Stashing

I have been unable to do much dyeing or spinning this summer because of my knee surgery, but that hasn't stopped me from 'stashing' for the winter! This is some of the fiber I have gathered. There is a bag of white and silver llama, a couple pounds of Merino, some rag wool, and also some silver-grey Shetland. I am getting so anxious to spin!

I have been steeping this mushroom in water and a bit of ammonia for about four days. The mushroom was given to me by a friend. It is about a foot across. It is called a 'Dryad's Saddle', or a Polyporous Squamosus (see previous post). A lot of color has developed in the liquid so I think it is time to try it out.

Today a friend, Linda, and I went foraging. We found some goldenrod. We also gathered a few ears of dried corn for the squirrels. We found some beautiful Sumac.

 We found about three bags full, careful not to take too many from any one place. Some of the reddest, stickiest ones I will save for 'tea'. The rest I will use for dyeing.  Add these new finds to what is already stashed in the freezer and I should be busy for a while! 

I have also been working on a pattern for some fingerless mitts that will be available soon in the My Patterns page of this website.