There are four dyes we use to make reds.  Cochineal and lac are insect based dyes, madder and quebracho red are plant based dyes.  Lately, I have been dyeing fleece with all four of these dyes.

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Cochineal gives a pink to pinkish red depending on how much dye is used. It can even make a screaming hot pink.

Lac gives a purplish red.  This is lac with logwood (a plant dye) and a bit of iron.  Iron saddens colors, making them grayer.  This combination gives a purple color.  Lac all by itself is more of a purplish red than this reddish purple.

Madder makes a wide range of colors from peach to orange to tomato red.  This is near the tomato red end of the spectrum.

This is the peach end of the madder spectrum.

Quebracho red makes sweet pinks.

Many lovely colors come from combining the dyes.  This is madder, quebracho red, and cochineal in the same vat.   Adding the madder makes a peachy pink.

Madder with fustic (a yellow plant dye) makes an orange.  The fustic adds a warmth and glow to the madder.

These fleeces are destined to become Sincere Sheep roving.  Sincere Sheep is our “think local” line of products.  The wool comes from local sheep, mostly from Sonoma County, are dyed by us, and processed at a local mill.  I keep each fleece separate even though it is dyed with several different dyes.  The colors will be blended during processing to make a wonderful heathery roving.

While we can’t claim the fiber is organic, it is fair trade and sustainable.  The sheep are usually pets.  The sheep are usually fueled by weeds (earning them the nickname lawnmower sheep).  Sometimes we even know the
name of the individual sheep.  And, by keeping each fleece separate, we maintain
the characteristics of that fleece for that year.  I love that.

By keeping everything local we are keeping down the amount of fuel used to transport the wool.  Local sheep, raised sustainably, processed locally, a very satisfying combination.