I spent the weekend at the Sanguine Gryphon retreat learning how to dye yarn, and teaching a class on lace design.
The retreat was at Gryphon’s amazing studio in Easton, MD.
The actual dyeing was mainly kettle dyeing done outside on these propane heaters. Gryphon got us started by heating up the water in which to dye the yarn.
Here is part of the group listening intently to Gryphon’s instructions and taking notes for future reference.
There were actually 16 of us there, but I don’t have a complete group picture. I’m hoping someone else will post one.
We started out by trying a few different dyeing techniques with small sample skeins of somewhat underspun Eidos. There is a teal one, a semisolid red, oil beetle, and then a skein dyed in a shallow pot with reds and oranges.
I actually also made a handpainted skein in crimson and gun metal, but somehow that disappeared and I never saw the final result.
My first independent experiment was with two skeins of Little traveler. I used crimson, scarlet and black, and I really think this turned out well. I can’t wait to use this yarn.
Then I dyed two skeins of Sappho along with Rena. We made them shades of fire red and some browns – which made them turn out this sort of dark antique rose.
And finally I dyed a skein of Eidos with Laura in shades of sapphire blue and emerald green.
And just because the yarn looked so beautiful, I thought I’d include a picture of all my yarn together. The sample skeins are the four on the top, and then it’s Eidos, 2xLittle Traveler, and 2xSappho.
