More Eco and Natural Dyeing

Here are some pics of more dyeing I've been busy with.


These pieces were dyed by using diluted ammonia and a piece of copper pipe. Look at the fabulous blue gray colors! The doily is cotton, the ribbon strip is silk noil and the little flowerette I made is silk organza.



Results from immersion dyeing in eucalyptus bath. A very pretty dusty pink.



Silk charmeuse and silk organza were wrapped around an iron pipe with string to get the shibori effect. Organza doesn't take dye as well and because it's stiff it doesn't conform to the pipe so I got a polka dot effect. I spritzed the pieces with vinegar which aids in helping the iron rust and the rust adheres to the fabric. It's just like magic!

Eco-Colour Dyeing

I've been eco dyeing these last few days. Eco-Colour is a book by India Flint and I highly recommend it to anyone who is remotely interested in natural and sustainable dyeing! My studio smells of eucalyptus with hints of vinegar, tea, and sage. Actually very pleasant and calming.

My plan before my eye issues was to be in Missouri now visiting my folks and friends. I would be anticipating taking a four day workshop next week with India Flint. Since I can't be there I have taken it upon myself to attempt the eco-dyeing using her book as my guide. I realize I am not a good book learner. I get so much more from kinetic hands on learning, BUT I am encouraged by my first attempts which I am posting here.

This is a scarf length of silk noil in which I used 3 kinds of eucalyptus leaves and sprinkled with tea. I laid the leaves on half the length of cloth, sprinkled dry black tea on top and folded the fabric length in half on top. I sprayed with vinegar water and rolled into the sausage bundle India describes in her book and then I steamed it for the recommended amount of time. I then let it set in a plastic bag for a couple of days and unwrapped it today. I am in love with the soft and subtleness of the colors.







This was a sample I did with the steam setting "hot bundle" method of ceanothus using the leaves and flowers on the stem.




Some of the bundles I made need to cure for a couple of weeks and as anxious as I am to open them (just like a little kid with no patience) I am restraining myself.




I've cut lots of flora from my property to use in sample dyeing with this method:

Bay


Rattlesnake Grass


French Broom


Spanish Broom


Clover

Monkey Flower


Elderberry with flowers and berries just starting. Will gather more when the berries ripen and change color if I can beat the birds to them.


Ceanothus


What I know as Yerba Santa

The above photo is what I've known as Yerba Santa and what is depicted in the Western Garden Book. I see this as the same plant on some websites known as Yerba Santa but some websites say the photo of the below plant is Yerba Santa. Is is more sage like, it even smells like sage and the leaves are fuzzy like sage plants. Do you know what this plant is?



Here's a photo of the two next to each other:


For those who care to know, I had my eye exam today and got a good report. The doctor actually said I was perfect but then she wouldn't put that down in writing. lol! I still have months to heal back to normal but I'm on the right track and it's all good.

Also remember you have 10 days to pre-order Altered Couture's Autumn issue in which I have a feature article for the $2.00 off and free shipping! Go here to order your copy.

Altered Couture Autumn Issue

If you recall a while back I posted about taking the challenge Altered Couture magazine presented to take a wedding dress (or a bridesmaid dress) and alter and upscale it. I am so excited to say that the dress I entered will be featured in the Autumn issue which will come out August 1. If you pre-order a copy by June 25th here you will get free shipping. You can also see a sneak preview of the dress I transformed!

Hearts of Intention

For five long weeks I had to recuperate from laser eye surgery for torn retinas. No reading, no computer, no close work, and no strenuous activity. For the last two weeks I am able to start being normal again. I can be back in the studio dyeing my fabrics, sewing, and creating. I still have to take many breaks and gaze out at the horizon to exercise my eyes and I realized at this point how thankful I am for my sight. Even though my left eye feels tight from scar tissue, even though I still have floaters and may always have them, I can see. Grace and gratefulness is what I hold.

I found myself back in the studio flitting from one project to the next. The many ideas that swirled around in my head those weeks wanting to come out all at once. I needed to focus on one piece but had a hard time with it. My heart went back to what I had been through and what it is that’s important. I thought about the little hearts I made in Nina Bagley’s class at An Artful Journey back in Feb. and I knew I needed to make more of these.

For the last few days I have gathered my remnants of hand dyed fabrics, laces, vintage pieces, and snippets of my hand faux written script silks and began to cut and stitch these little hearts which I am calling “hearts of intention”. There is a small pocket stitched on the back that holds a folded piece of handmade paper for you to write your intention on and secret it away. The heart can be held in your hand, as you would a worry stone, while you ponder your intention.




