Pokeberries Are Ready

It's finally time to pick the pokeberries. Izzy has purple streaks on his back. I will have purple fingers and the kids in school will say EEEWWWW, what's on your fingers???? I have to boil the berries then strain the skins and pits out. You never know exactly what color the berries will dye the wool. One year the wool was yellow, another year pink. I use vinegar as a mordant, a French word meaning
"bite," which helps the color stick to the wool. Another mordant would give it a different color. I have some alum somewhere but have no idea where to look. People often ask if I use natural dyes, but most of them have no idea the amount of work it takes to gather and prepare all the materials. Natural dyes are beautiful and I still want to go in that direction someday. For now a combination of naturals and synthetics will have to do.