June 2009

Yet another month has passed. I have been preparing work for Art in Action in July. I am showing both acid dyed scarves and handwoven Indian shawls. For the shawls I am using simple dipping and overdipping in natural dye extracts to create layers or areas of colour. Some shawls have as many as 25 separate operations if I count the sequences of indigo dips. Each weave and fibre has made slightly different demands in technique because of the way the dye spreads, strikes or blends and I have a few which have simply not worked at all. Because I am working with a finished item, there is no way to experiment with small samples first and it has been a stressful business trying to wrest the odd mistake from potential disaster.

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I have learned that even the accidental brief touch of some metal implement can modify a colour, make a kind of stain, and spoil a piece if work. Some of the shawls are so delicate that they must be handled with extreme care or the weave becomes damaged and distorted, or snags and pulls occur. Fringes often become tangled. And so on. But I think these shawls are the most fabulous fabrics I have ever worked with and I love the finished shawls. I just hope everyone else does too.

While working I have tried not to waste anything. After mordanting the silk I have used remaining mordant to dye small skeins of wool, see the image below. These have been dyed with exhaust dyes left over from dyeing the shawls. I sent them to a weaver friend for her birthday.

For some images of recent work with acid dyes, look at the log for June. Here is a preview image:

It is going to be a busy summer. I am teaching a Natural Dyeing course at Denman College. It still has places. Click here for details.

I will also be teaching a workshop at the Guild of Silk Painters 2009 Festival and am looking forward to meeting old friends at Rodbaston College, where it's being held. Details of the Festival here.

An ongoing personal investigation into my work practice. Click here to access Sustainability pages

Log Archives

New work : wax resist and acid dyes; natural dyes on handwoven silks

Selection of wool yarns dyed with exhaust from shawl dyeing

Nailheads design on crêpe de Chine; acid dyes and wax resist

Skell design on crêpe de Chine