The hearts are completely hand stitched with my intention of gratitude sewn into each one of them. I am listing 8 of these on my Etsy shop and hope they find a good home and carry good intentions with them.

Back In The Studio ~ Busy and Grateful

I am so grateful to be able to create in my studio again. My eyes are almost healed. I still have some floaters and will probably always have them but my vision is good and for that I can only be thankful.

I've been busy dyeing and upcycling clothing. I have piles of vintage laces, doilies, flounces, trims, and clothes strewn about and it is so freeing to be able to dive in and color these things!

I will let the photos I took speak for themselves of my environment, shibori dyed silk organza, vintage doilies and crochet bird trim in dusty blue gray, velvet, chiffon, and laces in the palest seafoam, and works in progress.



















"The eyes are the gateway to the soul."
- Herman Melville

Workshops Canceled

I was so disappointed that I had to cancel my teaching engagements for Create in Costa Mesa. I had most of my kits ready and now I stare at them, tied with little hand dyed ribbons, packed in clear carrying cases all ready to go. It's like being all dressed up and no where to go.

Not only was this canceled but also my trip to Missouri where I was planning to teach with my friend Sharon in her studio in Ashland, visiting my folks for a week in Poplar Bluff, then returning to St. Louis to take a four day workshop with India Flint. I was so excited about this but can not go. On the bright side I have been communicating with India about coming to stay at my house and possibly give a workshop in the area. If you click on "wish list" at her website you'll find that the West Coast in the USA is one of the places she wants to have a study retreat. My house in the mountains would be perfect for her! 26 acres of native trees and plants. If this happens it would be sometime in 2012, probably the Fall, so that means quite a wait for me.

I have my next eye doctor appointment on Thur. and I'll find out how I'm healing and how much of my normal life I can take on.

My friend Bob Runyon wrote and sent me this Haiku:

Vision is
Great and delightful
Tears are shed

Healing

I trust my body's urge to heal. I don't have to make it get well. All I have to do is support it. I am becoming healthier every day.

After my last doctor appointment on Monday I was told I can start using the computer a little. One hour a day to either sew in my studio with a machine (no close hand work), use the computer or similar tasks. I can start adding an hour a day, as long as my eye doesn't get tired, up to six hours.

I was mistaken about cholesterol being the culprit of causing my retinal tears. Cholesterol DOES affect your eyesight and I have to get mine down for that reason but my doctor, Dr. Gloria Wu, insists that my tears happened from lifting heavy things. I am really puzzled by this. I don't lift heavy objects often and things I do lift seemed easy enough. She said that perhaps what I could lift at age 46 I can't lift at 56 but ............ ?????? I can bench press 50 pounds easy enough and often load my car with all the items I need to teach with. I usually have someone load and unload the two microwaves so I just can't believe I've lifted anything heavy enough to cause this. I guess I'll just have to be careful about that from now on, but how do I know what's too heavy? Confusing huh?

It's been weeks of resting my eyes which meant doing almost nothing. It's been a frustrating journey but I've had lots of time to philosophy about my life. I had to cancel teaching at Create in Costa Mesa, I had to cancel a show in Santa Cruz I was suppose to participate in this last weekend, and I have to cancel my trip to Missouri. Is this a wake up call for me to slow down? Can I do that? Do I want to? All these questions have come up for me to ponder I often wonder about the classes I teach and what it is that students really want to learn from me. There are deadlines for 2012 proposals that are approaching. I would love to hear from all of you who would be interested in taking a workshop from me, what class would you like to see me offer? I've been interested in teaching some natural dye workshops but that could not happen in a six hour hotel setting classroom. I would love to work with a small group to take a vintage or used garment and help them upcycle it by dyeing fabrics to create embellishments, tea dyeing, dyeing the garment itself, and/or dyeing vintage laces and trims. I could do small or individual workshops in my studio in the Santa Cruz Mountains. If any of this sounds interesting to you or you have ideas please let me know.

I'm getting off the computer now so I don't waste my two hours of time today doing this. I'm anxious to get back in the studio!!!

I'm on the mend and while it may take several more weeks before I'm back to normal I am grateful that my sight was spared, that the technology today is so amazing to repair eyes and to all those who have sent cards, called, sent positive energy my way and well wishes. I do so appreciate this. Thank you.