. of silk hankies

can’t wait to start spinning

 I tear it into pencil thin roving and loosely wind into balls to make it easier to spin

wait until you see the natural dyes on silk