Rosy pinky cold dye - 粉紫色染布

 

To start the new year 2015 with soft landing - cold dye of pinky rose with pomegranate.  This  pinky chiffon was made with the easy and eco pomegranate dye.

 粉紫色的雪紡來自石檔汁液, 一個簡易的植物印染開始我 2015的 "粉紫溫柔" 一天.

 

 Last March when I was in Tel Aviv I strolled along the promenade, there're stalls of fresh pomegranate press juice.

 I bought one.  About one and half the fruit of a pomegranate to make a cup of the fresh juice, Sweet and tasty.

 

These days here the markets have many big and juicy imported pomegranates.  I tried the cold dye simply squeezed the seeds to get the red juice then mixed with little vinegar to dye the chiffon. 

Fabric was soaked with diluted vinegar water.  First put the half length to soak the red dye then again the one third length into the dye for overnight soaking.  I done two pieces to see the outcome.

 Mogi helped the lining.  Gradation from plain to purple.

Mogi found his haven

Dyes dispersed on this piece with marble pattern

This is accidentally effect from the dyes I soaked twice so dyes dispersed like marble

The long one with half the length gradation

He's napping and dreaming what to do next

Mogi, "what's mum's resolution this year?"

Mum, "playing with color, wool and travel are on my radar........."

Simple steps of pomegranate cold dye.

For my 3 yards of chiffon I squeeze one pomegranate seeds by hand, then mixe 4 spoon of vinegar.  Spraye silk chiffon with vinegar and put into the juice overnight.

Take it out but do not rinse out juice.  Better flat dry in air shade. If the fabric is boiled color becomes earthy.  

This is my first time of cold dyed silk chiffon with pomegranate juice.  Thought that for this kind of dye will not last too long but I will do something of not frequent washing.  Will see how it will be........

Rust dye chiffon scarf 鏽染絲巾

Accidentally I found the easier way of iron mordant.  This is not my discovery.  Experts may already known and used it. 

 很偶然我的鐵鏽媒染有新發現, 可能專家們覺得我小兒科, 這鐵鏽媒染對我而言是簡單、快捷及不會太濃黑。且看做法.......

This is the way I make the iron mordant by wrapping the chiffon around a rusty pipe, clamp it with rusty clips.  Pour vinegar diluted water over the bundle.  Let it soaked, set aside in open area for some hours.  For me 8-hour is fine to get fabric rusted.  I've made two pieces.

This is one of it.  Indeed rust prints are almost good enough.  

My thought was to wrap with euc leaves to get bright orange color over brown rust marks.  I bundled and boiled in clear water with some vinegar .  After opening some brown rust marks got dark after boiling.

Rose leaves and euc silver dollars leaves are dark with some tie marks.

Though not as expected to have orange prints, I noted the brown rust "penetrated" fabric so most part got iron mordant to dark color in the boiling pot.

The chiffon scarf with both ends some rust marks while the middle part has soft grey. 

This one is longer

This one is wider with some bold euc leaves prints and a little purple.

I like the shades of dark and the tie marks.

I used to wrap with rusty objects and boil for some hours but it's too dark or fabric "rotten" by the iron objects.  After this experiment I'll do my way to get fabric iron mordant so it would not be too dark.

Before I do not like much dark scarf but this gradation of colors even with a little purple in the middle.  Loving it ........Thanks for Sandy D who taught me the way to do rust marks while we're in Spain.

Eco print workshop for special student 遠道而來的學生

Being an amateur eco printer, I never thought of drawing overseas students. How glad that my facebook friend Meg's so passionate about the style of my prints/dyes and flown from Taiwan to learn from me.  My honor to share with like-minded. We have a 2-day intensive workshop to do experiments of assorted prints, dyes and make an eco print journal.

從沒想過, 對植物印染祗是玩票, 我的試驗製作也可吸引海外「面書」友人的學習興趣. 我和Meg 以前不認識, 她認真的要親來學習, 噢, 好有誠意, 我便編排了兩天密集課程, 就是這兩整日, 我們做了好幾種實驗, 主要是媒染做出顏色深淺層次, 明礬帶出青黃效果, 扎染技巧....還有做小記事本, 從植物印在頁紙... 做羊毛書面扎染到釘裝成小本子, 可真密集哩 !  我們還有空檔到後山逛一圈.... Meg, 謝謝你遠道而來, 我的第一位海外學生, 我多榮幸 !

Meg and I've never met but only via facebook.  On the first day we met and worked, we knew we've same thinking and she picks up very quickly.  

The first piece we done a silk fabric with  euc leaves, rose leaves and maple leaves.  In order to show Meg the shades, some leaves with iron mordant some without. 

In the meantime we made the iron mordant for her future use. 

We tested the iron mordant and got what we wanted - shades below. 

Rose leaves dark with iron mordant.  

Some euc leaves brown or darker with iron mordant. 

Paper prints done for making a journal. 

Wool felt journal cover

Dyed in euc pot and bundled with euc prints, all done in the same time.

The string marks and white space intended to make. 

Paper prints and wool felt cover to be binded. 

Day 2 the eco print wool felt journal was made.   

Enclosed with my handmade ceramic button.

Meg made a nuno felt shawl with long curly fleece.  She put a little euc leaves over it and bundle dyed in onion pot.   It's bright.  Meg may find it too eye-catching. 

The lustrous long fleece is shining brown. 

What's that bundle? Eager to see the outcome....... 

It's the nuno felt wool top Meg made.  Prints got some bright orange  but rose leaves are dark.  Reverse side with some brown /grey. 

Still a good test on her first eco print trial. 

"Mogi, do you approve this?" 

We made prints with alum in order to get yellowish. We got it, a little pale yellow /green of rose leaves and the soft orange of euc cinerea.  Wonderful to have spotty outlines. 

Pale with alum and dark with iron. 

Euc cinerea is always a magic in printing.  

Mogi, "mun's student is so talented and creative. You're wonderful to have her around". 

"Yes, I'm so pleased." 

Fabulous works by Meg. 

Among all,  this soft chiffon scarf she found impressive. 

All ready to pack home. 

In the 2-day intensive workshop we still have an hour walk behind my apartment to see the city view.  Thanks to my hubby who watched the boiling pots.

Tomorrow we two couples will have a day out in the island south.  Wish the weather will be good to allow us to have a glimpse of our stunning island.

Linking with annesfunnyfarm

Linking with Lakeshore Drive party