Color from Weeds

I am so excited to finally get some time out in the garden area. I love the feel of dirt between my fingers. Although I do not like scrubbing out the dirt underneath my nails after hours of digging in the soil. I have spent two years muching an area of my yard to get rid of the clay and make it ready for something nicer than weeds. I have discovered though that some of those plants I do not want, (weeds) will make nice dyes. One of those plants, is the Dandelion. It makes some wonderful yellows and greens. My neighbors who will not cut back their Blackberries gives me tans and browns from the leaves and blueish purples from the berries. Tansy which spreads throughout the fields also will dye some bright yellow and with mordanting can give greens. Comfrey which I stupidly tilled throughout my yard dyes my yarns browns and makes some nice herbal potions. This spring though i am determined to plant some flowers that I will enjoy sniffing, looking at and dyeing with later this summer and fall. So I am pouring over some of the dye books we have here in the store and resource library. If all turns out as I hope I will post photographs throughout the season. I hope some of you will also join me in the pursuit of growing our own dyestuff.