I'm not really sure how it all began, one day I was dyeing with tea bags and the next Eco-dyeing. I started to make friends on facebook with lovely kind people who have become great friends, always so willing to offer support and advice.
I bought India Flint's book
Then I started to experiment, at first I had no success but this only made me keener to achieve a print. There was a lot to learn about mordants, the word mordant means to bite. I learnt this was important.......I read and read as much as I could and everyday practiced, this was not difficult as Eco-dyeing is such a joy the excitement and anticipation of untying a bundle has to be experienced.
I started off like this
I soaked overnight in an old aluminium saucepan some cotton fabric......this was an old sheet cut up, the solution was white vinegar and water.
At this time I did not know printing on silk and wool gives better results :-)
Then I gathered together some small twigs
and leaves from the garden.
Then I started to roll out
Then secured with bands....at first I did not know that the better and tighter you secure your bundle the better contact to print.
Then I placed in my aluminum saucepan of onion skin dye, my wrapped bundles and boiled for 1 hour. I left to cool until the next day.
Here is a selection of prints from last summers experiments
Leaves on silk
On cotton
On Cotton
These prints on cotton were boiled in an aluminum saucepan with a Rhubarb mordant
These are a selection of prints that I stitched into, I made 4 separate collages with them.
These are prints on card
I printed on gift tags
I used my prints on Rice paper to make a cover for a book
Water colour paper print with stitch and pressed flowers
Thanks for reading my blog post and give Eco-Dyeing a go it will bring such joy to your creative life.
Love Marilyn xx
