{Works With Her Hands} Dying Day

If you had come to me five or six years ago and asked what type of a crafter I was, I would have said a quilter, and a quilter only. Sure, I learned how to knit and crochet at a much younger age, but I thought quilting was my one-true-love in the craft world. Fast forward two or three years, and I would have broadened into being a seamstress, because I loved making quilts AND clothes. But ask me today, and I couldn't even being to give you an answer! I just love doing a little bit of everything, from paper to fabric to yarn, and everything in between.

While I still love quilting, and must always have at least one quilt in the making, I've recently been discovering all the other awesome fiber arts; three weeks ago I learned how to spin on a drop spindle. Gosh, was that a tricky one to pick up! But, I did it....I'm getting a little better each and every time I try. Yesterday, a group of friends got together and we dyed wool yarn, the 19th century way with big kettles hanging over the fire and all-natural dyes. Now, I have some awesome plans for knitting up the yarns I dyed!

Getting things started by mordanting the yarn. Mordant, I learned is a pre-treatment for the yarn which will soak up the dye and make it colorfast. They seemed to be mostly metals....tin, chrome, alum, etc. 

Yarn soaking in sumac, to create a red-ish brown. This same yarn was then heated with water in an iron pot to become a charcoal grey. An yes, the pot or container that you dye things in makes a difference in color, too!

Getting the sage ready:

Because every party with *mostly* females needs a lot of this!

Right now it looks like some disgusting witch's brew, especially the sage:

Yay for frog hats! It was cold in the morning....

Checking out the walnut dye:

Our amazing picnic lunch of chili, cornbread, and baked potatoes. We sure know how to do these things right.

Most of us brought other fibery projects, too, like knitting and spinning.

All the pretty colors, fustic (yellow) on the right, madder on tin (orange) in the middle, and sage green on the left.

We had pretty colors all around us, too!

We also dyed with some indigo:

This yarn ended up variegated blue/green because of an interesting pre-treatment.....it was so beautiful!

And isn't this madder on tin amazing? Madder is a root, and can actually produce some very different colors depending on what mordant is used. Tin makes this fantastic orange. I was literally bouncing with happiness when my yarn came out this color!

Fustic, madder, and sage.

Marisa's yarn was partly acrylic, so it didn't hold the sage dye very well, which you can see in this picture. However, she then over-dyed it with indigo, and ended up with a beautiful light grey-blue.

Ron showing Sarah her fustic overdyed with indigo, watching it grow darker as it oxidized.

Such pretty colors! That green was produced by fustic and indigo.

Madder, sage, and cochineal (red):

Yeah, color makes me so ridiculously happy. It was so  fun experimenting, and learning how to produce such fabulous colors. The best part? They're all period correct for the 19th century. So when visitors harass me next year about how "They wouldn't have such a bright orange back then!", I'll be able to inform them that it really is accurate, and I even dyed it myself!

{Helpmeet In Training} A Weekend at LIFT

This past weekend, I was so incredibly blessed with the opportunity to go visit My Man in the ADK at LIFT. For several weeks prior, it was very up-in-the-air whether I would be able to go or not, so I considered the simple fact of being able to visit a huge blessing.

The two short days there turned out to be a bigger blessing that I could have ever imagined. Of course, the biggest blessing was simply being with Stephen again, and getting to do so many wonderful things with him. But the other main thing that I was so humbled by was the deep love that this group of 30 young adults has for each other, and for every one they meet. The welcome his parents and I got when we arrived was astounding. And every time I walked into the same room as the LIFTers, I was immediately cheered and encouraged by their big smiles, joyous laughter, and positive words. 

Saturday morning, his parents and I got up super early and were on the road by 6am. It is about a four hour drive there, and every mile increased my excitement. By the time we arrive around 10, the mix of caffeine and adrenaline in me made me start shaking. The first LIFTer I met was this lovely lady next to me, Lisa. She gave me such a warm welcome, and it was cool getting to talk to her before Stephen showed up.

