Welcome!

Blog posts here are few and far between these days so I hope you’ll visit me on Instagram, where I am @donnastitches.

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This friendship bracelet is to honor all my teacher friends who are getting a crash course in how to facilitate distance learning, and all my friends now learning how to help their kids learn and dealing with the limited bandwidth in our rural area. It's from the #kitchenscience #naturaldye series I posted last week. Thank you all for the grace and persistence you're showing in a tough situation. I'm sure your kids are going to get so much more out of this experience than you may ever know.

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#kitchenscience #naturaldye Day 6. Today let's consider how we might use controls and variables to turn this experiment into a study. A *control* is an element that stays the same throughout a series of experiments. In a *study* of natural dye material you would choose a control then alter a single element or *variable* in a series of tests, observing and analyzing the results.

Let's assume your control element is your tap water. (This could become a variable on a related study if you decide to test with distilled water, chlorinated tap water, chlorinated tap water allowed to stand for 24 hours, rain water, hard water from a well, water acidified with vinegar or lemon juice...) So let's design a study of onion skin natural dye using tap water. Ideally, you would want to use the same type of onion skins (yellow or red) throughout, and weigh the amount used to keep it consistent (controlled) throughout.

Your first study might be like what we did on Day 3 -- comparing results of a controlled dyebath on different types of fiber. How many different protein and cellulose fibers might you have access to that you could include? Record ideas in your notebook. If possible, weigh the fiber so you are using a consistent amount of each different fiber. For this study, plan to use the same proportion by weight of fiber to dyestuff.
Your next study might explore the effect of pH modifiers on *one* fiber at a time. How many pH modifiers might you have access to that you could include? Record ideas in your notebook. Repeat the pH modifier study with other fibers, one at a time.

Next, you might study what happens if you change the pH of the water added to the onion skins instead of modifying the oH after dyeing. Then study the effect of temperature as a variable during the dye process. Record your ideas for other studies you might make.

I've posted this series of lesson guides for fun and learning while schools are out due to #covid19 . Your results may vary with substitution of materials as we all stay home to #flattenthecurve . Even so, sampling and experimentation are great processes to learn! donnakallnerfiberart.etsy.com

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EFFECTIVE FRIDAY, MARCH 27, all burning is suspended until further notice. All DNR burn permits are suspended and none will be issued (written or electronically). Spring in #Wisconsin has the highest fire risk and debris burning is the leading cause. Response to fires will be impacted by #covid19 and compromised emergency response can result in rapid wildfire growth. The DNR and your local #volunteerfiredepartment are still prepared to respond but will be operating on more strict standard operating procedures (e.g., one person per vehicle, sanitizing equipment, precaution when interacting with others, etc.) due to COVID-19. And we all need to limit travel to help protect our families, so mutual aid and other resources from out of the immediate area may not be available. So until further notice there is NO burning of debris piles in barrels, on the ground, on grass or in wooded areas. Small campfires for warming or cooking are ok but,
strongly discouraged. Burning debris in a campfire ring is NOT considered a campfire and is prohibited. Please, please keep in mind that parts of Northeast Wisconsin have a high fuel load from the 2019 derecho storm, and that your local firefighters are all volunteers with families to care for. We need YOUR help to minimize fire potential so we can conserve resources for fires that can't be prevented, such as lightning strikes. Your help is greatly appreciated.

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Donna Kallner

fiber artist, teacher and explorer, inspired by ancient fiber techniques and all the ways contemporary fiber artists give old ideas a new spin View all posts by Donna Kallner