Dyeing with walnuts

Last night, at the monthly meeting of the Ottawa Valley Weavers and Spinners Guild, I asked what I had to do with the walnut liquor I had in my shed. Last fall I was gifted with about two dozen walnuts, larger than golf balls. I was told to put them in a pail of water and store them in a shed over the winter. Then, in the spring, ask how to use the liquid to dye cane. Now was the time to ask! Here is the liquor and one of the walnuts.


"Just dip the cane in the liquor, " was the answer. "But wear gloves so that your hands are not stained.







I did as I was told! Here some flat cane has been dyed. It is a beautiful light golden brown.








Similarly, a skein of round cane shows that golden brown.

Thank you, Judy Kavanaugh, hand spinner and knitter.