Banksia Menziesii

I love Banksia with my entire soul. The nostalgia they evoke, from the bedtime tales of Snugglepot and Cuddlepie at my grandparents' farm, to escaping adulthood and being swarmed by ants on day-long bush walks. When I saw these cones lying on the floor beneath their mother tree, I couldn't resist the temptation of testing their dye-ability. I used the same process of bringing the water and dyestuff to boil, then adding the linen and leaving her to soak overnight. I ran out of jars at this point so I just left the dye bath in the pot for another day or two.

I assumed, based on their golden openings, the dye they would provide would be rust/golden. It was an absolute delight to wake up to a deep purple dye bath. I have had mixed experiences with purples in the past, so I didn't get my hopes too high. Red cabbage turns to grey almost every time I attempt to dye with it. Post rinse, and pre wash is a dangerous time. It is where I have the most hope for the beauty of the fabric.

*swear word warning* 

Fuck me did they deliver. I am head-over-heels for this purple/pink shade. Maybe it is my pro-banksia bias. Maybe it's just the irrefutable beauty of the colour. Whatever the reason, I am in love. Thank you banksia.