Marigold Dyeing - Two Batches

After I used the large orange Old Town Dia de los Muertos marigolds for the first batch, I decided to try the much smaller, variegated color marigolds that we have been growing in our garden.  The smaller flowers ranged in color from light yellow, to single flowers with brown and yellow, to bright gold flowers.  I have been harvesting them for a couple of months, and freezing the flowers.  So, on to the results.

These are four ounce balls of Corriedale top.  The one on the left is from the Old Town orange marigolds.  The one on the right is from my garden marigolds.  As Rita Buchanan pointed out in her book, A Weaver's Garden, it does not seem to matter what color the marigold flowers are: the dyed color will be yellow.  This is interesting, because the dye extract that I obtained from my variegated color flowers was brown.  Yet I obtained this lemon yellow dye. 

The marigold genus Tagetes contains species that are highly aromatic.  These scented marigolds have been regarded as medicinal plants in Mexico since the times of the Aztec and Mayan people.  The leaves and flowers are used in a tea, and the flowers are used to decorate alters and graves during religious events associated with All Saints Day (November 1) and All Souls Day (November 2).  Marigolds are also used in India during harvest festivals. 

I will start spinning this fiber soon.