this is going to be my summer of dyeing (as last summer was learning how to spin). yesterday i picked the piss t'beds in the back yard (they look like dandelions but are earlier - i think it's coltsfoot). i looked up the name before writing this entry - to get the spelling and see where the term came from (my reference is the newfoundland english dictionary). it's an irish term. coltsfoot was believed to have a diuretic effect - not just by drinking it but even by picking it - so children were warned against it so they wouldn't "piss t'bed"! when combined with alum as a mordant, the colour is a soft buttery yellow. yum yum.
1 comment:
this is wonderful news. i'm just starting to see these little plants pop up here in northern alberta, and as always wondered if they would produce a dye. i'll definately have to give them a go :)
Post a Comment