Paper Bark Birch and Black Walnut leaves from two of my favorite trees. These samples were steamed with alum and white vinegar mordants
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I have been taking a break from social media and being online. Not totally, but I have cut way back. I found that I was simply spending too much time online and not enough time actually 'doing'. It actually feels good to be a bit more "unhooked" for the time being, although I am certain that the pendulum will swing again at some point.
I feel as if I lost a good bit of my summer being chair bound for 2.5 months, but I am enjoying playing a bit of "catch up" now!
The week before last I started driving again, and I felt like a teenager with a newly printed license! I have gained more empathy for elders who no longer can drive. It is not a fun thing to be dependent on people to get every little thing for you all of the time! I am also deferring my surgery for a bit. The thought of another back surgery is quite 'off-putting' for me and so, until the pain is once again too much, I will wait.
One of the things that I had planned to do at the beginning of the season was to learn some more about eco-dyeing. I love the kismet of this experience. There are some successes along with a lot of "meh" results as well.
Black Walnut leaves |
One of the things that I am currently experimenting with is what mordants work the best and how much, or how little, moisture I need to achieve the best prints from leaves. I have a project in mind and so I am just using small squares of silk noil from Dharma Trading do my experimenting with - along with my supply of "stashed" silks too.
Paper Bark Birch Leaves |
The first thing that everyone asks when they see these samples is "what will you make from them?". Well, I am not sure what exactly, although I do have a project in mind that will use the best of the leaf print experiments. I would also like to make a wearable from the over-dyed kimono silks that I am accumulating. I have been looking online for a simple, somewhat boxy, blouse pattern to use, and I am finding it very difficult find the perfect pattern! Who knew that this would be difficult?!
Does anyone have any pattern suggestions for a simple blouse that would work for a "collaged" fabric look?
Does anyone have any eco-dyeing/ eco bundling tips to offer?
Crocosmia stalk and blossoms |