Friday, December 2, 2011

my best dye results so far...and...

I did an unbundle this morning after 3 weeks of waiting. I think these results are the best I've gotten so far. I started out with white cotton soaked in soy milk for a couple of days. Bundled with eucalyptus leaves, onion skins and a few copper pennies and wrapped around copper pipe. Simmered in water with oak leaves. It seems using the soy milk as a mordant really makes a difference with the cotton.

cotton with euc leaves, onion skins, copper pennies and copper pipe

the circles are where i embedded copper pennies in the bundle

I see a swirling going on and some sun rays that will be enhanced with stitch

Some of you asked to see a larger view of my magic cloth.  So far, it measures 29" x 22" but will be approximately 48" when complete (don't know what year that will be). I would like to do as much embellishing as possible on what is here so far before adding more around the edges. It's just so much easier to handle that way.

measures 29" x 22" here

this area might wind up being filled with eyes of beasts at night

lots more stitching needed here

I split some Japanese silk in half and filled in with black and white

a black and white trimmed cloud raining on a bobbin lace leaf

Still working on the meditative stitching when I get stuck on where to go next with the magic cloth and starting to add some scribble stitches in color.

adding color to the meditative stitching

Over at Magic Diaries, we're talking about eyes and the designs they can initiate. This is my eye that I'm playing with. Hope it's not too scary.



So that's what's going on here. Lots to keep me busy for a while.

23 comments:

Ms. said...

Wow to that dye bundle cloth!!! Oh I can hardly wait to get one started soon, but today I begin garden cutback and it will go on for the next many many days--I still intend to find a copper pipe before I start (trip to local hardware store is on the list). Your cloth is just developing so beautifully--and I love, love the scribble on your 'instead of' project too. Hey, that's a nice eye you have there!

Joe Madl said...

wonderful dye bundle! i'm so envious of your bundles...long to embark on that journey. but time is the enemy. i love too many things. ack! however, i am fortunate enough to be able to enjoy watching yours instead! glorious!

Unknown said...

The dyed fabric turned out great! I am so pleased for you. Natural dyeing (at least the way i do it) is such a hap-hazard process, I never know what to expect. It is wonderful when the results are as good as these. I have used yogurt on the cotton but I will try soy milk!

henrietta (aka ani aka zani) said...

deanna you got some really rich color on your cloth. I'm so limited on the leaves that I can get my hands on so it's good to see such good results. I have some in a pot that have been there about three weeks but i didn't add anything in there but oak leaves and i'm pretty sure i didn't wrap it tight enough...still, hopeful for something. guess i'll need to get a pipe too. i did my mordant in almond milk since i didn't have soy - interested in see the results. i love the cloth - so free and so energetic...and the scribbles are really rich too...can see you hand -- very tenderly giving birth to the stitches. i took pictures of my eye and trust me - your eye looks great...mine, well all i can say - too bad halloween is over. would have made a scary mask...take care.

Heartwideopen said...

Oh wow! I love all those luscious colors you got with your dying experiment. It's making me drool a little. Your magic cloth is really coming along. Mine is about your size, but it still needs a lot of stitching.
HuGGs!
Debi

Peggy said...

Deanna -- fabulous results with this batch -- wow! You really went for it and you were rewarded! I love seeing your magic cloth better and your different elements -- the cloud and the b & w, love that. You have a lovely eye -- will watch to see what you do with it in cloth!!

Anonymous said...

The colours in your dyed fabric are fabulous! What a wonderful result. I really enjoyed the trip round your magic cloth as well. So much to admire in colour, texture and pattern. Luscious!

Anonymous said...

You have some wonderful colours on that cloth - I love what the copper did. You have some marvellous stitching going on too.

kaiteM said...

i like your dye results, those Cu pennies give fabulous results, they seem a natural with eucalypt leaves.

Nancy said...

Deanna - Deanna - Deanna...
WOW! Those dyed cloths are fantastic! Are you going to add them to the magic cloth? I see some of the same colors there. Your magic cloth is looking great. It's nice to see the whole of it. Love the lace leaf and the fringe. And the cheesecloth anytime stitching looks nice with a bit of color coming in.
You eye (both, I assume!) is a beautiful color. What if we all had eye pics for our id pics! I like how you are looking up...my looking up pic didn't come out so great & the downcast look was Yuc! Ha.
This post made me feel very happy today :)

Ingrid said...

Great success with your eco dyeing, I am so impressed. Did you simmer this pot or leave it out to the weather? The Magic Cloth is awesome.

deanna7trees said...

hi Ingrid. the bundles were simmered in the dye pot that had oak leaves for a couple of hours, left overnight and then put in an open jar in the garage for about 3 weeks. I took the bundles out of the jar about 3 days before I opened them so they would dry completely.

Judy Martin said...

Congratulations on your eco dyeing.

The soy milk pre-soak really does seem to enhance the ability of cellulose fibres to accept the dye. I soaked some rayon and linen, and they worked very well.

I had not thought of putting copper pennies into a bundle, and LOVE the little circles that have marked your fabric. Thanks for that idea.

deanna7trees said...

thanks, Judy. here's some more info on using soy milk that was posted on facebook today. i found it very interesting and helpful.

http://subversivestitch.blogspot.com/2010/03/john-marshall-shares-wealth-of.html

Yvonne said...

Nice dye results worth their wait in gold - and brown and green! Your eye looks as if it's seeing into the future - maybe more spectacular dye results on the horizon?

Marie said...

Love your eco dye...just beautiful. A nice blend of colors. Love the turquoise looking color...maybe it is green, but still lovely.

Your eyes are not scary...just many all seeing eyes.
: )

deanna7trees said...

Yvonne--i can only hope for more spectacular dye results. thanks.
Marie--it is a verdigris green from the copper pipe. thanks for visiting.
and thanks to all of the rest of you that i can't reach through e-mail.

Karen said...

I absolutely love all the different surfaces you have on your magic cloth. The patterns,, the colour, it is wonderful.

Velma Bolyard said...

i really like what you do to the cheesecloth.

Nat Palaskas said...

Near missed this post. I love love the dyed piece. It looks good from here. Your magic cloth is coming along nicely too - Have a great week - Hugs Nat

Jokke said...

Well done eco dyeing!

Anonymous said...

love the meditative cloth Deanna!
I have some of the finest silk organza (it's like holding a piece of moonlight) and some cotton gauze that I want to play around with next month with Arlee's Frankenstitch class

deanna7trees said...

thanks Mo Crow. i put some fine silk organza in an embroidery hoop a few days ago and attempted to stitch with a tambour hook. the organza is wonderful. it allows the hook to just slide in and out. i enjoyed it but need to get one of those stationary embroidery hoops to do it correctly. you need to use 2 hands.

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