Brazil bound?

A purple printed pareo would be all I need to scrunch up in a rucksack with a bathing suit and flip flops and I would be Brazil bound! That and the $2000.00 roundtrip ticket to Trancoso...
Gray and purple Logwood extracts helped to color this cotton voile piece, and the black "ink" I used with the antique Indian wood block print was made from the silty residue at the bottom of my cutch, madder and iron pot. Seems quite color fast, too!

And then there's "Mauve"!

This scarf has taken on almost all shades of pink and lavender and a few specs of purple here and there all melting together... and then there's "mauve"! I think Bea Arthur (who became the feminist TV icon in the "70's)would have rocked this then and now. I timeless accessory- The over sized scarf!

15 Chic and Creative Ways to Tie a Scarf

15 Chic and Creative Ways to Tie a Scarf

Lace time.

Experimenting with different printing methods, I spray painted fabric paint over some vintage lace. The lace had a cool silhouette, but was some weird synthetic so I didn't feel too bad about defacing it. Either way, I will use it as a template again, I like the effect so much.

Rainbow sherbet.

It's hard for me to believe that these delicious colors were derived from all natural materials, but it's true! This ombre scarf really does make me think of that ice cream parlor rainbow sherbet we used to get in a little paper cup. The dyes used were madder and quebracho. Earth Hues again, thank you.

Wasabi!

This combination is hot in that cool sort of way. Fustic gave a very bright yellow, and then when dipped in the indigo became more of a greenish yellow. The ends that had been prepared with beads and rubber bands to create the shibori effect that created diamonds were steeped longer in the indigo. The indigo was pretty well oxidized by that point, so the blue was very pale. The resulting colors remind me of that ever so powerful corner on your sushi platter, wasabi!

Cristo from my dining room.

These images of my latest escapades in natural dyeing made me think of Cristo's "Gates" in New York City's Central Park. Orders for Spring inventory at Black Parrot in Maine and The One Well in Brooklyn have me slaving over a hot cauldron all day! With a view like this, I can't complain.

Vagabond Blue.

The most mystical and sacred of all natures contribution to the world of color- Indigo. A green plant that is composted and then fermented, it was the first and only blue dye for centuries. A blackish, oily looking green while swirling in the dye vat, it emerges and soon becomes blue once it becomes oxidized. Darkest blue the first dips, the color is absorbed by the fabrics until it is the palest of blues.
This silk organza shawl was dyed in indigo and then the dark end was soaked over night in the dregs of cutch and iron brew.

Dress Gray.

Logwood gray and cutch with iron made a series of grays from a cool ice to a matte lava like pitch. I experimented with adding some gum arabic to the dye for printing. Long overnight dips in the dye are essential for deep saturated tones.

Blooms in mid winter.

Faded Glories.

More silk scarves. This time I used madder and quebracho with alum and cream of tarter. The results were stunning!

Seeing dots.

Lemon and tangerine sherbet like tones with an overlay of big polka dots. The sheer cotton blend was initially dyed with turmeric and then over dyed with an Osage Orange and cutch cocktail. I dipped a shot glass in the mixture with a drop of thickener to make the over-sized polka dots. The scarf measures a generous 70"x 50".

Down the Silk Road.

My first real experience dyeing silk was a huge success. Big, flowing, voluminous silk scarves to pack and go, wrap and blow. All dyed with all natural dyes from Earth Hues

. The lightest silk that looks better the more it is twisted and scrunched. Great for traveling... use as a scarf or a pareo on the beach.

These squirrels have multiplied!

Sets of place mats with napkins. Red and white Amy butler on one side, and the squirrels printed on red faux wood grain fabric from Anthology.

Share.

Even squirrels know how important it is to share. My original drawing has been screen printed onto cotton flour sack dish towel for you to share with someone you love. Go to etsy and get one for your valentine... limited edition! Etsy