Monday, July 14, 2014

feverfew moonday



Three whites -- wool, silk shantung and silk organza -- emerged golden-yellow from the feverfew dye-pot. Tanacetum parthenium, what an easy plant to work with -- flowers, stems and leaves simmered for an hour, left to sit overnight before straining. The same process repeated with the cloth. (The wool had been premordanted with alum, but not the silks.)

We're already well-acquainted -- but still I sat in the middle of a patch of feverfew for a long time last week because I want to know the plants that grow with and around me on a deeper level. Taking a few moments to first clear my mind to better connect with feverfew, I buried my face in blossoms and breathed deeply. I tasted. After a while I recalled the first time I saw these daisy-like blossoms in a friend's garden, the strength of my attraction to them, and how that friend gave me seeds from those very plants. That was the beginning. And I remembered, too, the first time I realized that feverfew lights up the darkness and that she is a moon lover as well as a sun lover.

Today is a waning moonday in Aquarius, moving into Pisces in just a few hours. Was wondering why I wasn't falling asleep right away a few nights ago but then thought, yes, the moon is full. Of course. That's what happens.

Wishing you many good friends in your garden.


11 comments:

  1. such a pretty plant and such a mellow yellow resulting in the dyeing....beautiful.

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  2. beautiful results. Oh, and I think you might have been at risk for persecution (heresy) in another, darker time!

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  3. I especially love the color on the closest cloth...is that the wool??

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  4. Yes--the dye is really beautiful, and I used to bring handfuls home to hang in closets (discourages moths). I love the scent of this plant.

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  5. Beautiful colours, wish you had posted this a week earlier, had to pull some up the other week as it had seeded itself in the middle of another plant.

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  6. Yes indeed pretty and restorative shades : )

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  7. I love the name "feverfew", it's such a sweet old fashioned flower. And those are yellows even anti-yellow me could love!

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  8. Well darn, my feverfew roasted in our heat spell and is done. Need to remember this for next year.

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  9. scrummy colours - such successful dyeing : )

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  10. Hello, I have a question. Does dying cotton and linen works as well with feverfew. I have tried it, I put it in premordant of alum but the result is a bit dissapoining. Do you have any tips?

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  11. Hi Katrien, I wish I did, but my experience with successfully plant-dyeing cotton and linen has been limited, although once in a while I'll hit on something that works. I purposefully set myself up for success by using the easier-to-dye protein fibers, silk and wool! We recently had 11" of snow and below zero temperatures so I can only dream about my beloved feverfew. I hope you have a go at it with silk and wool, it will be wonderful!

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