I don’t think there could possibly be any better weather for solar dyeing, do you?

I mentioned in a previous post that I finally procured the ingredients needed to make Terry’s Tubs for solar dyeing. Now, I finally get to show you photos of what they look like out in the field doing their jobs.

I currently have a baby one that I’m using for natural dyeing:

The yarn inside of Baby Tub is swimming in a broth of marigold blossoms from the flowers pictured to its left. It looks good from here, but sometimes you take the yarn out just to find that nothing “stuck.” I think I will let it swim for another day or two before I rinse.

I also have a full size Momma Tub that I’m using for my ProChem handpainted dyeing. I stuck my *former* oven thermometer in there (which I never looked at when it lived in my oven anyway) and temps were seriously going through the roof (aka “going roof!”) yesterday. I think I hit 175 degrees! All the dye is being absorbed so that means it is working. So much easier than having to set the hotplate up outside to steam the yarn one little batch at a time. (I’ve notice a lot of internet people oven dye and I think this (Terry Tub solar) is a very similar method. I’d like to try oven dyeing but I only have my one oven in my kitchen so I can’t do that yet. I asked IHA if we could get an oven for our garage and he said, “Sure.” He is so easy! You never know, someday we may see one hanging out by the side of the road or an inexpensive one in the Foothills Trader.)

Here is some of the solar dyed fiber from a previous batch than the one shown above:

Now I’m looking for a clear storage container with a clear cover to make into a sort of “mini-hood.” I went to Walmart and they had clear containers with colored lids and colored containers with clear lids, but nothing that was totally clear. (Although now that I have a sheet of plexiglass, I could use Spider Jenny’s method and place the plexiglass on top of a cardboard box with cut-outs for one’s arms. Though please note that one still needs to wear protective eyewear and a mask for working with dye powders.) I’ve been using so much dye that I need to mix some more. I think I may do some for the upcoming Project Spectrum colors. The August/September colors are Brown, Orange, and Purple. Now that should be interesting!