Since my first attempt at a shibori scarf was successful, I decided to stitch another one that was an eco-dyed failure. This scarf was hand-made felt so it was significantly thicker than the last scarf I dyed with this method.

Here’s the scarf after all the stitching was complete and pulling the threads to tie off had started. The bright blue-green color came from commercially dyed eucalyptus leaves.

I really worked at getting this one tied tighter than the last one. I think I was more successful but the felt was much thicker so it was easier to get it tight.

I put the tied scarf into a pot of acid dye that was a combination of black and red. I think it improves the scarf, don’t you?

There are still spots of the blue-green but now they are just accents as opposed to big blobs of ugliness.

I also dyed a bunch of cotton and wool threads the same day I dyed the scarf. I ‘needed’ more blue violets and red violets in my stash of threads. I used #5, #8 and #12 perle cottons, regular embroidery floss and wool lace weight thread. The wool is all on the right side of the photo. It got thrown in the pot with the scarf and is a really dark, deep red.

I really love how hand dyed threads are variable. I was working on getting a range of values in the same colors. I added a few green threads in too to make a nice color combination.

Here’s a closer view of the wool thread. It has sections of brighter red in between the really dark portions. I’m not sure how I’m going to use these threads. I have tons of threads that I dyed for my stitch class but it always seems like I just don’t have the ‘right’ color when I need it.  Does that happen to you?

All of us here at The Felting and Fiber Studio would like to wish you a Merry Christmas (or whatever holiday you celebrate) and hope that your holidays are safe and happy! Thanks for stopping by, we appreciate your comments and love to hear from each and every one of you. 🙂