Thursday, September 2, 2010

Rainbow Indigo






It is Thursday Summer School again hostessed by the incredible Jenny. (jennymatlock.blogspot.com) This weeks color of the rainbow is Indigo....The shade of the darkest night and Levi 501's. Did I ever mention that I was a weird child? Well, I was...a bookworm with a very active imagination. It was the 70's and I loved to read survival type books like "My side of the mountain." I knew I could live off the land if the need arose. I was schooled and ready. Remember Euell Gibbons from the Grape Nut commercials? By gosh, if he could eat a pine tree then so could I. So what if it tasted like a pine tree, it was good for you...










So there I was the ten year old naturalist...Green before my time. Around the time I got my first pair of 501's, I read something about dyeing with indigo. I had never seen an indigo plant but being my creative self I decided this dyeing thing would be a snap....My friend and I spent several days gathering Salal berries...They are indigo, (well blue really) and they have a lot of seeds and grow everywhere in Oregon. The only reason we were able to stockpile so many was because they aren't the greatest berries to eat.











Of course, I did eat a few just so I knew what they tasted like in case I had to survive or something....
We got some old t shirts and a white ceramic bowl and a bucket...We took off our shoes and stomped the grapes, I mean berries....We made an unbelievable mess. It was hard, satisfying work and the only thing we dyed was ourselves, our clothes and my moms favorite formerly white ceramic bowl.








All I had to show for it was a sore bottom and another adventure. Like all my adventures, it was worth it.

I will tell you all about dandelion tea and the time I almost drowned myself trying to get cat tail tubers to roast another time.......

14 comments:

easternsparkle said...

Another great memory! I'm just imagining you in that bowl.... :)

Jo said...

what a tough little adventurer you were!!! and kudos for having the spirit to try something new totally different for most kids that age! keep making a mess and having fun!

Maria said...

Enjoyed reading your post Melinda. You sure didn't lead a boring childhood. LOL

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

Always fun to read your posts. This one is no different. At least the clothes got dyed (grin), but your bottom? Oh well! It made a great story and a fun read.

Anonymous said...

Hi Melinda!
Just a little message to let you know the tags are almost finished.....should finish them today or tomorrow,and hope you like them :)

Unknown said...

Quite an adventure! :)
Blessings,
Catherine

Cheryl said...

Great post on an indigo adventure. I love that you tried this using a white bowl. I can't wait to hear about your dandelion tea and cat tail tubers adventures.

Julie Harward said...

What a great adventure...all kids should have such good times to remember! And you were not weird, just creative! :D

Anonymous said...

How funny! This is such a great adventure.

Teresa

signed...bkm said...

Great adventure and memory of Indigo...what we try when we are young...bkm

Lorraine said...

shame the dye didnt work..I would have thought it would work too! sounds fun though..thanks very much for your comment about me being published..hoping to send lots more in now I have got the confidence

Pondside said...

We have plenty of salal berries around here, but I think I'll make jelly from them!

JennaLouiseCreates said...

Great story:) I so enjoy visiting your blog and congratulations on the feature of your apron:) We just got back from a vacation and it was good to spend sometime together after such a busy summer. Hope all is good with your family:)

~*~Patty S said...

fabulous post Melinda, you really do sound like my kinda gal
I thought I'd share a recent Indigo experience with you here:

http://bitze.wordpress.com/2010/07/14/dying-to-play/

what a great dye it is
oxo