Tuesday 26 October 2010

Rust Dyeing

 I have been having fun with rust dyeing. So simple-just rusty nails , silk and dye.


Half the fun is opening the packages.
 You never know quite what will come out

and despite the expression on my face I  am really pleased with this one.


 I love them and they are quite my newest passion !

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And they are lovely to felt with.
The one on the left in the picture  is felted with some of  my fabulous 15 micron merino.






.I am  taking these to the Textile Fair at Duchy Square Centre for Creativity this weekend 29th and 30th October . Ok an unashamed plug but it looks to be a fantastic event with some very interesting stalls so get there if you can.
See you there I hope.

Friday 1 October 2010

Life and Jenny Dean's book Wild Colour

I am madly busy.  I keep trying to write a blog and not getting it finished.
Here is some of my busy stuff.
Open art Studio  (known  here as Helfa Gelf art Trail)- the first bit being Welsh for Art treasure hunt

Very successful please note my new till  ( top right hand corner and now I can also take credit cards wow! That really made a difference to my sales) . The pictures were in the summer  house as was my shop except for the stoles hanging up on the left.  ( I sold two)  The dog  is my dog's doggy friend Rosie saying "what are doing and why are you not throwing balls for ME"
And here is the fun I have had with patterning silk with rusty nails or tieing flower heads in.

I meant to write  a review of Jenny Deans Wild Colour. But what can I say .  It is a dyeing classic,it is superb, get it and just make sure before you read the recipes you understand the symbols and you will have a reference book for life It is the best dye book available for anyone wanting to dye their own fibres and fabrics safely and get fabulous colours.  She has a really good mixture of the major world dyes such as logwood and madder  and garden plant dyes  such as coreopsis and dyers chamomile which she also tells you how to grow.