Virtual Dye Day - using iris

These skeins of wool were dyed with very dark purple iris flowers which were given to me by my hairdresser around 6 months ago and kept in my freezer. The wool was mordanted with alum and a pinch of cream of tarter. Although the dye liquor was a very deep purple and the skeins looked as though they were greyish purple I could see by squeezing them that they were going to be grey.  Probably quite a pretty grey.  I meant to keep one to show this, but I tried the spoon trick as in the previous lot of dyeing ( see photos) and it turned a really dark bottle green so I added soda ash as a post mordant and the colour looked so fabulous that I put both skeins in. They didn't turn out dark green but a really pretty leaf or apple green. The wool I used for these skeins is of unknown source and I think it dyes a lighter shade than some other wools.  It is also sticky and I suspect it is lambswool. This green is in my experience fairly unusual except from yarn that has been modified with indigo. It is a slightly more yellow green than appears in the photo but also quite bright.I now have these dark purple iris's growing in my own garden courtesy of my hairdresser. More experimenting to come.