The first test wraps were bound with elastic bands and included some fine crochet cotton as well. So a small bundle, with all three types of thread, band wrapped, soda soaked, left to dry, dipped in dye and left to dry again
clear white divisions with some shading
After dyeing they were variously woven - this a test for something else, used to demo the dyed thread
And crocheted to see how the effect translated, bamboo first then linen.
The second batch has yet to dry, bound with strips from plastic bags - unecological raffia. This is how ikat warps are tied prior to dyeing, but obviously with much more skill, planning and understanding than my efforts
They werent as effective at keeping out the dye, but have resulted in some interesting shading and some broader white spaces. The next step might be to re bind leaving some of the white unbound, then add a third colour, blending into some of the blue and petrol green but finding some of the white for the pure tone.
Now where's that crochet hook?
It's an interesting experiment, isn't it - and demonstrates just how hard it is to work out from the skein, what a variegated yarn will look like when it's been knitted, crocheted, woven, or sewn...
ReplyDeleteHi Rachel, indeed it is. I'm also beginning to understand that magic is involved somewhere along the line - otherwise how do those wonderful skeins of variegated yarn and thread happen?
Deleteit's amazing how much planning must go into those marvelous ikats, right?
ReplyDelete