Madder and Brazilwood dyeing results

I took the mordanted fabrics out of the jar about three weeks ago now and was pleased with the results. The darker fabric in the photo below is silk scrim.

I will think about how I do this again as I did have to pick out lots of the small root and bark pieces from the scrim. I want to dye with Logwood next.

There was still lots of colour left in the water and after mordanting, I put the above fabrics back. It again sat on top of my wood burning stove  for about ten days heating up each day.. I do have some photos of the washed and dried fabrics but can't find the lead to download them onto the computer at the moment. Normally when I dye with either madder root or Brazilwood I would use 50g-100g of each per 100g of fabric (hands up as I am never that accurate but try!!) Below is all the root and wood pieces after rinsing from the final batch of fabrics, I haven't measured this but judging it by eye tells me that I used about a third of my normal amount.

BEGINNERS KNIT & CROCHET WORKSHOP WITH CAROL PARKER

SAT 14 JAN 10-12PM & SAT 11 FEB 10-12PM 
UNIQUE COTTAGE FARM STUDIOS
ALL AGES WELCOME BUT UNDER 8S ACCOMPANIED BY AN ADULT PLEASE 
£8 EACH 

Come and learn a new skill in the wonderful environment of the Lincolnshire countryside. Refreshments provided and lots of different techniques to try: extreme knitting and French knitting, finger and body knitting and crochet.

Workshop may be of particular interest to teachers/TAs and Health and Wellbeing workers. Knitting encourages coordination, develops concentration span, is great for social engagement, is a therapeutic ‘relaxer’ and is said to delay the onset of dementia. All this and you can create something too!!!

Carol is a freelance artist with over 15 years’ experience of facilitating workshops with all ages and abilities. She was lead artist on knit2getherlincs, a Cultural Olympiad 2012 project where a 200mtr knitted Olympic track was created by working with hard to reach, community groups and schools in Lincolnshire (for images and more info see knit2getherlincs.wordpress.com).

Look forward to seeing you on Saturday!

Eco Natural Dyeing with Madder and Brazilwood

All last year I wanted to do some"eco" dyeing, the type that you put your bark or leaves into a jar in the sun and wait. It didn't happen and I sat over Christmas looking at my wood buring stove wondering what if I  put a pot of something on top to simmer away. Last week after I mordanted some cotton and silk scrim I scrunched them up into a large Kilner glass jar and sprinkled madder root and Brazilwood chips between the layers.

I then filled the jar with just enough cold water to cover the fibres.You can see from below that the pink started to come through virtually immediately.

It has sat in a pan of water to gently heat each evening this week when the fire has been lit.

I think I will take it out this weekend. I am hoping for some texture in the cloth and darker shades where the roots/chips have been touching the cloth. I am going to keep the liquid to use again which should give me some paler shades to work with as well.

New Books

In December I had a birthday and Christmas so I become the proud owner of the following new reading matter.

I have read The Artist's Way some time ago which I borrowed from my local library but I have never owned a copy. I am loving India Flint's second book, Second Skin and have started reading Twyla Tharp. I have seen this book as a recommended read on many blogs and so far (two chapters in!) haven't been disappointed.

Just wondering what everyone else is reading?

Long Time No Blog

Ok, it is official, December has passed me by in a bit of  a blur. It was a month filled with highs and lows but we got through, travelled many miles to visit family and met a new niece who was 10 days old. Through out the madness that became December I managed to keep going with the City and Guilds Diploma final piece and now I am very nearly finished, this is what has been taking up my time -

Cow parsley and sprouts. I also have a panel with rape seed flowers but I seem to have taken about 10 blurred photos!! I have three panels, the first is 10" x 60", the middle 30" x 60" and the final panel (sprouts) 20" x 60".

I also have a little jar of something cooking very gently by my wood burner so more about that in another post.

It has been good to get more followers this last year, thank you for joining me. I hope you all had a peaceful Christmas and have a Happy New Year.

Angela x