Experiments with A Coiled Pot
You may recall that I had an idea to combine the Daisy Beads and the Stumpwork Violets into a little display under a parlour dome. The colours and scale don’t work with the main panels, and besides, both items are tied specifically to Mary in a way that nothing else is.
My first thought was a gold trinket pot, but so far I have entirely failed to find a pot of the right sort of dimensions. For some reason, everything I could find was too wide or too high, or not the right surface for gilding.
So after some frustration, I decided to tie the display back to the excavations by using a coiled pot made using braid or cord. It should be slightly reminiscent of the baskets used to carry away spoil from the excavations.
After some experimentation, I settled on piping cord, sewn together with ordinary sewing cotton as I wrapped the cord around a former (a spice jar, since you ask). Even that involved some unpicking and restitching.
When I’d done it, however, it was too white and stark, not a kindly background for the Daisy Beads. Hmmm…
So that is how I found myself tea dyeing a coiled pot made of piping cord!
I remember (from village panto costume-adaption) that piping cord takes dye (and ink) rather well. Useful stuff.
As always, resourceful in the face of puzzlement. I was going to suggest turmeric but that might have been too yellow!
Where would we be without tea!
I do like seeing your experiments and how you solve problems.
Tea is the answer to so many things.
As you do… And I find myself not surprised in the least!
Things from your larder came in useful, a spice jar and tea. I wonder how many people will know the secret when they see the basket under its parlour dome.
brilliant!
I like the idea of tea dyeing it.