Monday was a dyepot day at Megan Greenholt's Warwick Farm. It is a little like being in a dream out there with her kitchen garden, dyer's garden, chickens, dogs and cats. Everywhere, inside and out illustrates well-maintained earthy abundance.
Megan has a ton of samples of different dyes she's experimented with: marigold, rose madder, alkanet, pokeberry, indigo; some are overdyed. But will you look at this luscious spread!
Here's a glimpse of Karen (her web design; her fine art), Megan and I through one of the gardens.
and Brenda's hand after picking pokeberries
We processed the fresh leaf indigo dye. Picking, stewing, de-oxigenating, re-oxigenating.
Stewed down the pokeberry. Our samples are with Megan while they linger in the dye.
and kept the black walnut pot going. Which never seems to quit.
Here I am, laying some leaves onto a piece of pre-dyed Kona cotton.
Here it is with some of the indigo
How lucky am I to have these friends? Thank you, Brenda, for taking such fantastic pictures. Megan's not a huge blogger but take a look here.
Hello Diana,
Love the pictures, I will have to locate Warwick Farm, is it in Abington? I live NE Philly. Anyway, saw the picture with you sorting leaves, I just went on a walk this am and found all kind of leaves. What are you going to do with the leaves? I was going to sketch and paint. Thank you as usual for sharing.
Posted by: Julia | 10/02/2013 at 01:18 PM
This is my friend's farm. I've been making eco prints with the leaves. If you go back a few posts, you'll see some info
Posted by: Diana Trout | 10/02/2013 at 03:18 PM
Wow, that looks like so much fun... it also seems like it would take a nice, long time. Perfect way to spend a day! I'm sure you're thrilled with your results :)
Posted by: Aloquin | 10/02/2013 at 08:14 PM
What a lovely way to spend the day . . . a beautiful setting and lovely friends. I often think that we become more experimental when urged on by what others are doing.
Posted by: Wendy @ the Late Start Studio | 10/03/2013 at 02:44 PM
What amazing colors, Diana. It's a mini-vacation just to look at them. I'll bet that day of dying fabrics was wonderful.
Posted by: Maria D. | 10/03/2013 at 11:40 PM
how gorgeous; what fun- i'd had to have gone home with a rainbow in my pocket :)
Posted by: gina | 10/04/2013 at 12:25 AM
It does take a while, Jen. It's good to embrace the slow.
Posted by: Diana Trout | 10/04/2013 at 12:39 AM
I agree, Wendy. Spurring each other on. I am lucky indeed.
Posted by: Diana Trout | 10/04/2013 at 12:39 AM
I feel more and more drawn to the idea of slow. My mind works like crazy sometimes. It was a nice vacation and I'll admit, I spent alot of time sitting in the sun while the other 3 were running around. I was in my own small world
Posted by: Diana Trout | 10/04/2013 at 12:41 AM
Indeed, a rainbow! I'm looking forward to seeing the pokeberry cloths which were lingering in the dyepot for another day. I'll have them on Monday :)
Posted by: Diana Trout | 10/04/2013 at 12:41 AM