Wednesday, November 09, 2011

natural dye process

Natural dyeing involves observation, walking, gathering Through fields, along roadsides, in my own garden The simmering and soaking, the hanging out on the line, the ironing....these are domestic processes. Natural dyes connect me to an earlier time, when we depended more on our own intuitive knowledge and on recipes given to us by others. they are slow The colours produced are entirely different from chemical dyes. Natural dyeing is connecting me to Manitoulin.

14 comments:

Claire said...

So true. So well put.

Hoola Tallulah said...

Beautiful post. I am still itching to try natural dying on a bigger scale (my efforts so far involve dunking some small scraps in tea), a few books about natural dying on my wish list, soon, very soon...
Thanks for the inspiration (as always)

arlee said...

The *only* time i iron, and it is bliss, with the smells of the cloth and the plant, the steam from the iron, that smell of ironing that reminds me of my mother and grandmother----and the patternings that just can't be duplicated, a true collaboration, an Ecolloquy

Heavens2Betsy said...

I really admire the way you work and its basis in the natural. I love that it is your inspiration and your supplier and the beauty that it leads you to create. penny

henrietta (aka ani aka zani) said...

yes, it's the disconnect from the natural order/process that has gotten us to the mess that we are in globally. the cloths have pride of origin. a peaceful moment.

Ms. said...

CONNECTING IS SO HUMAN and the process so comforting, as domesticity is comforting, as home is comforting. These cloths are earth and organic matter and that matters.

ronnie said...

mmmmm even the bundles have beauty....

Lesley Turner said...

beautiful work Judy. i think we are on the same track with our final work - i see great potential for us to make a powerful statement together

Velma Bolyard said...

connecting is everything

bj said...

I agree about the wonderous plant smells as the iron glides across the newly worked fabric. I've just recently started experimentation into the world of natural plant dyes...and I appreciate all the inspiration and information that you share. Thank you for that!

Anonymous said...

what a beautiful look at an honest process. how connected we would all be if this was how it was always done.

Nancy said...

Yes...the connectedness...the sharing...the earth...things as they should be...

Caterina Giglio said...

and they are so very beautiful...

gclub said...
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