We have been to Upper Canada Village twice in the last few weeks and will probably be back again soon. The Victorian pioneer days are alive in this house now, inspired by the trips and fabulous demonstrations of bread-making, broom- making, quilting, dressmaking/ sewing, letterpress newspaper printing on cotton fabric, fencepost-making… and so much more.

Most inspiring, perhaps, was the dyeing garden and expertise of the demonstrators.

You see, we spent much of last summer exploring the world of plant dyes, trying herbs and roots and mordants if all varieties. And I had, and still have, every intention of posting about it here to share. Right now we are trying shibori dyeing with plants, and just today discovered a beautiful blue!! Not from woad or indigo either! So wonderful.

In the meantime I found a crinoline and ’70s-era Victorian dress on Etsy – and a summer straw hat at our local antique shop…. what luck…. now she can look the part as she immerses herself in herstory.

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