The Windowsill Dye Studio: Dorm Room Edition

 We are BACK!! 

I acquired blackberries this morning -- maybe half a pound, max -- and decided since they're (frankly) not great for eating, they're perfect for dyeing. So I started figuring out container acquisition, which led me to spend some time poking around the backs of dining halls, digging through recycling bins for any useful containers. An hour, five dining halls, one dorm, and two bruises later, I had a giant jam jar and empty can of ketchup that wasn't going to cut my hand open. 

supplies laid out on a desk, including a giant can and giant jar, a mug, a bowl of blackberries, various fibers, a measuring cup, and salt
The supplies 
[id: supplies laid out on a desk, including a giant can and giant jar, a mug, a bowl of blackberries, various fibers, a measuring cup, and salt]

the same supplies as before, arranged on a blue towel and without the fiber, which is being mordanted
Beginning the process!
[ID: the same supplies as before, arranged on a blue towel and without the fiber, which is being mordanted]

The ketchup can was my mordant container: seven cups of hot water to a large amount of salt, which helps with colorfastness for berry dyes/stains according to various internet sources. (I did not measure the salt.) The fiber (nice mediumwool roving, a handful of longwool locks, some cotton thread, a couple of random wool things I spun and plied, together weighing maybe half of the berries' weight) went in the mordant bath for an hour (covered with a random plastic plate), then came out and dried a bit on a towel while I made the dye.

A white mug filled with blackberries
[ID: A white mug filled with blackberries]

the white mug, now filled with blackberry dye that has been mashed but not strained
[ID: the white mug, now filled with blackberry dye that has been mashed but not strained]

part of a large jar, filled about an eighth full of dark red dye
[ID: part of a large jar, filled about an eighth full of dark red dye]

looking down into the jar of dye, showing fibers floating in dark red dye
[ID: looking down into the jar of dye, showing fibers floating in dark red dye]

I don't want to strain berry seeds out of the yarn so I put the berries in a mug to pour 8 oz boiling water over them. They just about filled the mug, so I left it uncovered for 15 minutes to steep. I mashed the berries, then strained the dye through paper towels, squeezed out every drop of juice I possibly could (my hands are Very Purple rn), then added another cup of boiling water just for heat and stuff, put in the fiber, and sealed the jar. I'll leave it for about a week, then rinse. 

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