Thursday, July 17, 2008

Onions....they're not just for yellow anymore

I've been told for years that dyeing with onions skins would produce, well, just more yellow, so i never did it. But last night out of sheer boredom i peeled some onions and tried it...NOT YELLOW!

I mordanted with alum and cream of tartar and...

Orange! Yes indeedy...a lovely orange. This was the first soak for about 20 minutes i think.

Second soak...a bit lighter...

Third soak overnight, we're getting somewhere close to yellow.Still much more gold than yellow.... I have one last bunch from a second cooking of the onion skins... i'll post pictures tomorrow!

here are all three...

6 comments:

Eliza said...

are you using regular yellow onions? how many for that gorgeous orange?

Unknown said...

I used the skins from a couple pounds of onions was all, and yes they were just regular yellow onions.

Jen D. said...

That is so cool! Love the shades of the roving... are you gonna blend the fibers? Or are you gonna spin it as is?

~ Phyllis ~ said...

I love your natural dyeing. Your pictures of the Badland are beautiful.

Phlel said...

Wow! Love the orange one!

cubedog said...

beautiful,
couldn't wear it, but it's gorgeous