Silk Noil scarves dyed with Indigo and Cutch natural dyes. The Silk Noil has a lovely rough, nubbly texture.
Silk Shawls
Category Archives: Textile Work
Silk Mokume Shibori
Silk dyed with natural dyes ~ Lac, Brazilwood, Buckthorn and Cutch. Printed using Japanese Mokume (woodgrain) Shibori stitching technique.
Blue and Pink
Silk devore, Linen and Cotton dyed with Indigo and a very pale Cochineal dye. I like the undersea, coral reef feeling when these fabrics are combined.
Merino Wool~ Logwood Natural Dye
These very soft, lightweight, Merino Wool scarves have been dyed with Logwood Natural Dye. I’ve added a touch of Lac, also a natural dye, to give a bit more of a reddish, more intense purple. The patterns are created using Japanese Nui Shibori stitching techniques. Very labour intensive but I’m pleased with the results.
Continue readingMerino Wool ~ Natural Dyes
These Merino Wool scarves~ very warm, but lightweight~ have been dyed with Natural Dyes. The orange scarf is a combination of Weld and Brazilwood. The pink scarf is dyed with Cochineal.
Merino Wool~Lac & Madder dyes
Merino wool is soft and lightweight but amazingly warm. These scarves are dyed with natural dyes. Lac dye (made from insects) produces an intense maroon dye. Madder (made from the roots of a plant) gives this bright colour.
Indigo with Weld & Myrobalan
The Linen Scarf has been dyed first with Weld natural dye and then dipped in Indigo. The Silk Scarf was dyed first with Myrobalan and then dipped into Indigo.
Wearable Art
Nicole wearing my scarves made from natural fibres~ silk, cotton and linen~ dyed with natural dyes~ Indigo, Logwood, Persimmon and Clerodendrum.
Sustainable, ethical fashion. Natural dyes are kind to the environment~ a safe way to produce colour on textiles. My scarves are for sale at etsy.com/shop/NaturallyDyedScarves
Details of Silk Hangings
Some details of my recent hangings. A celebration of silk! Constructed using very transparent silk organza, silk cocoons which have been opened out and leaves from my garden. Dyed with Indigo and Persimmon natural dyes. I’m happy with the transparency I’ve managed to achieve looking through the various layers of silk.
Exhibition at Visual Space Gallery
Silk Hangings
Some new pieces for my exhibition, “The Density of Light”, at Visual Space Gallery. The hangings combine silk organza, silk cocoons and leaves from my garden dyed with Indigo and Persimmon natural dyes. These are the colours of my winter garden~ the soft browns of decay and the icy blues of winter skies. I love working with silk in all of its many variations and with these hangings I want to celebrate the luminous qualities of silk and its contradictions of strength and fragility.
Merino Wool/Natural Dyes
I’m constantly amazed at how Natural Dyes all work so well together! Here is a combination of Logwood, Madder, Lac, Cochineal, Weld and Marigold natural dyes. Japanese Shibori resist techniques.
Indigo & Persimmon
Cotton and Silk dyed with Persimmon and Indigo Natural dyes.
Linen
Linen Scarves. Indigo. Weld/Madder/Brazilwood. Logwood
Dresses
Silk Gauze and Silk Organza, dyed with Persimmon and Iron Natural dyes, Copper wire, dried plant material. They are an attempt to express the fragility of the female body, a homage to all the many, many women who have been victims of war and abuse.
Cochineal Dye
These scarves have both been dyed with Cochineal natural dye, which comes from tiny insects found on cactus plants. I’ve only used a bit of dye to give this soft pink colour. One scarf is Merino wool, the other is silk. Printed using Japanese Shibori resist technique.
Some dye experiments
Linen dyed with iron, weld and logwood 
Merino wool dyed with iron, weld and osage 
Silk dyed with iron, weld and logwood
Some experiments with natural dyes. Looking for interesting colours in the grey, brown neutral range. Using a bit of iron with weld and several other natural dyes. I’m happy with the complexity of the colours of the various combinations.
Indian Cotton
Very soft Indian cotton with a tiny gold flower pattern.
Dyed with Indigo, Logwood, Madder, Cutch and Myrobalan natural dyes.
Japanese Silk
I brought home some wonderful silk from my recent trip to Japan. The silk is so fine- Gossamer- lovely to work with. I’ve been dyeing it with natural dyes, Indigo, Madder, Logwood, Cutch, Marigold, Weld and Iron
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Midsummer Night Dress
My latest creation! The silk is from saris that I found several years ago in Calcutta, deconstructed, and then dyed with Indigo and Persimmon natural dyes. The Magnolia leaves are painted with fabric paint.
On display at Circle Craft on Granville Island, Vancouver, until the end of August 2017, as part of their 45th Anniversary Exhibition.