Sherbert the Entari is slowly chugging along. Its possible it will be done for investiture, but I am starting to doubt it.

I didn’t kill my Mulberry Tree over the holidays. It is starting to bud in the carport. This means the Silkworm project may be only one more year away. It all comes down to how much growth I get this year. I really should get it in a bigger pot soon.

I am working on a turning project for my mom. It involves hundreds of pencil crayons being glued together. I have turned alot of stuff thats been laminated together, but never anything quite like this. It just might kill me =D.

I am building a game board based on a version of Hnefatafl, but it reminds me more of the Irish game Fidchell. I am calling it Boot Licking Toadie in tribute to the whole weirdness of the C______ War politics. The bootlicker with the help of the Toadies have to avoid being captured by the significant Minority all the while trying to suck up to the assorted senechals living in the corners of the game board.

Working on a Pilgrim Badge cast in a stone mold. Stove broke, so I am stuck for the moment.

More research on the Turkish Rug. I think I have my design sorted out except for the center element. Still looking, and thinking of dying my own wool. I have to figure out a rough estimate of the wool I will need, and then figure out if I have enough capacity to dye everything at once. If I can I dye, if not maybe not. Don’t want to thave the colors change mid carpet.

Still going to give the orange turmeric dye one more shot, then I will share the good and badness of my recent dyeing stuffs.

etc….

• February 7, 2010 -- Day of Dance / A&S Defenders 2010 (3)
• July 28, 2009 -- Flora & Ash update (0)
• July 12, 2009 -- Purple Heart Dye (0)
• June 6, 2009 -- Mulberry Tree / Silkworm Project (2)
• April 1, 2009 -- Milk Paint v1.2 In Search or Red (0)

I first separated the sawdust into two piles.

The first pile I left steeping on the stove making a dark reddish tea.

Many more pictures after the jump

The other pile I put into a container of isopropanol. (other bottle is walnut… no color extraction happened once the silt settled down)

Half of my samples I soaked in a Alum solution for 90 minutes. The other set was left alone.

An Alum sample soaking for 24hr in the tea solution

I was very excited to find the alum/tea sample turn a great sage green. I loved this color, but alas… as the sample dried the cotton turned purple.

I guess I tied the sample a little to tight, as there was sections of the cotton that didn’t seem to take the dye well. Back in the bath it went.

The non Alum sample after it was removed from the tea. Lighter shade of green than the mordant sample. It turned to a lighter brighter color of purple.

Final results from the tests (top to bottom)

Large sample of non-Alum steeped in the tea for 1hr. I threw it back in the pot, and will let it steep for a few days.

Non-Alum 24hr tea bath

Alum 24hr tea bath

Non-alum 24hr alcohol bath

alum 24hr alcohol bath

Non-dyed cotton

The alchol dye baths left very soft purple colors. I much prefer the dark purple of the Alum 24hr tea bath. Still wish it stayed that fantastic green color.

• April 1, 2009 -- Milk Paint v1.2 In Search or Red (0)
• July 26, 2010 -- 15th Century Timur Disked Bell Tent. (0)
• July 1, 2010 -- Turkish Rug project v1.6 a Looming I Will Go (0)
• June 3, 2010 -- Archery & Heavy Defenders 2010 (0)
• April 11, 2010 -- Siege Engine Boules (0)
• April 5, 2010 -- Good Weekend (2)

Saffron, Brazil Wood, Turmeric, Red Oxide, Carbon Black, Red Saw Dust in Isopropanol,Red Ainiline Dye, and a Black Ainiline Dye were the selections I made today.

results from left to right.  50/50 Saffron & Turmeric, Carbon Black, Carbon black (2x), Red Saw Dust in isopropanol, Water with saffron coloring, Vinegar and nails solution (Seafoam green), Brazil Wood, Brazil Wood (x2), Turmeric, Red Oxide, Red Oxide (x2), Red Ainiline Dye, 50/50 Red Ainiline Dye/ Red Oxide, Black Ainiline Dye.

Results.

 Brazil Wood solution looks orange till you add fresh water to the steeped liquid. It then turns bright red, but then reacts to the lime and turns a disturbing shade of pink.

Red Ainiline Dye, and Red Oxide produce a nice muted medium red. The Oxide on its own is too flesh browny red, and the Ainiline dye is hinting at a magenta.

Carbon Black works great as a dye stuff, but the black ainiline dye never left the grey shade (reaction to the lime?) I think I will try making a liquid dye of the ainiline black to see if it produces the same result as the powder.

Turmeric Orange rocks. Muted orange color in most lights, but when placed out in bright direct sunlight it glows!

• July 12, 2009 -- Purple Heart Dye (0)
• May 11, 2009 -- Turned Bed Frame v1.8 Paint is Dry (4)
• April 23, 2009 -- Milk Paint v1.3 (0)
• March 16, 2009 -- Curdled Milk (0)
• March 8, 2009 -- Chest v1.4 Almost done. (0)
• February 15, 2009 -- Milk Paint v1.0 (0)