Thursday, May 14, 2015

Eco Dyeing at the Rusty Roo

What an incredibly enjoyable weekend. 

There were seven of us at the Roo trying our hand at the process loosely referred to as 
Eco Dyeing. 






Cameron set up an area under the trees, and Nancy Brown our tutor, supplied the material, knowledge and incredible wealth and diversity of experience. 

Nancy's blog is a good read.
https://nancybrownstudio.wordpress.com/2015/04/29/gumleaf-sauerkraut/

https://nancybrownstudio.wordpress.com/category/artist-in-residence-2/



Using natural materials, like gum leaves, flowers, bark, and a few contrived additives, like old railway sleeper pegs, salt, red cabbage and onion skins - we - wrapped up bundles of the ingredients in our material- boiled up the bundles, and  soaked them overnight. . . . . 

The bundles looked a little like giant sushi rolls !!!  Quite beautiful. Even if you were not expecting to acquire some beautifully printed material - the process alone is very enjoyable. One pot had plant materials, one copper additives and one iron . . . 




Early Sunday Morning after a full Cameron cooked BBQ breakfast, we took the soaked bundles out of the pots - 
The results were surprising, interesting and distinctly wearable . . . .  we all agreed, we will have to do this again. 





 Tomorrow we will be trying Shibori . . . .mmmmmmm!!!. . . .we are all excited!
Nancy has made up 'the beast' and the blue gorgeousness is foaming and frothing . . . I imagine we will feel like witches working with a brew.


Now it is time to relax, reflect, and then for a delicious meal, some wine, and a bom fire. Nancy has her Guitar and 




Linda has her Shakuhachi (Japanese Flute which produces relaxing rain sounds)

Another wonderful day