Experiments with iron water

1 Eucalyptus dyed on silk noil

Quite a few images this time, the colours arn't great in the photos and don't really show the subtle variation in colours of the last few photos of iron dyeing.
The first four images are of dyeing I did on holiday in Rhodes, they were bundled and placed in a plastic drinking water bottle and left on the balcony for about 12 days, no direct sunlight.
These are not before and after photos but the undipped ones are very similar to the ones I dipped.

2 Eucalyptus dyed and then dipped in iron water

3 Eucalyptus dyed

4 Eucalyptus dyed and dipped in iron water

 The dark ones were soaked in the iron water for about an hour and then washed immediately. The proportions for the iron water are completely random, I did measure anything. These are all on silk noil and were dipped when I got back.

5 Cotinus and maple leaf dyed then dipped in iron water

Images five to nine are all on wool and dyed with leaves from the garden, again the undipped piece is to give colour comparisons. I wish I could get more true to life colours on these but I can't. piece 5 was dipped for one hour the others slightly less all were washed immediately afterwards. They had all been previously bundled and left to dry before being soaked in the iron water.

6 Maple leaf

7 Cotinus and dipped in iron water

8 Cotinus and maple and iron water

9 Cotinus, maple and iron water

I am very pleased with the results it good to get something other than brown. I will probably dip all the silk pieces and make them into a cushion as the colours go well with my with my sitting room furniture.

Musings

I have just potted up my mincemeat for this year's mince pies, a little late but hey I've been busy.

I am not visiting my studio today even if it is just down the hall, I have been sitting down there for the past three days hoping against hope that somebody might be brave enough to come and visit despite tipping down rain and storm force winds. I wouldn't visit me either. Better luck next weekend I hope, it is all looking so good and I have some wonderful work from other artists as well.

New work and some cards

I have enjoyed sitting and stitching in the evenings, this piece is going in my Christmas fair which opens tomorrow, I have some great artists taking part and the studio is looking very good, just praying for visitors now and for the weather forecast to be wrong.

The cards are also for the studio openings, I meant to take photos before I put them in their cellophane wrappers but forgot so they are a bit difficult to see.

Eco dyed and stitched

Robin card

Eco dyed and stitched fabric on card

I have also been experimenting with use iron water on previously leaf printed fabric, will post the results when I get time.

And the winner is

I left doing the draw until Monday to make sure everybody had finished Sunday in various parts of the world.
The winner is Eyreka, please send your details via djpawle@hotmail.com and I will have your gift in the post by the end of the week.

A giveaway

its really green

I have just noticed after months of having 29 followers I now have 31. I think this calls for a celebration so I am giving away this small woven silk purse with recycled glass bead closure. More decorative than practical.
I always think it is a bit strange having followers it sounds like a cult.
Anyway leave a comment and I will pull a name out of the hat on Sunday 8th November.

Studio openings

Once a month in summer and near Christmas I have open days at my studio, I like to support and try and sell work of other local craft makers as well as myself. These are not that successful but I persevere. I live a bit out the way but on a beach so we get many visitors in the summer. They prefer the beach to visiting me, why they can't do both I don't know, I would, anyway I digress.

Small bag

I may not be weaving, apart from a few cards, but I am still making christmas gifts for sale. These are made from the off cuts of my dyed fabric that I have made into clothes. Silk noil which I love and which takes natural dyes very well. The strap on the bag is made from a blouse placket so ready made buttons and buttonholes for adjusting the length.

I am hoping to make some shopping bags out of remnants of bought cloth now that at last we have to pay for plastic carrier bags. Again the government has made this very complicated, instead of just charging for every bag you use, it depends on what you are buying and how many staff the shop employs, ridiculous.

Save keeper bags

Reverse side love this print

Stuff I need to write

Ok I am not writing this to elicit a response I just need to write it. I read this week that my favourite yarn company has gone into liquidation, a sad day indeed, But it got me thinking, I have been in a rut for a while with my weaving I seem to have lost my sense of direction, maybe in my life as well. I enjoy hand stitching but my eco printing isn't going so well either. I have masses of yarn to use so do I feel obliged to use it. Maybe I just need to take a step back. I am raising more questions than answers which is not why I started on this, I was hoping to find answers, I am not doing that.
I probably shouldn't post this, maybe one red wine to many but we all go through this from time to time, don't we?
I wish I could write like Grace, talk like India and Jude, express my feelings more often.
Should I post this, probably not but fate takes a hand every so often.