My Cohort

I will have my daughter Blue Jay as my closest family cohort in investigating natural dyes. Not that Lucy and Pi Guy won’t join in on some of the activities, but Blue Jay seems to share my interest in color.

Only a few people know of my youthful penchant for going through Sears, Montgomery Ward, and J C Penney catalogs in search of the color swatches that particular clothing or linens could be supplied in. My folks knew, I’m sure, and were probably frustrated because once the catalogs were in my hands, I would take scissors to the color swatches and cut them out, just to have and look at them. Blue Jay would probably do the same if someone clued her in to the possibility.


This page taken from the December L.L. Bean catalog would have been fodder for my scissors in those days. (And now, how are we to properly identify the color of that slug bug without this type of aid? "Slug Bug Green Tea!")

Blue Jay also has the affinities toward the seventies lifestyle. A new “American Girl,” Julie by name, deals with the seventies. Blue Jay has expressed an interest in acquiring one of these dolls and has read the American Girl book. She would be a vegetarian if we would let her make that choice right now. So, as much as I say the pursuit of natural dying is the end in itself. Blue Jay may take it to the application level.

Since December is not the best time for collecting dye plants, except commercially (and perhaps grocery stores and florist shops for scraps). It seemed good to borrow some natural dye books from the Pikes Peak Library. When Blue Jay saw these books her eyes brightened considerably. I think that she will enjoy researching and acquiring the plants and the resulting colors immensely but may not take as much interest in the procuring and processing of the material and equipment, and in the recording of the process. But, that’s what I’m here for.