Dyeing With Ditch Flowers… I Didn’t Expect THIS Yellow

It started with a walk. I noticed the ditch flowers. I didn't plan to dye today, but that's kind of the point. In this video I'm experimenting with two common roadside plants: black-eyed susan and yarrow. Both are supposed to give yellow. But how much yellow, what kind of yellow, and whether the iron modifier does anything interesting — that I didn't know going in. Black-eyed susan surprised me completely. Yarrow, which I've dyed with before and gotten wildly different results every time, did its unpredictable thing again. I also talk a bit about why green is so elusive in natural dyeing, and why that makes the occasional surprise so satisfying. This is a low-stakes experiment video. No perfect results, just the pleasure of using what's growing around you and building that relationship with the plants in your environment. Fabric used: cotton muslin, mordanted with tannin and alum. Plants: black-eyed susan (whole plant) and yarrow (fresh and slightly dried). 🌿 Read more on Substack — longer writing on making, natural dyeing, and creative living: http://linnatplay.substack.com 🪡 Instagram:   / linnatplay   Subscribe if you're drawn to natural dyeing, handmade clothing, and a life built by hand.