I’m doing a doll project for the month of September. I’ve had in mind for a while to try nature dyeing. I like the idea of dyeing small, doable amounts of fabric and yarn. Back when I did a lot of crazyquilting, I had the idea to do a wall hanging completely from textiles dyed from things found on our farm. I even tried to talk both of our sons in turn into doing nature dyes as science projects. Then when I was journaling a lot I wanted to do a journal with nature inks made from our farm. Lately I’ve been thinking of a tiny rag doll made using the same idea which as you can see has been brewing on the back burner for years, play on words intended. I enjoyed the format of my 100 day project, so I plan to follow that for September, 15 minutes of working toward the project and a photo each day.
Check out the stash pages for more pics and info about the dyeing process and photos of the plants.
I was putting some thawed mixed greens that I had frozen from the garden into the pan when I noticed that the bag had leaked a brownish liquid into the bowl I thawed them in. I had the thought that it might work as a dye, so I put the liquid along with some salt and a piece of the muslin that I use for doll bodies into a pan and simmered it while I cooked breakfast. I let it soak overnight and this is what I came up with. Not a huge change, but a nice doll color. I love the idea of a doll dyed with our kale, komatsuna and spinach that we ate all spring.
The doll pattern I’m using is Ann Wood’s Tiny Rag Doll pattern. It is an excellent pattern. I recommend it highly.
09-03-2019
This note should be titled all’s well that ends well. Anyone see anything wrong with that first photo? Neither did I until I cut one of the arms. Eek! That’s when I realized that the arms and legs were supposed to be on the fold. Now it’s not like I had any more of this fabric, or really any way to replicate it. It was my first nature dyed piece of this month’s project. Actually I dyed it a week or so ago on the morning I decided to do the project.
I quickly unpinned the patterns, folded the cloth and was able to repin them. Save! I’m sure glad I noticed it when I did.
That funny thing Althea is holding is a new wig that I’m hoping to dye with walnut husks. I’m not sure if I will use it or a different one for Verda which is the name I’ve already decided on for this doll. I wanted something related to green or greens. Verda sounds more like a name than verde, green in Spanish, or verdant, but it’s close enough to have the association.
09-04-2019
I got the arms and legs sewn. The fabric seems to be harder to push the needle through. I wonder if the boiling affected the weave.
09-05-2019
All the parts are sewn, clipped and turned. I’m getting excited to see what Verda will look like.
I put on some walnut husks to soak and also some bitterweed flowers. Will she be a brunette or a blonde?
09-08-2019
I got the walnut leaves, walnut husks and bitterweed dyed yesterday. It was more work than I was expecting it to be, but I love the results. The wig turned out a great color, but as I expected it was a bit small, oops I left out that row. Plus the dye didn’t go where the bun meets the wig. The blond wig dyed in bitterweed turned out great, but didn’t suit Verda. So, I made her one from the recycled lambswool that I dyed in a hank. I’m happy with this one, so I sewed it on.
Now she needs a face. The cotton embroidery floss didn’t dye dark enough. I found a vintage spool of thread that I think may be silk. I’m going to try that and see if I can get a darker brown. I have some soaking in the walnut husk dye that I kept.
09-09-2019
I overdyed the silk thread I found with black walnuts and tried the iron bath. I don’t think it went any darker, but the floss may have.
I also tried the silk thread in pokeberries and there is at least some pink/peach color.
I suspect she will wind up with features from the vintage silk sewing thread.
Since I was using the dyes again, I put some reclaimed lambswool yarn and some wool fabric in both, enough for skirts this time from the fabric. Success on both those counts.
09-11-2019
I finally got brave and just started on verda’s face. I used the black walnut husk dyed vintage silk sewing thread for all but her lips. Those are silk dyed with pokeberries. It wasn’t that much different than embroidering with floss. I used doubled thread for everything except her nose. I wound up taking the nose stitches out and giving her a bigger nose. Now I’m wishing it were a bit smaller, but it is what it is at this stage.
I also sewed her a new pokeberry dyed wool beret.
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Verda and her wardrobe all made during my September challenge.
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