#eco-printing

[weepingportal]

Exclusive Eco-Printed Collection

The Exclusive Eco-Printed Collection is a curated range of scarves, stoles, and shawls crafted from ethically sourced silk and finished usin

[rosejoy22]

Eco-Printing Adventure

Plan to teach an eco-printing workshop next week, so pushed myself to do some eco-printing at our new location here in New York.  Gathered plant material from our garden for several shirts and other supplies.  What I found worked best is bee balm leaf and flower, fern, violet leaves, dark hibiscus leaves, rose and rugosa rose leaves, and gaillardia, rose, spider flower, lobelia, zinnia, and marigold petals.    

Setup work space on kitchen island.  And off I went.

 Started with a cotton sleeveless shirt, previously soaked in milk.  Sprayed cotton and linen along with plant material with water as I went along.  Used bee balm red flower and leaf, raspberry leaf, fern, zinnia and marigold petals.

Folded shirt and continued with layering plant material on fabric.  Then rolled along large metal nail and tied with muslin cloth and string.  Off it went into steamer for about 5 hours.  As I completed three other shirts.

Cotton shirt unbundled.

Silk sleeveless shirt unbundled.

Silk long sleeve shirt unbundled.

Unrolling bundle.

Linen long sleeve shirt unbundled.

Silk sleeveless shirt rolled on copper rod. Used rod to figure width of where to place plant material.  Sprayed half white vinegar and water on silk as completed each section.  Folded each shirt to fit length of rod.   Silk came out with most vivid color and print of plant versus cotton and linen.

Bundles in steamer.  Able to fit two on each level.

[bobbingoblin]

Botanical Printing Process

1. Lay out plant material 2. Bundle 3. Simmer in dye for hours and leave overnight (not pictured) - remove bundles and let dry (drying optional) 4. Unwrap (& save your string - as shown in last photo) 5 & 6. Admire the results of this process.