Spring 2017 Update

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Tidbit: In the early 1970's I worked for the fledgling EPA calculating stream flows in the Carolinas so that limits on pollutants from industries including textile wet processing could be set. As a result of the limits set, most of the dyehouses went offshore where there were and still are no limits on what goes out into streams and rivers. Today, 40 some odd years later, EPA funding is at risk, which may affect not only your air and water, but that which is downwind and downstream of such factories.

I didn't plan it this way 40 years ago, but by introducing Dye-Lishus® cotton to you I contribute to the reduction of pollutants from your home dyeing.

NEW PRODUCTS:

There are still textile mills and labs in NC! I am sometimes the recipient of windfalls--"mill end" fibers mostly. This is a stock dyed brown sliver that was sent to a lab for spinning trials. It is a blend of recycled cotton and regular cotton, percentages unknown. I think the spinning trials failed, that's why it was offered to me...

And as you know, a handspinner can spin dryer lint if she really wants to. This is much longer than dryer lint, and easy to spin. I'm putting it up in 12 ounce packages so I can send it in a plastic bag for first class postage. See it here or click on the image above.

The first 10 people who use the coupon code MAY2017 receive free shipping on Chestnut fiber and/or fabric kits. Coupon expires June 1.

TECHNIQUE IDEA:

These are napkins you can make from either 2 sets of fat quarters or one set of fat quarters and some other fabric. They have front and back pieces; the pieced front is shown; the back could be a square from either the second set of fat quarters or any other fabric that suits your fancy. I dyed the fabrics first in a bath made of avocado pits and skins. Instructions here.

I've started an Instagram account, and if you post something dyed using the Dye-Lishus® cotton, you can tag it with #dyelishuscotton to add it to others of the same ilk.

Other news--I added the RSS feed as a tab in the menu on my website. You can select any and subscribe or just peruse. The "news" item is the blog, all the others are product related. Subscribing will allow you to put an icon in your browser, it will not send emails.

I am traveling quite a bit this year to teach. The first of June I will be in Houston at the Contemporary Weavers of Texas conference, and then 2 weeks late in Indianapolis at the Midwest Weavers Conference. Early August find me at John C Campbell Folk School teaching natural dyes on cotton. There's more--click the Calendar button to get the whole picture.

Go to Calendar