It’s March and whatever the weather outside, it’s spring (well meteorological spring at least). There are daffodils and eventually there will be sun. I am wistfully thinking that I do not live in a version of a 1950’s Hollywood musical starring Doris Day, but am definitely in Suffolk . . . in 2023 . . . although I do believe I spy a few green shoots of creativity pushing through the layers of murk accumulated over winter.
For me these lengthening days bring an optimistic outlook and I find myself instinctively reaching for pots of dye containing brighter and stronger shades.
And, fuchsia pink is back in the mix. There’s also orange, splashes of lime green and even highlights of yellow.
Once I’ve selected the hot colours it is a case of working from one end of the scarf to the other transforming a muted background into a scarf with plenty of zing.
The final part of the silk-painting process is steaming and even with bright shades the fixing of the dye intensifies the colour.
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Agnes Ashe 
Beautiful as always. We were asked to wear purple to an event for International Women’s Day, but the closest I had was fuschia. It’s a good colour for me and I received compliments. It reminded me that when I was thirteen I bought myself a hot pink (not baby pink) dress and it really zinged! Over the years I graduated to red, and it is all this time later that I realise I was on the right colour first time around 🙂 .
Purple, strong pinks and reds are all fab colours, but I think they somehow look their best when it’s natural fibres. Scarlet wool is sumptuous you can see why the cardinals claimed it. And purple silk, well of course the royals controlled that. I guess we are lucky they left bright pink for the rest of us! At least these days we’re not fined for wearing cloth above our station.
Once upon a time the Australian Wool Corporation used to have a fashion arm, but that died out around the 1960s. Now we don’t see many natural fibres in clothing – you wouldn’t either – so much fast fashion clogging our stores. All the same, I’ve never understood why so much polyester is sold in Australia, with much of it coming from Asia – two areas whose summer climates are most unsuitable for this sticky, clammy, clingy, unbreathable material.
Oh goodness, polyester in the heat – yuck. Fine weave linen would be my choice, despite hearing my old mum in the background bleating on about creasing. Honestly who cares!
I agree, Agnes, except that I end looking like I am wearing a limp tea-towel. I think tall and slender is the frame for linen. Rubinesque, big-bottomed girls need not apply J
That’s very funny. I think we should ALL look like we’re wearing a limp tea-towel if that’s the most comfortable clothing in the heat. I have reached that age where comfort, especially footwear, trumps style every time.