I
find myself completely intrigued by the eco-dyeing that I’ve been reading about in the blogosphere. I really like the subtle
colors and patterns that can be made by dying cloth with natural
materials like flowers and leaves. I also like the idea of wrapping up
bundles of cloth and then experiencing the thrill of unwrapping them to
see what appears. Since we are heading into winter in my part of the
world, I will most likely wait until spring to give this technique a
try. But in the meantime, I decided to try my hand at rust dyeing
instead. From what I can tell, the process is somewhat similar.
Here’s what you do to
make marks on fabric with rust: wrap up some rusty objects in cloth, tie
tightly with string, spray generously with vinegar, cover in plastic
wrap, wait, unwrap, and marvel at what happens. I have fabric. I have
rusty stuff. I have vinegar. The most elusive element is the patience
needed to wait for something to happen.
And when it does—it’s
pretty exciting! Downright thrilling, actually. Beautiful rusty marks
appear in glorious shades of, well, rust.
I feel exceptionally proud of this little scrap of muslin that I rusted.
I think it’s quite beautiful. But I also realize that the beauty is a
result of a chemical reaction that had very little to do with me. Oh
sure, I picked out the rusty bits and wrapped them up just so in the
cloth. Yes, I sprayed the cloth with my vinegar, tied, and wrapped it
again with plastic. I patiently waited an unbearable amount of time to open
it up and take a peek. (About three days) I guess I contributed a
little bit to the random loveliness that was created. Or maybe I’m just
proud of the fact that I tried something new and it turned out better than I imagined it would.
I’m not sure yet what
I’ll do with this little masterpiece, or the ones I’ve made since this
one. Most likely, I’ll use it as part of a slow cloth. That’s another
art form I’ve been admiring out there in Blogland. I have fabric. I have thread. I
could use a little practice in the patience department…
5 comments:
What a great result...I love the serendipity of dyeing (especially eco-dyeing). Years ago I playing around with this rusting method. I must do it again!!
Can you send me your address again I will pop some eco-dyed pieces in the mail for you. Would be lovely to see some of them in your slow cloth.
Wonderful and I cant wait to see your slow cloth.
Jacky xox
Really interesting designs. Sounds like something I could do, maybe I'll give it a whirl.
Really cool effects ...now I have go do a search on slow cloth! PS thanks for your nice comment on my List It post:))
What great results you got. I especially like the bundling marks left behind in the last photo. Opening a rusty bundle is like opening a gift...you just never quite know what's inside until it's opened and everything is emptied out.
If you drink tea, think about adding a touch of it to your next bundle for a little variation of color. Just a thought...
Awesome I'm inspired to wrap up some of my rusty tonnage and create.
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