Just received some really interesting photos from Sarah George (a member of Bhaam), who got a bursary to photograph the rest of us creating our work. It shows just what a mucky job it was dyeing the teasels. The bucket of Indian ink looks very like an oil slick. Anyway, many thanks Sarah. It makes me realise just how much I need a camera with time lapse capabilities.

The finished product

For some time now, I have been finding increasing numbers of little moths appearing in the room where I store the teasel poles. I've finally had time to look them up.....Endothenia marginana. 
The larvae feed on the seed heads of the teasel (among other plants),  from September to June, emerging as adults from late May to August, so I've got a few more months of moths: (see http://ukmoths.org.uk/show.php?bf=1099)
Apparently they're quite common, which is a good thing considering just how many I've sucked up with the hoover, in one of my more manic cleaning up phases!

On Thursday I had a group critique with some of the other Bhaam members which was very useful. I needed to find a way to break up the line where the teasel colour changes from brown to black. I had already kept back some single black teasels to see it it would help if I inserted them randomly. Anyway, it was suggested that I try the Pointillist technique!

Have now completed my fourth pole and have some bunches left over to start the fifth. Someone even gave me some teasels on the morning school run, so my predicament is getting around......

The bunches of teasels have now moved inside for safe keeping. I plan to load them on to the poles tomorrow as this will get them out of the way......

I'm now in the situation of having nearly run out of teasels......the barn has been emptied (I have been collecting since January!), and most of those still remaining in the fields, have been damaged/split open. I need to wait for the new crop. But, is time on my side? It all depends on what type of summer we get this year. The exhibition is planned to start in the second week of September, so if the curator is prepared to be flexible, then I should just make it! I want to have some 'green' teasels to represent the 1940s and the 1950s when the industry was at its peak, but I can't really pick these when they are still in flower. So, here's hoping for a hot, dry summer. We could certainly do with it!

Meanwhile I'm passing the time picking all the thorns out of my hands. I definitely think that my pain threshold has gone up in the making of this work......

Finally a hot, dry, sunny and slightly breezy day was predicted. So on Tuesday I dyed black, the next batch of teasels. Having managed to start work at 07.30,  I worked almost continuously until 13.30 with a quick stop for lunch. Using Indian ink is a messy business and I just wanted to get on with it, the cleaning up process being long enough in itself. I dyed 3,640 teasels (91 bunches, each bunch being a 'hand' of 40 teasels), in total, leaving aside a few single black teasels in case I decide to insert them randomly into the main body of work, at a later date. I purchased 30 litres of Indian ink and I have now got just under 5 litres remaining. Maths plays an important part in the work I'm currently doing. This reflects what it must have been like for the teasel farmers........without the teasel numbers, there would be no profit.

These are some images of the teasel bunches drip drying in the sun. From a distance they remind me kippers drying in a smoke house!