Kilims: Old Leather Brown

Here is another really interesting brown. It is called "Old Leather". It is another great color from the dye book Prisms #3: Color in Motion by the Dye Divas Claire deRoos and Nancy MacLennan. This piece was dyed using Prochem dyes over 1/2 yard of Dorr natural in a Presto Pot (Kitchen Kettle) with only enough water to cover the wool with little to NO stirring. Since this is an Abrash formula, the dyes were dissolved in 2 CBW (cups of boiling water), adding the mordant in the 2 cup solution. The first cup of dye solution was used to dye the wool - NO stirring, and then after the dye was taken up, the second cup of dye solution was poured over the wool as the wool was pulled up in peaks. First one side of the wool, flip it over then do the same to the other side. Click on the photo to see the great depth of color and variation in value. It is rich and luxurious. This delicious brown wool is a wonderful color for use in Kilims or maybe your next project. 

Kilims: Blue Green

Here is a lovely grayed down blue green. It is called "Glacier Green". It is another great color from the dye book Prisms #3: Color in Motion by the Dye Divas Claire deRoos and Nancy MacLennan. This piece was dyed using Prochem dyes over 1/2 yard of Dorr natural in a Presto Pot (also called Kitchen Kettle) with only enough water to cover the wool with little to NO stirring. Since this is an Abrash formula, the dyes were dissolved in 2 CBW (cups of boiling water), adding the mordant in the 2 cup solution. The first cup of dye solution was used to dye the wool - NO stirring, and then after the dye was taken up, the second cup of dye solution was poured over the wool as the wool was pulled up in peaks. First one side of the wool, flip it over then do the same to the other side. Click on the photo to see the great depth of color and variation in value. It is rich and luxurious. Another exquisite color for use in Kilims or your next project.

Kilims: Subdued Blue

Here is a great blue. It is called Slate Blue. It is a Prochem dye directly out of the jar. I used 1/4 tsp. of Slate Blue over 1/2 yard of Dorr natural wool processed in a Presto Pot (also known as a Kitchen Kettle) with only enough water to cover the wool with little to NO stirring. This produces the wonderful mottling. Citric acid was used as a mordant. Click on the photo to see the loveliness. This is another great color for Kilims or your next new project. Try it, you will be pleasantly surprised!

Kilims: Unusual Red

Here is a really unusual color. It is called "Hearth Stone". It is yet another color by Susan Quicksall from her dye book Dying for Color.  Check out her website here. Can you tell I am a HUGE fan of her colors??? Anyway, this piece was dyed using Prochem dyes over 1/2 yard of Dorr natural in a Presto Pot (also called Kitchen Kettle) with only enough water to cover the wool with little to NO stirring. There are some lovely variations in value. This is a really great color for a Kilim or for your next project.  Click on the photo to see this wonderfully unusual red.

Kilims: Twilight Blue

Here we go again with the blues...This one is called Twilight. It is another great color from the dye book Prisms #3: Color in Motion by the Dye Divas Claire deRoos and Nancy MacLennan. This piece was dyed using Prochem dyes over 1/2 yard of Dorr natural in a Presto Pot (also called Kitchen Kettle) with only enough water to cover the wool with little to NO stirring. Since this is an Abrash formula, the dyes were dissolved in 2 CBW (cups of boiling water), adding the mordant in the 2 cup solution. The first cup of dye solution was used to dye the wool - NO stirring, and then after the dye was taken up, the second cup of dye solution was poured over the wool as the wool was pulled up in peaks. First one side of the wool, flip it over then do the same to the other side. Click on the photo to see the great depth of color and variation in value. It is dark and mysterious, no charming vampires, however. Yet another amazing blue for use in Kilims or any other project. 

Kilims: Blue

Here is another lovely blue. It is called Mandarin Blue Dark. It is yet another Oriental Background color formula from Prisms # 1 (66 Spots and 35 Oriental Backgrounds), a dye book from the Dye Divas Claire deRoos and Nancy MacLennan. This piece was dyed over 1/2 yard of Dorr wool in a Presto Pot (also known as a Kitchen Kettle) with little to NO stirring, hence the mottling. This is an Abrash formula, so the dyes were dissolved in 2 CBW (cups of boiling water), adding the mordant in the 2 cup solution. The first cup of dye solution was used to dye the wool - NO stirring, and then after the dye was taken up, the second cup of dye solution was poured over the wool as the wool was pulled up in peaks. First one side of the wool, flip it over then do the same to the other side. Click on the photo to see the richness of color. It is a really nice blue. This color may be used in Kilims or for your next project. Try it, you might just like it!

