Thanks for the wonderful newsletter Margaret. So sorry I don't know how to include the photos that were included. If someone out there could enlighten me, I would be very grateful.
Thanks heaps.
windfall
Sunday 3 April 2016
AUSTRALIAN NATURAL DYE
NEWSLETTER
February, 2016. No 16
Hello All
It has been an interesting
learning curve – this newsletter.
Finding out just how to
get an email with multiple recipients to actually be sent…… Meeting again
people I have known from a while ago, and meeting new people.
Getting the blog up and
running is still a work in progress.
I began being interested
in Natural dyeing while in Townsville with the Fibres and Fabrics group – 1975
– ish.
We ended up in Katoomba
and Orange – and I fiddled a bit. Studied weaving and a LOT of textile
techniques – ended up becoming fascinated with Shibori. I went to a workshop
with Marli Popple – at Mittagong – and learnt how to dye with synthetic indigo.
I found I was no good at emulating the masters of shibori and went my own way.
I became interested in the shapes the fabric took on when stitched or tied with
different techniques and began experimenting with 3 D shibori.
We moved back to
Queensland 2000 and things have blossomed. We travel a lot out western
Queensland and I realised most of the country could be translated into shibori
techniques. Because of this I work mostly with fibre reactive dyes. At the
moment I am using muds from various locations around home and from places on
our travels.
I’d like to hear how you
got involved with natural dyeing and what your dreams are.
INTERESTING FROM WWW.
www.
Opens such a huge and wonderful place to spend time
http://www.exacteditions.com/read/selvedge/issue-68-47599/38/3/
https://www.facebook.com/TheWildDyery/
https://aeon.co/essays/how-textiles-repeatedly-revolutionised-human-technology
http://www.asiantextilestudies.com/ David
and Sue Richardson Check out the dyes
http://www.thisiscolossal.com/2014/05/the-cyanometer-is-a-225-year-old-tool-for-measuring-the-blueness-of-the-sky/
https://www.facebook.com/WraptinRocky2014/?fref=nf
http://www.surfacedesign.org/newsblog/new-on-dvd-study-itajime-shibori-with-ana-lisa-hedstrom
Recommended Viewing:Dames de Couleurs
Anthropologist and African textile
lover, Patricia Gerimont takes us on a journey of brocade and indigo
across Bamako and Dogon in Africa.
from Facebook
Susan fell mcclean
what an honour, my work has been
presented in Kuching. One felted and eucalyptus dyed art piece has been
included in the International Art Exhibition 'Tree of Life' and organized by
Society Atelier Sarawak curated by Mr Edric Ong. Coverage in the Borneo Post
puts it in context.
A few emails returned to
me.
mary.zbierski-west@rmit.edu.au>
sharkchic@tpg.com.au>
nikkifletcher@internode.on.net>
hhillman@standard.net.au>
sharkchic@tpg.com.au>
nikkifletcher@internode.on.net>
hhillman@standard.net.au>
Jill bygott
jbygott@bigpond.com>
Galyn Gardner galyng@frontiermail.net>
The Handweavers
and Spinners Guild has Special Interest Groups which run on a different day
monthly. Melbourne
This from Robin Heywood – Thanks Robin
The Natural Dye Group meets on the 3rd Thursday of the
month from 10.00 am and usually we are rushing to get out the door by 3.00 am.
The cost for this group is $4.00 per session; $2.00 goes to the guild and $2.00
goes to the group to purchase dye material and equipment. It is a hands on
group with notes supplied by the coordinator.
Visitors are warmly welcome but if a dyer decides to
attend on a permanent basis The Guild requires them to become a
member. Alternately because the Guild has a lot of Affiliated Groups
who live in the country and are unable to join the group in person I
started up the The Web Dyers Group. If any dyer would like to join this group
they only need to contact me on robinheywood@optusnet.com.au and
I send the information on the selected dye source for the month with some
photos of the results. I will attach a sample. See below the 2016 calendar.
The Calendar for 2016
Feb
18 Elderberry Leaves - Eef van Riel and Wendy Duff
Mar
17 Madder and Alizarin - Robyn Heywood
Apr
21 Coreopsis - Helen Mc Grath
May 19
Mushrooms - Wendy Duff
Jun
16 Eucalypt - The Healesville Girls
Jul
21 Turmeric - Rosalie Collie
Aug
18 Wattle - Sue Hilton
Sept
15 Surprise - Gayle Quirke
Oct
20 Logwood - Robyn Heywood
Nov
17 Indigo - Robyn heywood
Dec
15 Christmas Shared Lunch and a sharing of our dye experiences.
Each
session has a "Show and Tell" in which we discuss the dyeing we have
been doing at home and seek advice on any problems.
