Natural Dyes for Wool, Step One

Almost looks like carrots with grey skin

Get yourself a good blender.  My husband says it should be a "pull-start" type.  I know he means a three-horse power one. Can you imagine three horses on your kitchen counter? And what in the world do horses and natural dyes have to do with each other?

About half full.

Alder, its leaves, catkins, and its bark are excellent for dying fiber, so  I've read. Come along on my journey of experimentation in dying wool with bark from my sister's cut-down Alder tree.  When it was first fell, it shocked us into doing something with the spectacular color.

Bark and wood chips.

The bark must be prepared, I understand.  Some directions said to soak it for three months, letting it ferment, as the first step.  I think the point is to get as much of the color as possible from the bark.  Well,  my "three horses" and I have a different and very possibly quicker plan tucked into the Things I get to do today.

Ground bark

Two batches of bark in the blender with about two cups of water in each for 20 seconds or so resulted in a fine "gravel" or coarse sand texture to the bark with lots and lots of color in the water.  Next stage is to let that sit for a week or so.  To be continued.