Kilims: Blue Light

Here is a wonderful light blue. It is called Mandarin Blue Light. It is an Oriental Background color formula from Prisms # 1 (66 Spots and 35 Oriental Backgrounds), a dye book from the Dye Divas Claire deRoos and Nancy MacLennan. This piece was dyed over 1/2 yard of Dorr wool in a Presto Pot (also known as a Kitchen Kettle) with little to NO stirring, hence the mottling. This is an Abrash formula, so the dyes were dissolved in 2 CBW (cups of boiling water), adding the mordant in the 2 cup solution. The first cup of dye solution was used to dye the wool - NO stirring, and then after the dye was taken up, the second cup of dye solution was poured over the wool as the wool was pulled up in peaks. First one side of the wool, flip it over then do the same to the other side. Click on the photo to see the lovely soft color. It is a really pretty blue. Another exquisite color for use in Kilims or your next project. You are going to love this one!

Kilims: Brassy Gold

Here is a wonderful gold color. It is called Old Brass. It is another great color from the dye book Prisms #3: Color in Motion by the Dye Divas Claire deRoos and Nancy MacLennan. This piece was dyed using Prochem dyes over 1/2 yard of Dorr natural in a Presto Pot (also called Kitchen Kettle) with only enough water to cover the wool with little to NO stirring. Since this is an Abrash formula, the dyes were dissolved in 2 CBW (cups of boiling water), adding the mordant in the 2 cup solution. The first cup of dye solution was used to dye the wool - NO stirring, and then after the dye was taken up, the second cup of dye solution was poured over the wool as the wool was pulled up in peaks. First one side of the wool, flip it over then do the same to the other side. Click on the photo to see the great depth of color and variation in value. It is rich and luxurious. Another exquisite color for use in Kilims or any other project. 

Kilims: The Blues Again

 

Here is a dark one. It is called Midnight. It is a formula from the dye book Prisms # 3. It is a formula form the Dye Divas Claire deRoos and Nancy MacLennan. It is one of their Color in Motion colors - CM20. A really lovely mixture of blue, navy, green and brick. This piece was dyed over 1/2 yard of Dorr wool in a Presto Pot with little to NO stirring, hence the mottling. Click on the photo to appreciate the depth of color in this one. Another amazing bue for Kilims.

Kilims: Back to the Blues

 

Here is another wonderful blue. This one is called Williamsburg Blue Dark. It is an Oriental Background color formula from Prisms # 1 (66 Spots and 35 Oriental Backgrounds), a dye book from the Dye Divas Claire deRoos and Nancy MacLennan. Click on the photo to see the great depth of color.

It is rich and luxurious. Another exquisite color for use in Kilims. 

My Kilim So Far...

 

My progress on my Kilim has been slow, but steady. I am a very slow hooker, especially when I am using a # 5 cut. The traditional symbols found in Kilim rugs and carpets have meanings which have been passed down from one generation to the next.

"The patterns and motifs on kilim rugs have a symbolic language. Thus, many symbolic, iconic or indexical motifs (signs) on kilim rugs can help transfer the cultural data of that time to the present day, therefore kilims are media of transferring cultural heredity as well." (Assist. Prof. PhD. Nurdan Taflk›ran - Kocaeli University, Faculty of Communication, Radio, Cinema & TV Dept., Turkey.) 

This "Red" panel represents me.

Here is an iconic figure of a man that represents me. Above me is an icon which symbolizes my hands, used to create the rugs that I make.

 

Above the hand is an icon of a cross which symbolizes my connection to my spirituality, and my yoga practice (mind/body/soul). 

Here are two more two crosses, one stylized as a flower which relates to my spiritual connection to the earth and my garden and flowers and the other a more traditional representation of a cross which represents for me my profession in the health care field.

Kilim Colors Continue

This is Bryce Canyon. A dye formula from Prisms #3 - Color In Motion by Dye Divas - Claire deRoos and Nancy MacLennan. It is one of the ABRASH colors.

Midnight Stroll

Designed and Hooked by Jocelyn Guindon

(the dessert floor is hooked with Bryce Canyon)

What is Abrash?

Abrash is a color variation or stripe of a slightly different hue across the body of a carpet, the result of a slight color difference in the dye lots used.

This is Golden Glow. Another dye formula from the Prisms #3 dye book. It is also dyed with the ABRASH technique. Notice the dark and light and medium values in the same piece of wool. Hooking this piece of wool will produce the ABRASH look in your rug. This technique will aid the rughooker in replicating the look of a flatwoven Kilim with the variations in color.