Dock – Rumex Species
This Dye Session was
co ordinated by Helen Mc Grath. She used as her text ‘Wild Colour’ by Jenny
Dean
Description:
Erect plants usually with a long tap
root. The leaves are fleshy, leathery and usually form a basal rosette where
they connect to the root.
Dock is listed as a
pest weed in the Nillumbik Shire but also has some beneficial uses.
Uses: In earlier
times the leaves were used to wrap butter to conserve it.
Roots are rich in tannin for use in leather tanning.
Dyeing
Parts used for Dyeing:
Leaves, roots and seeds
Preparation:
Leaves where put into a pot covered with water and bought up to simmer (90 deg
C) and that temperature was maintained for 1 hour. Turned off and cooled
overnight
Roots where cleaned of dirt, cut into small pieces with the
scissors and soaked for 2 days. Water was drained and the roots were put into a
pot covered with water and the same procedure as for leaves was followed.
Cleaned and diced roots were added to seeds and the same
procedure was followed as for roots and leaves.
Dyeing: Skeins
pre mordanted with alum.
Dye pots were strained and the dye liquor was returned to
the pots.
2 skeins were entered into the leaves pot, 1 each into the
roots and roots and seeds
All three pots were bought up to simmer maintained for 1
hour when skeins were removed.
Iron salt was added to the leaves pot and 1 of the skeins
was returned to it for post mordanting.
Note: I missed out post mordanting the skein from the leaves
pot and as I didn’t have any iron salt at home, I added 1/8th
teaspoon of ferrous sulphate ( teaspoon iron water) and 1 teaspoon of rock
salt.
From left to right:
1. Leaves, Alum Mordant, Hand spun wool.
2. Leaves, Alum Mordant, Modified with
iron salt, Hand spun Wool
3. Roots,
Alum Mordant, Hand spun wool.
4. Seeds and
Roots, Alum Mordant, Hand spun Wool.
Robyn Heywood
August 2015
NEWS
FROM MEMBERS
From India Flint: I have a popup shop of my leaf-dyed
clothing at Poet's Ode, Main Street, Hahndorf South Australia on March 5 + 6,
as well as a one day workshop on the 6th, entitled "the one day
dress"
for more information or to book a place
in the class please contact Poet's Ode<hello@poets-ode.com.au>
and in case anyone is travelling to
Texas this year, I have a solo exhibition at the Ellen Noel Art Museum, Odessa,
TX running from June 11 to the end of August, 2016
thanks India.
contextart.com.au emailed with the following information:
Heres
what we’ve got lined up for dyeing. There are three workshops that may suit
………...
2-Day Workshop with
Anne Leon (Sat-Sun, April 11-12): PLANT-DYEING & SHIBORI.
If you are interested in learning about the exciting world of natural plant
dyes and creating stunning patterns using shibori (a Japanese style of
tie-dye), this is the workshop for you. Discover the magic of extracting colour
from herbs, leaves, flowers, and the roots of plants, then colouring cloth and
paper with a minimal use of mordents. Students will also be shown several shibori
techniques which allow for the swift creation of intricate patterns. All
participants will keep a daily diary of experiments which will form a colour
reference book. There will be the opportunity to dye larger pieces of fabric
that can be made into garments, wraps and scarves. For the paper enthusiasts,
books may be a desired outcome. This workshop is for all levels of
experience – although a prerequisite is patience. Materials fee: $30
per person for an assortment of silks suitable for dyeing, all mordant's, notes
and equipment supplied, fee payable to the tutor in class.
4-Day Workshop with
Anne Leon (Mon-Thu, April 13-16): ECO-DYE & SCREEN PRINT. This
workshop focuses on plant-dyeing in depth and incorporating simple
screen-printing techniques to create artwork on fabric or paper, wearables and
books. Participants will dye their fabrics with a mixture of shibori techniques
which create intricate patterns and beautiful coloured backgrounds to work on.
The natural habitat of the Blue Mountains will be explored and used as a source
of imagery which will become the basis of the prints, overlaid on the dyed
cloth or paper. Participants are encouraged to keep a daily diary of
experiments and drawings that will form a creative record which will provide a
valuable reference for ongoing projects. At least 1 large piece (1mx1m) will be
achieved during this 4 day workshop, and several experimental pieces. This
workshop is for participants who have had some experience with textile
techniques – if uncertain, please consult the tutor. Materials fee: $50 per
person for a variety of fabrics suitable for dyeing and printing; mordant's,
notes relating to all techniques, a creative diary and the equipment needed for
dyeing and screen-printing, fee payable to the tutor in class.
