Textiles and Tea, separated socks

Yesterday's Textiles and Tea featured a master of katazome dyeing, John Marshall, and sent me down a rabbit hole of Japanese dyeing techniques. Quite a departure for the weavers watching him.

It's a process where rice flour paste is used as a resist, and natural dyes create the design. He studied it for years in Japan and his work is stunning.

The vivid colors are natural dyes, but not all from plants. He also uses cochineal, from beetles, and mineral colors, as well as plant dye from indigo.

 He wrote a book on indigo dyeing, and I found a YouTube video where he gives a step by step of the process. 

I have a katazome piece made in Japan

Much simpler design than his, but you see the idea.

And of course I had to check on other videos about stencil cutting, so long since I did any.

Then it was back to earth and separating socks.

Here's the completed enclosed tube

And here's the separated pair, ready for me to pick up stitches and knit the ribbed cuffs

Then I'll send off the completed pairs and think about what's next.

Handsome Son and I had a great visit, with Diwali tealights lit, pot of tea and he had the last paneer cookie, plus pumpkin walnut bread and pumpkin cranberry muffins, and declared it all good. I forgot pictures in the business of enjoying it all.

He also took boxes to continue his decluttering bit by bit. Now that I've undertaken to fo the disposal by Freecycle and thriftie, it's moving along a bit better. 

Happy day everyone! Try a new thing, cut stencils, make something. Or just read. Or sit. Whatever you need to do. Just enjoy what you can in worrying times. We may as well.