Vodka

…is what my kitchen reeks of as we’re speaking.

perikum1From this jar which I prepared in August and then completely forgot about, filled with flowers of St. John’s Wort. I suppose technically they can’t rot infused with alcohol, but the colour is definitely not the brilliant red it was in September.

I know Rita Buchanan says you don’t get interesting colours with the alcohol solution, but I didn’t find enough flowers per day to make boiling worthwhile. I also didn’t have any mordanted yarn, so I did a reverse, first I entered an unmordanted skein and left on the woodstove for a few days, then I put mordant in the jar with another skein, left it on the stove, then decided to boil it in the oven for an hour or so.

And that is why my house stinks. Just wait until I pour it into the sink…. I guess it’s a good thing I’m home alone and not expecting company! (ok, the kitten in my lap just farted – that didn’t help any, but if he keeps it up perhaps nobody will suspect me of drinking at least)

Well, they’re not alike. That counts for something, right? First on top.

perikum2

8 thoughts on “Vodka

  1. Pretty colours. I always get green and golden brown with this plant. Did you use only the flowers? If you don’t need or use the infusion for dyeing purposes, then don’t pour it down the drain – at least not all of it. This infusion is an excellent remedy for bruises, sore muscles and suchlike. The same – not alcohol reeking – remedy can be made using olive oil 😉

    1. I used only flowers. And since I put alum in the jar for the orange coloured skein, I don’t think I’ll be using it on my skin. I’ll remember to try that next summer, though! 🙂 I’m hoping the plants will have spread, so that I can pick more per day.

      1. Hovsa, åndet at skrive på engelsk,når vi begge er danskere;). Hvis du skal bruge det på huden, så ville jeg nok anbefale olivenolie-variationen. Det svier ikke så slemt som vodka, hvis der er et lille hul :p
        Jeg håber også at få blomster nok til at farve en gang rødt med til sommer. MamaLadka er totalt inspirerende dér. Og planterne spreder sig meget. Min lille pjort er blevet en stor plante på et par år. Den sjlal jeg inde på parkeringspladsen, hvor de kommunale lugere uden held havde forsøgt at slå den ihjel. Den bad da om asyl, ikke?

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