What I've done lately...

Here's the latest thing I've knitted and almost finished (I have to weave in ends):

This is a dishcloth from the Monthly Dishcloth KAL Yahoo Group. Go there and join for the pattern. We get two dishcloth patterns every month and everybody has the option to knit them at the same time. This is the Mid-September 2006 pattern. I changed it by doing a seed stitch border instead of a garter stitch border... I'm just not that fond of garter stitch borders on dishcloths.

Here's the plain pine root/red cedar dyed yarn sample I did:

The photo might be a bit blurry, but that's the color pretty closely. It's lighter now than it was when it was wet. This is how I did it:

- 4 cups of pine roots

- 4 cups eastern red cedar bark

- 1.5 cups of vinegar (you could add more, I think it does help with the dye absorption)

- add enough water to bring the liquid amount up to about 2 gallons.

Boil the roots and bark for at least an hour, cool and let it sit overnight. The next day, strain out the roots and bark and add enough water to bring the liquid amount back to approximately two gallons and add the wool to the dyebath. Heat to near boiling and hold it for an hour or so. Cool and soak overnight. The next day, heat again as before if the color is not dark enough for you (it wasn't for me... it was a light fawn tan after the first day). You could try adding salt or more vinegar... I haven't experimented with this anymore than what I've just described. I dyed 4 ounces of wool with this amount. I did not use a mordant.