dyeing with sumac

I love these clippers.  I tote them around in the bluffs.  They remind me of a torn petal, a leaf gone fierce.

This is my first dye vat.  It looks like boiling tea with ruffage, but smells like my husband's brew kettle.  I urge him to homebrew again; I would drink that.  This, I hold my nose to, but look at the color.

I draw out many of the seed heads.  I leave more, uncertain.  I don't know if I should leave some in to make a richer dye.  Or if I should take it all out to keep it from getting tangled.

I think pasta noodles.  I think we are really cooking now.

I leave the yarn in overnight.  My friend (and her etsy shop is right here) advises me this will enrich the color, and she's right.  I do another yarn with an iron afterbath and it swallows the sumac.

My Minnesota plant blanket awaits its next companion.