plant dyed silk......

Tie-dyed green silk; popped into a pomegranate dye-pot. It's a bit paler than in the photo. Not quite so good definition.

White silk tie-dyed in the pomegranate dye-pot. This looks more 'metallic'; the reality, is greyer.

White silk with blue flowers pressed between it. Seems the bluebells created this blue. I wonder how long it will last? I used no mordants; the pomegranate is mordant enough, most of the time. The blue (bells) I fully expect to fade and disappear. I'll leave it a while, before I use it in any samples.
I've completed another of my samples; mounted it onto a stiff piece of denim. I'm considering using some final stitching on it; to really finish it. It's a relief piece; I used quilting batting for that effect. It's the only sample that has this. So far, anyway!

more woad

Here's the silk from the child's bridesmaid dress, dunked into the woad dye-bath. Bought the dress in Eyemouth back in August. The silk is a 'slub' silk; which means it's uneven on the surface; the spin of the silk is uneven, creating thick and thin lengths of thread. Tiny imperfect weaves. Gives the fabric a lovely texture. I'm expecting the woad to exaggerate this texture, when I take it out, wash, and dry it.
The results I'm getting with the woad, are a very uneven colouration. Maybe that's because I'm using such a small dye-bath? I do like that effect actually, so it doesn't bother me.

This is a cotton top Jill gave me; me wearing it. The details of the string I tied around the cotton reveal a lovely pattern; hardly touched by the blue woad dye, it's remained white. As I took this photo myself, it was hit & miss getting an image that was anything like!

sample #1

For my City & Guilds course I have to make 7 samples, of A3 size, and a completed piece. This is Sample #1.
It involves pole-wrapping/tie-dyeing; transfer dyeing; stitched embellishments. And at the bottom is a piece of rust-dyed silk, stitched on.
I used the collography plate I made at home, as a surface for transfer printing. 
I also made another collography plate using lace and netting, especially for this process. I've been ironing the transfers onto fabric, ready for use. It feels that the work I'm making for this section of the C&G is showing a development of my skills.  

Rust Dyed Fabric

The experiment of rust dye-ing fabric!

This is still rusting, and colouring, as I write. I expect it will take a long time to complete.

It's in the conservatory, and as we've had a lot of got sunny days recently, the fabric has often dried out by the time I've got home. I'm keeping it wet though; and I look forward to seeing the results.

I'm going to use this idea as a session in one of the groups I work with, and see how they work with it. It's a long-term dye-ing process, and not one of instant results, like with the procion dyes on my course.  

Rob's tie-dye

My brother asked me to do a tie-dye design on one of his tee-shirts. This was the result; he said he'd be wearing it on his Northern Soul nights! 
The lines turned out to be much more delicate than I expected This was using the Dylon dyes; we're currently using Procion dyes on the textile course, which just started back on Tuesday for the summer term. Procion dyes are more vivid than this. I've wrapped a few bundles and dyed them blue/turquoise. I have an idea to use some resist dye-ing; so will hopefully use one of the fabric samples I dyed on Tuesday to experiment with that.
Get me some practice in for when the plants re-emerge and I can do more plant dye-ing!

Tie Dye

The textile course I'm doing includes dye-ing fabrics using procian dyes. These are very vivid colours, and the fabric takes up the dye much better if it is wetted beforehand.


The pattern above was created by rolling the fabric, then binding it
very tightly using cotton crochet thread.


I've bought some white bamboo thread, and look forward to dye-ing it, and then using it for knitting, or sewing.




This pattern was created by folding the fabric. It's almost an x-ray...........