ANNE LEON has over thirty
years experience as a practicing artist and educator. She graduated from
Brisbane Art College with a Diploma in Fine Art, majoring in ceramics, although
her most current passion is textiles. The versatility of Anne’s
work, including both screen and block printing, as well as painting and dyeing
on textiles and paper, reflects a rich artistic career. The consistently high
quality of her work has earned her numerous large commissions both in Australia
and internationally from interior designers, architects & couturiers. Until
recently Anne ran a design studio in Byron Bay. Now based in nearby
Mullumbimby, she creates custom hand-printed and naturally dyed textiles,
maintains her Fine Art practice, and teaches. Website: anneleon.com.au
2-Day Workshop with Trace Willans (Sat-Sun, April 9-10): NATURAL DYE
MIXED MEDIA. Enjoy the thrill of creating unique pieces of cloth
created through natural dyeing. Learn to dye using locally gathered plant
material to create prints from the plants onto the fabric, giving excellent
detail and beautiful effects. Explore further the possibilities of layered
works on paper or cloth with thread, rust,
natural indigo, soy milk, ink and using egg as a print medium. There will also
be a small indigo vat to play with. You can expect to go home with
several small individual pieces of completed work. All levels of experience are
welcome. Materials fee: $5.00 per person, fee payable to the tutor in
class.
TRACE
WILLANS' main focus for her mixed media
arts practice is sustainability. From her home in Northern Queensland, she
tries to minimise the impact her art has on the earth and is involved in the
development of products that, ideally, have no environmental or human damage.
In sympathy with this philosophy, Trace is currently exploring traditional
methods of making her own paints from products such as egg, milks, beeswax and
natural pigments. She uses only natural dyes and natural fibres. She is very
interested in processes, how things are made from start to finish, such as
growing the soya beans to make the soya milk with which she makes paint. Trace
also explores the use of natural processes, the earth’s ability to provide us
with everything we need for a sustainable life as well as arts practice. She is
interested in exploring the relationship with the land itself, as well as the
need for a spiritual connection to the earth and the need for a sense of place,
protection, and sanctuary. More details of Trace's work are available on
her website www.soewnearth.com
I have
attached 2 images;
Anne Leon -
2-day workshop. image is called textural fusion close up
Trace Willans
- 2-day workshop. image is called naturally dyed wool singlet.
WRAPT IN ROCKY
http://wraptinrocky.com.au/the-program/
http://www.taftainc.com.au/
Tafta Inc is a not for profit organisation.
Founded in 2014 by Larissa Murdock and Bronwyn
Packwood for the promotion of the creative arts community.
Geelong Fibre Forum will be held on the
25th September to 1st Oct, 2016,
at Geelong Grammar, Corio.
These
were held in January 2016
TOURS AND CONFERENCE Travel /Workshop News:
10iss.org
10th International Shibori Symposium.
The next ISS will be in Oaxaca, Mexico
16-20th November 2016
Recently it was announced:
10iss Oaxaca 2016: Tours Now Open
My Experience with Natural Dyes
Barbara Schey - thanks Barbara .-
Introduction
In 1964 I moved from the city
to Tamworth in country NSW. In an effort to assimilate into country life, I
learned to spin and weave. Finances were tight on our farm but we had our own
wool and our teacher, Dulcie McLennan, was very keen on natural dyeing. As with
all my projects I documented all of these crafts thoroughly, this as a result
of my secretarial training.
I was made aware the colour
results in natural dyeing were dependent on several issues so I made a sample
record sheet and had it duplicated (!), some of you do not even know what that
means!
Dyes
I recorded the type of wool;
the dye material; the time of year; the type of season; mordant or not; boiling
time and geographical area of plant material. I recorded extensive samples and
have only recently passed these to a friend who is studying natural dyes in
depth.
Influences
Apart from Dulcie and library
books (no internet in those days), I contacted the district agronomist, Bruce
Scott, and enquired why many of the good dyestuffs had a strong odour. He said
it was the sulphur content. Growing in the Tamworth area there was a plant
called Darling Pea (pictured at left), which was referred to as wild indigo and
which made the area of wool on the sheep which was affected by urine, turn
blue. The colloquial term for these sheep was “pea eaters” and the sheep were
physically affected when they ate this plant. The agronomist said the wild
indigo did not have the indicans gene but two plants which grew in the area
which did contain the gene were blackberry nightshade and queena. I never got
around to making a vat from these plants but it would be interesting if someone could
learn from this information. I would love feedback if anyone uses this
information.
I also contacted Ken Hall, the
head science teacher at Farrer Agricultural College and he gave us a workshop
in a true scientific way using test tubes. This was a big change for us as most
of our dyeing days were done out in a paddock in large tin or copper containers
over a large open fire. Ken explained there were many mordants which could be
used apart from the well-known mineral mordants we had been using. One was
using the filaments from light bulbs which are titanium. Titanium is also used
for the small propellers in jet engines and nothing would satisfy me until I
obtained one of these for my own use, I am very determined when I want
something.
Mordants
We were in the habit of
pre-mordanting our wool and leaving it damp and wrapped in plastic until ready
to dye.
