Plum dyeing gives this silk thread its color, using branches from a plum tree. Here in Osaka, another state of emergency was about to be declared. I remember thinking the same thing the previous spring: even in circumstances like these, the seasons continue to turn and flowers still bloom. This year, too, news of the first plum blossoms was just beginning to arrive.
While staying at home, I am thinking of weaving a stole.
By the time the rich fragrance of plum blossoms fills the air, I can only hope that the declaration will at least have been lifted.
On YouTube, I have also posted How to Dye with Plum Branches (Umeso). Please have a look there as well.
A more detailed plum dyeing method is also introduced in Hitotsuya’s article Botanical Dyeing with Plum Twigs (Umeso) | Dyeing Silk Thread.
▼ Plum dyeing on silk thread. From the right: titanium, copper, aluminum, and iron mordants.
