This week i started again on the dye beds at gg . the madder was still there, just coming through. so that’s been weeded and split and fed. i dug up a little for tests and it’s already good.

i also weeded all the rest, planting the seeds of black cat scabious saved from last years’ amazing results. i had lots of flower heads saved too so they’re soaking on the windowsill now alongside the madder root.

Here’s the tests done onto paper straight from the first day soaking. kept warm, not boiled. unfiltered. added the usual modifiers/mordants. I’ll make pigments from these for a painting session at gg mnm later in summer.

i also tested unspun pure flax, from the gg 21 crop. i talked about dyeing prior to spinning this week and so i had to try! unmordanted and unbleached. the pink is beautiful. the scabious may be .. it’s still wet. i am impatient 😆

now i’m making a lake to collect the pigments

if you want to know more about the making n mending club or the flax project, please mail me for more details – cat@catlewis.com

if you like what i do for free, you can treat me! https://ko-fi.com/catlewis