Comments on: Adventures with Bugs

By: Sasha

Sasha — Tue, 23 May 2006 00:05:44 +0000

Someone gave me a fleece that I want to dye with cochineal. Can you offer any pointers? Any info sources you can recommend? How much mordant and cream of tartar did you use? Did you designate your grinder/pots and jars as dye-only? I read that you can use the bugs without grinding them, any thoughts or info on this? I love the color!

By: Juls

Juls — Thu, 16 Mar 2006 20:36:17 +0000

Wow! I love the new golden-bronze shade that the lime area took on. What a totally serendipitous bit of dyeing. I have never had much interest in dyeing yarn, but your site is so enjoyable and very inspiring. Thanks!

By: Keli

Keli — Sun, 12 Mar 2006 16:48:46 +0000

Hi,
I took a spinning class last fall and can spin ply’s but have not really had the opportunity to learn how to ply…how did you learn Navao plying? Also, I compliment you on how you just jumped into all this..Im more timid I guess.
Loved you report on Seattle as I am Canadian (used to live in Courtenay BC) and have lived here 6 years (husbands a Software Engineer) Going to Weaving works today.
Take care and have a Blessed Day.
PS> Any advice as to how to get going?

By: Meg

Meg — Sun, 12 Mar 2006 02:35:24 +0000

Oh, I forgot – is your little processor now a dye-specific instrument? Does using something for food after having used it for grinding bugs bother you? ) Think your father in law will be suspicious of any food-processor minced food at your house?

By: Meg

Meg — Sun, 12 Mar 2006 02:31:31 +0000

Gorgeous stuff – I can just imagine the lustre of that wool, all spun up. Yow. The overdye really gave the colors that subtle “expensive” look. Fantastic!

By: Alison

Alison — Fri, 10 Mar 2006 19:56:34 +0000

Gorgeous color on the fleece!! Absolutely wonderful color.

By: isela

isela — Thu, 09 Mar 2006 20:40:33 +0000

The colors are amazing!

By: Ellen

Ellen — Wed, 08 Mar 2006 15:55:29 +0000

I’ve never been able to exhaust a cochineal bath. I just gave up & dumped it after I ran out of stuff to dye. Let us know how many pounds you finally dye with it. The natural dyes in general seem harder to exhaust than the commercial ones, in my limited experience.

By: Louisa

Louisa — Tue, 07 Mar 2006 21:34:04 +0000

Wild cochineal does have colour but it’s not nearly as strong as the “tame” variety. And the wild bugs are considerably smaller so you need a whole lot more of them. I’m glad to pay somebody to grow and harvest those little buggies for me! Also I think that the cream of tartar makes the colour more red. I’ve gotten quite a nice purple on wool with an after-dip of ammonia (alkaline, rinse well!) and interestingly cellulose fibres tend to dye more purple than protein ones in the same dyebath. Natural dyes are so exciting!

By: Lolly

Lolly — Tue, 07 Mar 2006 19:50:47 +0000

I was planning a similar post about red/pink dyes for a certain little Project I am doing… if you don’t mind, I can point readers over here to check out your work