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Friday 19 November 2004
With cauldrons bubbling and the date close to Halloween, one could be forgiven for thinking there was something sinister going on.
But not so – this was the Spinners and Weavers Whangarei Group Dyeing Day, something the group manages about once to twice a year.
About 25 people gathered at member Nancy Jackson’s Kauri house, where they mixed their dyes and experimented with colours and methods, hanging the finished products on the line to dry.
The colours achieved were spectacular, many available in shops, with shades of green and blue, pinks, reds, purples, browns and navy.
The group used two main methods, hot and cold dying, using commercial dyes and the primary colours, red, yellow and blue.
Part of the excitement is one is never quite sure what the colour is going to look like till it’s pulled out of the pot and with different coloured wools, the colour variation is huge.
To create the hot dyed wool, salty water was brought to simmer in the pots then the wet skeins of wool added. Nancy’s husband had chopped the wood for fires, with each pot having a small fire underneath.
After quarter of an hour, white vinegar was added to set the dye and the wool boiled for another 15 minutes. At the end of this time, or sooner for less colour (longer makes it brighter) the dyed product was removed and rinsed out in the water till all the dye came out. Wool then needed to be washed in soapy water to remove the chemicals.
Cold dying on the other hand means colours can be achieved exactly how they are required. Here the wool is painting with a paintbrush and then left in the airing cupboard for 48 hours to dry. Different shades can be painted on the wool making an interesting finished product.
The group met earlier in the year for a natural dying day – here things like silver dollar or flax was gathered to create the natural colours, though many of the group say the colours last better in the commercial dyes.
Times of the year are varied for the natural dying day to utilise a different lot of plants. Nasturtium flowers, for example, produce a lovely orange colour while the leaves are green.
The group also makes rugs for a charity, this year they’ll be going to Red Cross in Auckland for the refugees. Many of the days dying works will go into these rugs.
Spinners and Weavers meet every 2nd and 4th Monday of the month in Trinity Church Hall, Tikipunga, from 1pm-3.30pm. Inquiries to Beverly 09-435 2609.
Author: The Whangarei Report
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