06.12.10
Yarnie Stuff at the Huntington
Today I was able to make a quick trip down to the Huntington Library in San Marino. I really love that place, so it was a shame that I was only able to spend a couple hours there. Usually whenever I go there I have to visit their cactus garden (they have the best collection that I know of here), but today I didn’t have time. Instead I bee-lined it to the herb garden because they were having a special exhibit which featured natural dyes for yarns. Oh yeah! But first. . . I had to wend my way through their rose garden.
The only other rose garden that I know of that is comparable to this one is the one Brian and I visited during our trip to London. I forget the name right now, but I sure took a lot of pictures there! Maybe some time I’ll upload some of my rose shots.
So not far from here was my intended destination–the herb garden. Towards the back perimeter they had tables and charts set up with dying information, including some samples and a small demonstration.
This woman was very nice and helpful (actually all the women there were!) Not only did she give me lots of information, but I learned something that really made me happy–one doesn’t have to use mordants to dye yarns! Woo hoo! Mordants have been one of the things that have kept me from taking the dying plunge. I didn’t want to use any toxic chemicals, and now learning that I don’t even need to use a mordant and that I can use herbs right from my garden or even kitchen I can feel another hobby coming on. Granted, using a mordant is supposed to help the colors hold fast and fix more brightly, but I’m not that picky. Here’s a chart with samples this woman had on display that her son made back in 1977. The colors, while faded a bit, still held well enough for my taste.
There were also other fiber addicts there demonstrating their talents like this woman spinning yarn.
Another woman was sorting through some fleece. Again, I was able to learn more information about fleece from her, which is good to know since I still have my fleece to work on that I got from my trip to the Isle of Man.
There were also women working on different types of looms. This is a small rectangular loom by which one can make small woven pieces to sew together.
Apparently there are quite a few different shapes used for weaving. I was shown one that I’ve never seen before–a triangular loom.
I do have a more complicated loom that Brian bought me years ago, which I have still never used. . . I guess I just look at all that threading that needs to be done before weaving, and I just can’t seem to get myself to do it. Or maybe it’s really that I’ve been too lazy to figure it all out. But when I saw this knitter’s loom, it looked very simple and something that might be a good starting point for me.
Oh yeah, now that I could see myself dabbling in. This particular loom is called the knitter’s loom by Ashford. The woman explained to me that Japanese kimonos were originally made in strips 14″ wide and then sewn together, thus explaining some of their striped patterns. I could see trying this! Look like fun to me, and yes, I have plenty of scrap yarns to test it all out, too.
By this time I had already spent about 1 1/2 hours here, and still wanted to visit the Chinese garden Matty told me he wanted to see. So off we zoomed back through the garden.
This path lead down to the Japanese garden first.
Then we veered off to the Chinese garden.
And another shot.
Gorgeous! I really love the Huntington Library gardens! I could easily spend the whole day there, but alas I didn’t have time. So not long after strolling through this garden, we had to head back without even a peek at the library museum, bookstore, or cactus garden, wah. . . maybe next time. I thank God that there are some really creative and talented people out there who can create such beautiful, peaceful environments, not to mention the amazing variety of nature that God has given us to tend and cultivate.
Marlakins
