On Thursday I had some R and R on Dartmoor. Jane Deane took me through the technical process of creating a dye “library” using my cashmere. 5g samples of yarn were dyed to different but standard strengths of the primary colours, the secondaries and then “odds and sods” of colour combinations.
The results (or some of them) are here. 
This was an extremely useful business. Jane’s approach was relaxed and full of fun but underneath all the laughter was a disciplined approach which I would never have adopted at home on my own. I had to concentrate very hard at times to remember which solution to put in which jam jar etc (Jane has a neat method of doing lots of 5g skeins in different jam jars at one time) and this would have been impossible with the phone ringing or a goat demanding attention.
The result of it all is that I have a good collection (which I can now add to) of baseline colours with which to experiment or, if I wish, I can just repeat them. Knowing how to make up accurate stock solutions is so useful. We also discussed how to increase the numbers of full size skeins you can dye at any one time – one of my biggest problems. I now have all sorts of ideas involving Baby Burco boilers and metal dustbins!!
I chose to use Acid Dyes from Kemtex www.kemtex.co.uk but Jane would also have taught me using natural dye extracts. I have many of these from Pure Tinctoria http://pure-tinctoria.designsales.co.uk and hope to try the same method on them here at home.
Here is Jane “wetting out” the cashmere for me while I did battle with jam jars, plastic measuring beakers, syringes and all the other bits I needed to do this methodically.
All this took place in Jane’s studio in The Duchy Square centre in Princetown on Dartmoor. If any of you are close enough then do visit this. It’s a beautiful building which I feel fits very comfortably into its prominent position in the village. There were also some amazing other artists working there with Jane and I felt very privileged to share tea with them in the afternoon.
Princetown is a fascinating place in its own right. Home to Dartmoor Prison and the place around which much of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s “Hound of the Baskervilles” story is set. You can experience all 4 seasons in a day in Princetown. Fortunately it was warm and sunny on Thursday but I have been there in June and had snow before now! Thick fog is very common. If you go, take appropriate clothes!
