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Week 0: Preparation
Getting situated and preparing to eco-print
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Week 1: Shibori Wool Bundles
Playing with wool while we wait for our mordants and leaves to be ready
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Week 2: Mordanting and Testing
Testing our mordants and leaves with some small samples
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Week 3: Rolled Bundles
Eco-printing on some cotton clothing and fabric
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Week 4: Soy Binder
Experimenting with a different way of preparing cotton, plus using fresh leaves
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Week 5: Folded Bundles
Exploring further bundling methods, with some more shibori
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Week 6: Combining Mordants and other variables
Wrapping things up with a few more variations
Hi Louise
What sort of wool product will we be needing for Week 1 please?
Small white something eg little top, plain baby blanket from an op shop?
Thanks
Kathy
Great question! I’ll be demonstrating on a rectangle cut from a woollen blanket and on a jumper (pullover), both of which I found secondhand. But the basic technique is adaptable to different shapes. I recommend getting some kind of square or rectangle wool fabric whether that is a scarf, a piece of fabric or a wool blanket, plus a piece of clothing such as a jacket, jumper, dress. The wool can be white or even a pale colour. What you suggested sounds great.
I have always read that you need to start with a wet piece of fabric but I see yours was dry.
There seems to be lots of common misconceptions about eco-printing, like the fabric always needing to be wet, or having to soak the leaves in vinegar. I’ve always used dry fabric and it works for me. Because we are boiling our bundles, rather than steaming, the water in the pot will quickly saturate it anyway.
Hello! What have you added to the pot’s water? Mordant made with iron and vinegar? I do not always understand English
Yes, the mordant that we made from iron and vinegar in week 0. This is an optional addition, if you want to darken the dye bath.
Hello! Once it has finished boiling and you have already turned off the fire, until it has to leave the bundle in the pot?
I leave it in the pot until it has cooled down, or sometimes overnight.
haii, so you mean that if we use wool, we can use fresh leaves, while soaked leaves for cotton. how about for silk? anyway, i can’t find any wool for sale in indonesia.. 😊
Yes that’s right, soaked leaves for cotton (when using an iron mordant), and fresh for wool or silk (also fresh for cotton when using a soy binder because this behaves similar to wool/silk). Some eco-printer use fresh leaves for everything, but this is what I have personally gotten best results with.