That very first hug from Stephen again was past description, and I was pretty sure I was never ever ever going to let go of him again. But, of course, I did have to. After having lunch and meeting all the other LIFTers, he and his parents and I went to a nearby antique shop that was right on the Hudson River.

Together again, at last. It felt so good to be able to slip my hand into his.

When we got back to camp, it was time to get ready for dinner. Stephen, of course, had been telling everyone that we were reenactors, and they were all interested in seeing us dressed up. So, I brought down his Confederate uniform and my new organdy dress. It was wonderful seeing him in his uniform again, and getting to wear my new dress for him! Our friend Nate blessed us with a mini  photo shoot once we were all dressed up. I can't wait to see the rest of his pictures!

Meal times with the group were so fun. At every meal, most of the group would be present, and we would all gather around one or two tables, and talk and laugh and joke. There was always so much joy and fun in group, and everybody got along so well. As Stephen said, they really have become family.

In the evening we got to see around camp, and Stephen and I had the chance to play some piano for each other. Hearing him play Moonlight Sonata brought tears to my eyes, because I have missed it so much.

I was blessed to be able to spend the night in one of the girls dorms with three of the girls. I got a chance to talk with two of them before bed, and they were both so sweet and wonderful. Sunday morning, Stephen and I had a chance to do our own Bible study together, something that we had always tried to do here as well. Then we had breakfast, and went to their church in Speculator. The service was wonderful, and I loved being at church again with Stephen.

This beautiful lady, Becca, is one of the girls I shared a room with, and I loved getting to know her. She has such a sweet, quiet, calm spirit.

Sunday afternoon, Stephen had to work housekeeping, and I was thankful to be given permission to be able to work right along side him. It's so cool to be able to enjoy working with him just as much as spending free time with him.

Then, after dinner on Sunday, it was time to leave. It was so hard to leave, not only Stephen, but everyone I met there. I arrived feeling like I didn't belong, and left feeling like I too had found a new family.

A week from today, the entire group is leaving for their two-week mission trip to the Dominican Republic. I'm so excited for Stephen, as he was assigned to work in Physical Therapy; he's going to be so good at that!

I am so incredibly thankful to have had the chance to visit Stephen and meet everybody up there. This has been and will continue to be a fantastic experience for him; and, even though I'm not there, the effects have been oozing out of Stephen into me as well. This has been challenging beyond belief for both of us, but we are both growing and learning so much. What a great God we serve!

{Works WIth Her Hands} AG Fair and Other Updates

Two weekends ago was the Agricultural Fair at the museum, and what a great weekend it turned out to be, despite the thunderstorms on Sunday. I had entered five different things into the Fair, and won blue ribbons on two of them!

The first and best item which I won on was my Double Irish Chain quilt! I worked so hard to finish it in time, and it definitely paid off! Here it is, totally finished, with its fun, multi-fabric binding, too.

The second thing I won a blue ribbon on was the quilted sunbonnet I made over the summer. The only thing, though, is that it was the only item in its category - not much competition :/

Then, I entered some blueberry shrub. Shrub is a popular 19th century drink made with vinegar, fruit, and sugar. It was my first time making shrub, so I don't wonder that I didn't win anything.

And, my roommate and I and a friend of ours all got together before the Fair to make some soap to enter. We didn't actually MAKE soap, with lye and everything, just the melt and pour kits. But it was still the closest I have  come to making soap. Here's the soap I entered - peach,walnut, and oat goats milk soap. No prize, though.

The last thing I entered is actually a present for somebody, so I can't mention it yet. :) But also, no prize.





For the other updates, I've been getting more sewing done on the Double Wedding Ring quilt. So far I've found that working with the curved seams isn't as hard as I was expecting. It's just rather time-consuming, because you have to heavily pin everything, and I'm usually a no-pins kind of gal.

I'm definitely happy with the way it's turning out!

And finally, look how small this number is getting! We're almost halfway. And, I'm so blessed that this weekend I get to go visit My Man with his parents!!! It has been seven weeks since he left.....and I get to be with him again in just four more days.