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Wednesday 9 January 2019

Dyeing with Turmeric

9th January 2019

Just a quick catch up while everything is still fresh in my mind!!

When my lovely creative friend came to stay for the weekend in November she asked if I had ever dyed using Turmeric, I hadn't but I have now and still have some solution left to do a little more.....

...scraps of fabric including old linen, recycled cotton lawn(from my old and worn nightdress), scrim, muslin and an open weave cotton....


....these scraps were boiled in a white vinegar/water solution for about an hour, 2 tablespoon of turmeric were added to 2 cups of water until the turmeric had dissolved the this was topped up with enough water to cover the fabrics and simmered for 20 mins, looks a little like a Korma!!!


The fabrics were rinsed until the water ran clear and the shades are very vibrant but as with all dyeing the colour isn't the same for all the fabrics....


...2nd page of my new sketchbook has the 'recipe' and fabric samples, hope I can make myself record like this for all the experimental playing I do!


I have some natural recycled sari strips which I will try and perhaps some shibori.

Also stitched my woven shells onto calico ready to mount in a box frame...


....and made a new brooch using fleece, silk, feathers and beads.


We had a beautiful but cold day yesterday and I took my granddaughter to the park where she had a great time sliding, swinging and balancing on logs, so lovely not to have a grey, damp day.

On Monday I went to Shepherds Bush where there is a road lined with about 20 fabric shops, so many beautiful fabrics in so many colours it was a real inspirational treat. I bought some heavy cotton to  indigo dye to make a simple summer dress, hope it works out.

Tomorrow I will be experimenting with papier mache`, just hope I remember to take photos.



2 comments:

  1. I love these colours! Can you tell me, did everything smell strongly like turmeric after? I want to make some bed sheets yellow. I'm wondering if I wash them in lavender oil after if that will be enough.

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  2. Did you rinse after the vinegar bath and do the turmeric solution in separate bath? Or just add the turmeric solution to the vinegar bath? Thanks!

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