Finally, I'm getting the linen dyed for my stitching project!

The original reason for the dyeing caper was that I needed pieces of linen to hang behind my doorway stitching series, to exhibit better.  And finally I'm getting to where I have the expertise to actually get them done.

Here is the latest shibori tied linen piece, which will certainly be used!  I made another which is much paler, but still usable.  You'll see how it looked all tied up after rinsing

 then  opened up showing the beads and the rubber bands I used.  

Then drying on the line, very pleasing. I wanted the irregular effect of using beads other than just globes, to avoid that ghastly bullseye effect of sixties tie-dyeing we managed to live through.

This was red cabbage, mordanted with alum and cream of tartar, and with a big addition of salt to the final bath, to increase the blue side of the spectrum.  I brought the bath to a simmer with the piece in it last evening, then switched off the heat and left it in all night. Linen is not an easy customer to accept color! 

I have been conscientiously keeping notes of all these processes, most unlike me, but there you are, I'm a born again artist, and if anyone's interested in knowing more about any of the pieces I've shown you here lately, just email me.  

I don't want to bore on about process for general readers who are not up for doing it themselves, just interested in the general idea, but I'm glad to share anything I've discovered, usually by getting it wrong first (!) with anyone interested in asking.

And now I need to figure out what color will work best behind that copper piece you saw ages ago in Art the B. I'm wondering about green, maybe a spinach dye.  Or even an orange. Hm. Your input gladly listened to, as always, dear blogistas.

So funny for someone who doesn't consider herself a colorist, to be so engrossed in issues of color this summer.