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Tuesday 17 December 2013

6 months of playing with natural dyes …

As I've been playing about with natural dyes for the last six months, playing being the operative word, it’s probably about time that I share a few of my tentative findings.  Six months is not nearly enough time to learn such a complicated ancient craft, but there are a few things that I am now certain of:   

-          Plant fibres (cotton and linen) are much harder to dye than animal fibres (silk and wool) which is a bit of a pest as a maker of books.
-          A mordant is essential when trying to dye plant fibres. I have been using Aluminium acetate, which is fabulously straight forward, but I have been advised to have a go at using the more traditional method (yet to be researched enough to explain here).
-          Scouring linens (removing any dirt or grease) is also essential.
-          Make notes … lots of notes.




One of the best bits of advice given to me, by Claire Wellesley Smith at her workshop, was to place samples of dyed cloth on a windowsill for a few weeks and then compare them to samples kept in the dark (I keep them in my notebook).



As anticipated all of my naturally dyed fabrics have faded to a certain degree, but some were more resistant to fading than others.  A lot of natural dyes are “Fugitive” i.e. they run for the hills as soon as daylight hits them or when they are washed, leaving behind a lovely soft grey or off white. So here is a list of the least light fast dyes in order of their fading speed:


-          Red cabbage: fantastic fun and a brilliant way to understand how acids and alkalis change the colour of a dye. However, the colour fades whilst drying and can be washed out instantly.
-          Black beans: create the most gorgeous blue black dye which fades back to the original fabric colour over a few days.
-          Rhubarb stalks: smell gorgeous and produce the most beautiful soft pink which fades back to off white over a few weeks.
-          Berries: I’ve tried Elderberry, Mahonia, Sloes, Bilberries, Blackberries and Black Currants … all fade to grey. It’s a lovely soft grey … but I did mourn a little for those vibrant purples and blues.
      I am not sure how hard and fast this rule is, but I think I can summarise: “the easier a plant gives up its dye, the faster the colour fades away” …

       
      I’ve also learnt that:

-  Woad seedlings are a blackbird’s delicacy.
-   Iron oxide changes the colour of a dye dramatically, but be warned … it rots the fabric, which can be a bit of challenge if you, like me, are using vintage linens.
-  A forgotten dye bath is the ideal growing culture for mould … I have grown a lot of mould!


I’ve had a few successes along the way:

-  Onion skins: I love onion dye! Onions skins are marvellous things which create reasonably light fast dyes ranging from olive green to yellow then through to orange. Next step I’ve got to work out how I got russet orange when I was aiming for yellow.
- Avocado skins: Antique pinks through to orange then deep browns and pretty light fast too.
- Golden Rod: Bright yellows through to golden yellow and then to pale green.  Also, shouting “Oi Claire! … wanna see my Golden Rod?!” is a pretty effective way to silence a busy makers’ market.
-  Walnuts: rich chocolates through to soft beiges as the dye bath becomes exhausted.
- Plant bashing: leaves and stalks bashed between two pieces of fabric to release their stain then darkened with a dunk in an iron bath.
- Freezing petals is a great way to release the dye without damaging it. I haven’t quite mastered getting a pretty pink, but I have obtained a few subtle beiges and the most gorgeous bright yellow from Golden Rod.



Colouring fabrics with natural dyes is the most fascinating process and I have plans to explore it much more. So many books to read and methods to try out.  I have a bag full of Bowles Black violas waiting in the freezer (it had to be done) and some Jet black Hollyhock seeds ready to be planted ... only two years to wait until they flower …. Now there’s commitment for you.




Saturday 30 November 2013

How to trash a journal part 2

A few images of my latest trashed beauty .... although treated terribly, no extra binding or repairs were needed ...

Time for a new journal ....


Friday 8 November 2013

Avocado in a matchbox ....

An email from the lovely Josie Beszant with a call for "Matchbox art",  to raise funds for the Yorkshire childrens' cancer charity  Candle Lighters  .... I couldn't resist!  For more information, and a look at the other beautiful matchboxes, follow the links in:   Creative Masham




 Working in reverse: Box then book ... proved rather a challenge ...



Thursday 24 October 2013

Spinning Time Book #6

I have just spent the most delightful day at the Sunnybanks Mill's Gallery in Farsley. A thoroughly inspirational chat with the lovely gallery manager, and designer maker, Jane Kay ...  followed by a rummage in the Archive Room (Cavern), via a quick peer down a newly discovered/ uncovered well.  I am ridiculously excited .... there will be books ... lots of new books ... 



Lots of beautiful images of the Gallery and Archive room can be found here: http://www.sunnybankmills.co.uk/blog/



New books delivered November 2013 ...  and a lovely write up by Chrissie Freeth

Thursday 15 August 2013

Woven Spine ...

Naturally dyed linen threads weaved through a long stitch warp .....






Saturday 10 August 2013

Repair ...

Moth eaten cashmere cardi: kindly donated by a friend
Naturally dyed threads: created at a Claire Wellesley Smith workshop
Method for creating small handwoven patches:  Karen Barbe   

... Job done!




Tuesday 30 July 2013

Adventures with Phaseolus Vulgaris ...

Jam jars full of potions and collecting bugs … I could be 7 years old again.  

Butterfly books sewn and covered with linens coloured with  black bean (Phaseolus Vulgaris ) dye … 



Tuesday 2 July 2013

Adventures with Persea Americana 'Hass' ...

All these beautiful shades from avocado skins....


.. and a couple of dip dyed books ... 


... with a few juicy mould spots.


