Congratulations to Natalie Wise, Office Manager of the Rookery at Tasha Tudor and Family, for having her lovely article about Tasha Tudor published! The article appears in the latest issue of MaryJanesFarm magazine. 'Tis Natalie's sweet voice you hear when you make your order at Tasha Tudor and Family. In the article, Natalie speaks of gardening and Tasha wearing her well used wellies. This brought back to us fond remembrances of Tasha in her wellies!Diane knits her handspun yarn into hats, sweaters, scarves, mittens, and socks. In the basket above is some of Diane's handspun yarn naturally dyed with the tomato plant.
Tomatoes from the Corgyncombe Vegetable Garden.
During tomato season, Diane thinned out the growth on the tomato plants and, along with the vines and some small green tomatoes, made a dye bath to dye some of her handspun. The yarn was mordented previously with alum. The colour resulting is a soft, creamy yellow!
Tomatoes from the Corgyncombe Vegetable Garden.During tomato season, Diane thinned out the growth on the tomato plants and, along with the vines and some small green tomatoes, made a dye bath to dye some of her handspun. The yarn was mordented previously with alum. The colour resulting is a soft, creamy yellow!
The big old brass dye kettle filled to the brim with tomato vines and little green tomatoes.
The vines are cooked down and then left to cool.Then the liquid is put through a strainer to use for dyeing the yarn.
The tied skeins are taken out of the dye pot and rinsed several times and then hung up to dry.
The handspun yarn dyed with tomato vines beside the hand coloured plate of flowers in the antique book"New Cyclopaedia of Botany and Complete Book of Herbs".
Tasha Tudor was delighted when I gave her some of my handspun two-ply wool yarn. My handspun wool yarn was knit into socks.Tasha was impressed with the quality of my spinning that made for long wearing socks.
In a letter to Diane, after lamenting the demise of one of our kindred favorite things, Tasha went on to say:
"I daily wear the homespun socks you made me. Every morning and every evening I put them on when I go to milk my goats. They wear like iron."
It's such a nice, comforting thought, Tasha donning those socks along with her wellies to keep her feet comfortable and cozy every time she milked her goats... an old fashioned task that I, too, do twice daily.
Sarah watching Tasha Tudor milking her goat. Notice that Tasha has her wellies on.
Another page in the "New Cyclopaedia of Botany and Complete Book of Herbs".Some of the plants in the book Diane recognizes as dye plants she has used.
The garden not only provides delicious, wonderful food but colour for our clothing, as well!Here is a link to another Corgyncombe Courant post with more dyed yarns, gardening, goats, and canning:
The Corgyncombe Agricultural Fair and Exhibition!
Here is a link to: Tasha Tudor and Family
Here is a link to Natalie's blog: Rookery Ramblings
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4 comments:
Dearest friends,
Such a beautiful color!! And such a sweet remembrance of dear Tasha!
We love our wellies, and keep them ready at the door...our grandson slipped his on, announced he had to do his "work", and proceeded to pull up weeds and place them in his tiny red wheelbarrow...he is certainly ready for Spring to arrive!
As always, you have shared yet another visually appealing post.
Ever grateful,
Christie
P.S. Just received the delightful books 'Bushky Bushybottom' & 'Hopalong Jack'' in the mail ...knowing little grandchildren will fall in love with these delightfully illustrated stories.
Dear Christie,
When I was little I had a little red wagon that I used to toddle after my parents with when out in the garden. I still have that little red wagon! You and your grandchildren will absolutely adore our Cousin Jeri's "Hopalong Jack" and "Bushky Bushybottom"! Such detail and colours and such clever stories and rhymes!
Your friends,
Diane and daughter Sarah at the Corgyncombe Courant
Dearest friends,
I introduced Xavier to Bushky and Hopalong Jack today, after our visit to his great-grandmother's farm. I had found a huge acorn and explained that it is food for little squirrels like Bushky. When he opened the book and saw the very large picture of the acorn on the dedication page, he became so excited!! We have 3 puppets he loves to play with...a squirrel, an owl and a woodpecker...this book was such a wonderful adventure for him, seeing his favorite animal friends and more!
What a special day it's been....thank you for introducing us to your incredibly talented cousin...and sharing your sweet words with us. (we had to acquire a radio flyer wagon this past Christmas; quite necessary for creating special childhood memories;)
Warmly,
Christie
Diane and Sarah, Oh such lovely memories you have of Tasha and how wonderful that she got such pleasure from the socks. The yarn is so beautiful and the process of dying it is an art in itself. I never heard of using tomatoe dye! I used to dye cornhusks with natural dyes, for use in making dolls. I think I enjoyed the dying as much as the doll making.
I have to tell you that I laughed and laughed at your peacock tales ( pun intended)! Poor Rueben! Forever locked in a turkey stance! And just HOW many husbands has Elsbeth gone through, anyway? I have 2 male peacocks and they are the silliest boys in the world. I do hope they don't run off with the wild turkey ladies!
Cousin Jeri
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