Red Onions Anyone?

This weekend’s dyeing and weaving project was red onions and it met with mixed success.

The first batch, using cream of tartar and alum as mordent, worked great, but the second batch, using cream of tartar and tin chloride came out darker, but with the consistency of string. Perhaps I boiled it and felted it. Or maybe I put too much mordent in it. Anyway, my first experiment using tin for mordenting was not too successful. The onion skins are from a generous farmer at the Farmers’ Market.

Red Onions. Left: alum; right: tin chloride

Last weekend’s experiment using walnut shavings looks quite good. I did not pre-soak the shavings, from a Nakashimi-style table-to-be by The Artist, made from a very large walnut slab given to him. For next weekend, however, I have some shavings soaking and the sample should be much darker.

Walnut

Weaving will have to wait a little; I’m trying to finish knitting a sweater or two.

The Artist is finishing up his work for the museum show and doing a poster for the group.