When
I attended the Third International Shibori Symposium in Santiago, South America
in 1999, I enrolled in a workshop on natural dyeing. It was quite expensive by
my standards and there were 26 people in the class including the interpreters
for the 6 different languages spoken so we did not learn very much. It was
impressed on us however, that if pre-mordanting, the yarn/fabric had to be well
washed after mordanting and before dyeing else the mordant would react with the
dye molecules in the dye bath and thus reduce the intensity of the dye. Enough
mordant would be left in the material, even though it was washed. This was an
eye opener for me and so the cost was probably worthwhile for this very
important piece of practical information. Unfortuntely, by this time I was
almost exclusively using synthetic dyes, so I pass this information on for
free!
I was fascinated by the change
in colour as a result of the difference mordants and also by the container
type. I carried out one experiment using equal quantities of wool, water, dyestuff
but boiling in a tin, a copper kettle, an iron kettle and an aluminium
saucepan, all with no added mordant. The colours were dramatically different. I
once placed a whole fleece in a copper container, filled it with water and then
did not get back to it for about 3 months by which time the wool was very
green. In later years, when I wanted a little green yarn, I placed it in a
glass jar containing copper offcuts with 50% household ammonia and 50% water.
The yarn usually turned green in a week or so. In my continuing quest for
mordants, I also obtained some smelted copper from a mine in Queensland. If I
do anything, I usually do it thoroughly. Iron tent pegs are also a useful
mordant. It goes without saying, if the fabric/yarn is not to be influenced; they
must be boiled in a stainless steel or glass container.
Dulcie McLennan
Back to my original mentor,
Dulcie McLennan: Sometime in the 1960’s when everyone else was high on whatever
(if you do not remember the 60’s, you were not there), Dulcie and other movers
and shakers, met at Sturt College at Mittagong NSW to form a group which became
eventually the Australian Forum for Textile Arts. The people involved were:
Dulcie McLennan; Solvig Bas Beckling; Erika Semler; Jutta Feddersen, Peggy
Buckingham and several others. I am proud to say I was an original contributor
(a whole ten pounds???) to get this group started. TAFTA as it is now known,
has gone from strength to strength and really recognised textile arts for the
first time in Australia. I subsequently worked for 2 years with Erika Semler, a
German master weaver, under a Crafts Board of the Australia Council Grant. I
was the first ever apprentice to a master weaver under the Craftsman in the
Community Project.
Orchil Lichen
Dulcie first mentioned Orchil
lichen (which dyes purple) when she was talking about a visit to her brother in
the Hawkesbury River, NSW. She was not very forthcoming with details and it
took me some time to realise the lichen grew on trees rather than rocks (not
sure about this anymore). Dulcie said the test of whether the lichen would dye
purple rather than the traditional brown, was to drop a little household bleach
into the middle of the lichen, when it would show a brief purple tinge. This
has never worked for me.
With
my usual perseverance, I kept trying lichens and eventually discovered the
orchil lichen growing on the north coast of NSW. It is usually attached to a
tree around the edge of coastal estuaries where mosquitos and snakes abound. It
is easier to scrape it off the tree whilst it is raining and the lichen is
damp. I have met lots of new friends whilst scraping lichen off trees in the
rain. Hello!! The lichen seems to grow on a variety of trees such as swampy
oaks, paperbarks and palms, these latter with a smooth surface enable easier
removal of the lichen.
The lichen should be put into a
glass jar containing 50% water and 50% household ammonia. It is then stirred to
oxygenate, once a day for 30 days. After this time, it can be kept sealed for
20 years or more (ask me how I know). It seems to me that it has a bad name for
colour fastness because the colour runs in the first 10 minutes but my practice
is to boil for a full 2 hours and leave in the dyepot overnight to allow the
dye to adhere to the dye sites. Adding vinegar in the last 10 minutes of dyeing
changes the colour from purple to American Beauty maroon.
I have kept dye fast samples
for over 20 years, albeit they have not been subjected to rigorous testing.
Testing
When I was involved in natural
dyeing, our simple test was to put a piece of dyed yarn into a matchbox with
half protruding. We then left it on a windowsill in full sun for a fortnight.
If there was no difference in the contained and exposed piece of yarn, it was
deemed to be colour fast. I wonder how many modern dyes would cope with this
test.
Where I am Now
Pictured at right is the piece
of natural dyeing I did for the International Shibori Symposium in France in
2008. The dyes were obtained from yellow box leaves (Tamworth), Privet berries
(Sydney) and some very old orchil lichen.
When I was apprenticed to Erika
Semler, she was not interested in natural dyes and introduced me to the
optically bright colours which have been my trademark ever since. My dyes of
choice are mainly fibre reactives which are strong, optically bright and colour
fast.
Barbara Schey
Sydney
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