... more avocado books to follow ... soon!

Thursday 27 June 2013

"Open Spine" Bookbinding Workshop ....

A few pictures of the books created at my last workshop. Beautiful books made by very talented people ...




Monday 17 June 2013

Adventures with Allium Cepa cont. ......

Oddments of recycled cotton and linen scoured then left to soak in mordant overnight .... a few days out in the sunshine to get rid of the vinegary smell ........


... dyed in various batches of onion dyes ......


... I really should have tested a few scraps to see how light fast the dyed fabric was ... but I'm far too impatient and made a few sample books instead ....


... painted the fore-edges with really concentrated dyes ... 



I'm interested to see how fast the colours fade ... if at all ... fingers crossed!


Tuesday 28 May 2013

Large heart book ....

The last few weeks have been ... fun, very productive and pretty manic,  I have had so very little time to document my new work. So here are a few pictures of my largest Heart book, cut from one of my A4 book-blocks  ... I am both delighted and a little sad that she was with me for such a short time ... 





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Sunday 26 May 2013

Adventures with Allium Cepa

 In between bouts of feverish making, in preparation for the Saltaire Arts Trail,  I have been surreptitiously: purchasing mordants, scouring linen threads and brewing onion dyes .... I even called into action a rusty Victorian iron, found buried in the back garden, washed off the mud and popped it in a bucket of water to make an iron mordant  (apologies for the poor pun). Here are the results ......



... oh! Exciting news! ....  my woad seeds have sprouted ... so we are all on nightly slug patrol to stop the slimy blighters eating my stash.  Huge thank you to Claire Wellesley-Smith for introducing me to this fascinating process!

Wednesday 8 May 2013

Bookbinding Workshop 6th July 2013


Workshop Full
Please contact me if you would like first dibs at my next workshop ... date tbc 

Wow! I am a little overwhelmed at the speed with which my June workshop booked up. Thank you chaps! 
So I would like to offer a third bookbinding workshop in Ilkley, West Yorkshire. The workshop will take place in the Art room above the Art Shop on Saturday 6th July.



During this workshop, I will guide you through the process of making your very own “Open Spine” hand-bound notebook, which you can then take home and enjoy. All abilities are welcome as I will endeavour to adapt the workshop to your requirements.

All materials and specialist equipment will be provided. If you have any special fabric or paper you would like to include then please bring them along too. We will also have access to the materials in the art shop at a discounted price (% tbc). It will be like having our very own arty larder!

Coffee and tea will be provided, but please bring your own packed lunch. If we're feeling a bit flush, we could always pop up the road to the world-renowned Betty's Tea Room.



The Art Shop,  Ilkley, West Yorkshire, LS29 9DU (on the corner of Hawksworth Street, facing onto Leeds Road - a brisk two-minute walk from the train and bus stations).

Please contact me via katehbowles@gmail.com  for further information or to book a place. I will be asking for a £10 deposit at the time of booking to confirm your place on the workshop.

I look forward to hearing from you!
Kate x

Please note that the building is pretty old and the staircase to the art room is a little steep, and may therefore be inaccessible to people with a mobility issue.

Tuesday 7 May 2013

Bookbinding workshop 22nd June 2013

Workshop Full
Please contact me if you would like first dibs at my next workshop ... date tbc



Due to popular demand I would like to offer a second bookbinding workshop in Ilkley, West Yorkshire. The workshop will take place in the Art room above the Art Shop on Saturday 22nd June.

During this workshop, I will guide you through the process of making your very own “Open Spine” hand-bound notebook, which you can then take home and enjoy. All abilities are welcome as I will endeavour to adapt the workshop to your requirements.

All materials and specialist equipment will be provided. If you have any special fabric or paper you would like to include then please bring them along too. We will also have access to the materials in the art shop at a discounted price (% tbc). It will be like having our very own arty larder!

Coffee and tea will be provided, but please bring your own packed lunch. If we're feeling a bit flush, we could always pop up the road to the world-renowned Betty's Tea Room.



The Art Shop,  Ilkley, West Yorkshire, LS29 9DU (on the corner of Hawksworth Street, facing onto Leeds Road - a brisk two-minute walk from the train and bus stations).

Please contact me via katehbowles@gmail.com  for further information or to book a place. I will be asking for a £10 deposit at the time of booking to confirm your place on the workshop.

I look forward to hearing from you!
Kate x

Please note that the building is pretty old and the staircase to the art room is a little steep, and may therefore be inaccessible to people with a mobility issue.

Sunday 5 May 2013

Natural Dyes

Lucky lucky me .. I spent yesterday dying threads, with natural dyes, in the studio of the very talented Claire Wellesley-Smith. Picture a cellar studio with an old range and numerous Kilner jars filled with: unidentified floaty organic things, rusty nails and even a bit of copper piping. I now have the most beautiful stash of naturally dyed threads and a brain bubbling over with ideas for new books ... oh and a new appreciation of the lengthy process and skill required to make these dyes ... off to plant some woad!

Linen thread for my books: 



... and my stash of assorted threads: silk, coarse linen and cotton


Monday 29 April 2013

Heart Book Prototype




I have been wanting to create some books, with a more unusual shape, for quite a while. So here is my prototype for a little heart book with an open spine binding. Armed with one of my standard book blocks and a junior hacksaw ... here's what I came up with ... next step ... find a kindly soul who will let me play with their band saw.




My inspiration was the awe inspiring Heart Book, made around 1550,  from the collection of the National Library of Denmark and Copenhagen University.Click here for the original link 

                                       The Heart Book