Mottled Roving ~ Custom Orders

This is a kind of "What I've been up to" post. For some reason, almost every customer who has come to Wind Rose over the last couple weeks, has had a custom request. I don't mind custom orders from time to time, but it is difficult when they all seem to come at once. My issue is time and not having quite enough.

I thought I'd share one of the more interesting custom requests with you. I had a customer who is weaving a tapestry and wanted mottled colors. She spins her own yarn as she weaves, designing the yarn as a painter blends colors on a palette. She used Crayola crayon colors as a universal reference, and my job was to dye mottled roving is the appropriate hues.

I have to admit that this took me out of my dyeing comfort zone. I've spent so much time perfecting my dyeing to create even shades. I've come to think of mottled colors as my mess ups. I've always enjoyed the occasional mistake roving, because as a spinner, variegated fibers are fun. It seemed funny to me that when asked to intentionally "mess up", I was nervous. Could I mess up just the right way? I had to think about this.

In the end I went with my own take on a spiral dyeing technique and the results were just what my customer was hoping for. I was relieved although part of me was hoping she wouldn't like the green. I wanted it! I might just have to mottle some more!