Hollyhocks in March

I should have been making double use of my wood-burning stove all this past winter, simmering small batches of natural dyes.  I finally cooked up a couple of pots this past weekend.  First was a trial of purple onion skins:

There is no use in separating the varieties of onions, they all turn out the same on fabric.  The purple onion turned out the same as a batch of yellow onions that I did a while ago.  I like the golden color  that they impart on the silk.

Next I tried two batches of dried hollyhock flowers.  I had high hopes for these, as the flowers I started from seed two years ago.  Hollyhocks are biennial, they don't bloom until their second year, and then the plants die.  To keep biennials going in a garden, they must be planted each year to keep the blooms coming each season.  Last summer, my hollyhocks were just stunning, and I want to continue their splendor in fabric. 

The batch of red hollyhock was a bust.  The water turned a murky rose color, but it did not take to the fabric.  The "black" hollyhocks (see above picture) were a success - lovely tones of blue-green!

I neglected to plant hollyhock seed last summer, so I might not have any this season, but I will plant them soon to have blooms in 2019.  I want to try dyeing with fresh flowers from them.