Monday, February 21, 2011

Dyeing,onion skins and walling hanging!

The first image today is of my wrapped bundles, that l have next to the compost heap. There are some marks appearing but l just have to be patient and wait for many more months yet!!Not good at waiting..Ha! It is fun though going every week or so and having a look to see what is appearing..if anything. I have noticed that a few birds and quite a few grey squirrels have investigated them!


I have been looking for a while, for a small hanging drying rack, for my dyeing materials. I found one last week and here it is in use, above my radiator in the kitchen. When the Art Room is ready, only a few more things to find room for, the rack will find a permenant home on the wooden rack hanging from the ceiling, in the kitchen. It is small but has enough pegs on it for what l need but can also be followed into quite a small bundle, when not in use.

These pieces of silk, cotton, canvas and an old cotton handerchief were dyed in a dye bath of onion skins and orange peel. Love the rich browns of the silk and find it fasinating there are so many different shades of brown, all from the same dye bath.
More silks from the same dye bath. The lace is a piece of old French lace which before dyeing was a dull white/yellow colour.
While shopping in my local Sainsbury's, l noticed that there was a pile of red onion skins in the bottom of the onion box! Now those of you that know me will be saying.."Oh no"! You are right,  l put the skins into my shopping bag. And yes...l did worry l was going to be "got" for shoplifting but no one stopped me. The red skins are now in one of my kilner jars.
This piece of old, used to be white Indian bedspread, has dyed well with some bark dyeing. Love the way the polyester thread has kept its sheen but still dyed well.
These different kinds of silk were all dyed with blueberries. Love the different shades..blue through to purple..gorgeous.
My first experience of dyeing with blood oranges was not that satisfactory but l will not give up, as l have seen some great dyeing done with them. So off to buy some more blood oranges soon l think!

This piece was dyed with blueberries first, then over dyed in a blueberries again but with a iron nail in the dye bath. See the difference when iron is added and also l like the watermark on this piece.
 These silk pieces were dyed with tea that had a nail in the dye bath. Love the grey colour.

I am also still creating my wall hangings and thought l would show you one of them which l finished  last night. This one is a small hanging.



At the moment l have 68 followers on this particular blog, when l reach 100 followers l will do a "give away" of some of my Art.
Nightx

8 comments:

  1. I love the little sign you have out there by the compost bin .... I wonder if anyone has stooped down low to read that .... I know I would :)

    Your dying experiments are so fascinating! I love to hear about the process and your findings. I wonder what iron does that changed your dye bath so much. ...

    Thank you for sharing ..... And your stitched piece is so whimsical and fun - it looks like summer to me!

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  2. l have seen a few people looking..as my flat over looks that area...but have gone before l get there!!xthanks for commentingxlynda

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  3. Well, well, well, Lynda. What an amazing post about your various dye techniques. I love the bundles, I love the colors and discolorations you get, and finally, I love your completed wall hanging.

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  4. Thank you Dayna..hope you are enjoying your holidayxx

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  5. Hi Lynda, love all the bundles and the results. In the summer I keep a jar with nails/old metal bits/water in the sun and then mordant fibres in it. I'm puzzled about your white onion skins. When I dye with them (alum mordant) I get very strong/bright yellow/golds

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  6. I added a nail and some orange peel and that was the result l got. I too get yellow /gold when l use just white onion skins ( don't use mordants)alum. i was experimenting to see what l got!. at the moment l am experimenting with daffodill flowers!! lynda

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  7. hi lynda,

    the colours you've created are just so subtle and gorgeous. i love that you used onion skins! you sound like you have a such a curiosity, and i think it's great that you are experimenting. lovely art here, and the finished quilt up top looks brilliant. great use of buttons. i like seeing all that hand-stitching too.

    thanks for finding me so i could find you too. (you can add one more to your followers list)

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  8. You are always cooking up something wonderful Lynda...Love the nature colors AND your brightly colored pieces on your top post are absolutely brilliant!

    Fun catching up with you...you creative thing you!
    oxo

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