Friday 11 September 2009

Sun Dyeing

Well, here are the results of my sun dyeing from yesterday. I didn't take any photos of my procedure but I soaked the cotton in water to wet it through thoroughly and then sprayed it again to keep it wet before I painted it. I used silk paints and either squirted the paint on or brushed it on and then sprayed with water again to make sure the whole piece was covered in paint.
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This first piece as you can see, had ferns laid on it but, as my ferns are young I didn't have enough leaves so I placed bizzy lizzy flowers and geranium leaves on it too. The ferns didn't all lay flat so some of the images are a bit ghostly but I rather like that. The flowers and geranium leaves have left a crisper image and I may add a very light wash to knock them back a bit once I have heat set the fabric.
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This second piece I really like! I prepared the fabric as before and then laid on a plastic doilly, the sort Mum used to put cakes on, a metal heart shaped ornamental hanger-thingy and then sprinkled drawing pins all over. As an afterthought I lay a number and letter stencil on top and this has partially worked. It would have been better if it had been completely flat, I think it was cockled up on some drawing pins. Finally I scattered sea salt crystals everywhere. ~


~ This is one corner of the fabric and I can see echoes of landscape here. Actually, the reverse of this fabric is really lovely and looks similar to this area but I've forgotten to photograph it. I'll put it in my flickr file in the next day or two.
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This box of loveliness (potentially) is rust dyeing. I have wrapped various fabrics, cotton, calico, bamboo cloth around all manner of rusty bits and soaked it all in white vinegar, a handfull of salt and a little water - very scientific! You can see it's cooking very well in the sunshine but I shall have to be patient till about Monday as I have a busy weekend ahead if I can keep up with the pace. It's our Embroiderer's Guild meeting tomorrow and Jane Davies is the guest speaker. Hopefully I will be doing a workshop with her on Sunday. I may be a lifeless wreck by Monday! But it will be worth it!
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7 comments:

Gina said...

Fantastic results with your sun dying. I must try that one day... maybe next year now!

ju-north said...

Lovely work Julie! Hope the sun keeps shining for you and HI

Sadia said...

Beautiful works! love the colors you have used! Take care.

Rachel Murphree said...

Julie -- I love the landscape fabric...they all are really lovely, but this one caught my eye. I found your blog following a comment you left on Wendy (emmeline)'s blog. Rachel

Tom said...

Very interesting Julie....
This is something I must have a go at... I will mark this down to look into and see whats needed.

I have just finished a baby blanket I made from some odd balls I had left over.. I was also trying out some patterns at the same time... I have just washed it and will get a picture of it for my blog next week.... I'll let you know when it's posted.

Julie said...

Hi Rachel :-), Thank you for your comment and I'm glad you liked the sun dyeing. It's amazing how different the results are every time you do it. I still haven't ironed the fabric yet but once I have I shall photograph the reverse. I do love the effects you get with salt.

Jo Wholohan said...

love the fern sun dying, just gorgeous, been playing with rust and sun dying myself lately xx