japan postcard: sometimes, you get it right

Way back in November, when I was hatching plots with the delightful Jill Wolcott, she requested an orange for an upcoming project - a pure, happy, bright orange.

Like any dyer, this request gives me plenty of rope (yarn?) with which to hang myself.

After lots of tweaking of dye recipes, I arrived at a combination that I hoped would match the sunset-inspired orange of Japanese temple gates, known as torii gates.

A capelette sample was made with the yarn, I brought it to Japan, and then the moment of truth: it matched!

Whether you love orange or not (and if not, never fear - there are 18 other colors), have a look at Jill's Mt Emei Capelette. It was a great travel piece - easy to take on and off, light weight, and a fun way to add color to a limited array of clothes.

What colors are inspiring you this Spring?