Using natural dye is much like alchemy. But instead of turning lead into gold I turn iron and decomposing plants into beautiful colors. There are so many combinations with simple ingredients that can be transformed it is magical.
I have been working on many new pattern designs for my new scarf collections. One in particular is my new favorite. Hawks Eye. My inspiration was the stone. It is much like Tigers Eye but with a blue iridescence instead of the orange. Often times you will find Hawks eye mixed with Tigers eye and sometimes even hematite. Nature is so mysterious that way.
So I have been developing this inspiration into my collections and I wanted to share some process photos with you.
First the fabric is dipped into a special sauce and left to dry.
Then it is gathered up in a specific pattern and bound.
I then dip in a charcoal bath to dye the overall background. This will of course give the fabric texture as it will not dye even but the color will seep into the background. Sorry for the blur…..
After this step, I squeeze excess liquid out of bundle and lay on a board so I can drizzle with a black concentrate and a little Fustic (yellow) concentrate. I leave this overnight or two nights to cure and soak in dye.
After curing I open the bundle and see what has been created. This is left to bone dry for the final curing and then it is rinsed.
Finally I will make something…….
