I took a week off this month and had a holiday at home- and it was great! I spent an entire day out in my carport with tea leaves, rusty things, op shop clothes, fabric paint and pillow cases. I came away from it filthy but happy.
Dyeing
I steamed one lot of shirts and I've started to play around more with my techniques. I really like the speckled look that the tea leaves create when garments are steamed.
I wrapped rusty nails in this shirt before I steamed it, too, and some of the pattern has come out.
I bought this silk shirt at Christmas and have only worn it once because I find it too pale and see-through. After a good steaming I am much happier with it!
This sleeved shirt didn't take up as much colour as I would have liked, so I may even dye it again.
There is a nice rust pattern on the back though.
What I do like about steaming is that you keep more of the original colour of the shirt.
Some nice speckles in this one, too.
Onto the boiled garments.
This shirt is linen and it took the grey up very well.
These fabulous shoulder patterns come from rusty springs. They turned out great when they were tightly wrapped.
The detail thread mustn't have been cotton, as it hasn't picked up the colours. It makes a nice contrast.
I put some small branches into the clothes instead of single leaves this time, and the pattern has come out quite well.
I learn more every time I dye.
For example: rolling the bundles (rather than folding) definitely wraps them tighter and the colours and patterns are better.
And I've decided that I really like how the grevillea leaves print, that touch of green that I don't tend to get from the gum leaves.
I also prefer boiled garments over the steamed garments.
You can see the grevillea pattern on the left shoulder below.
This skirt was a $1 bargain and I boiled it for myself. It was wrapped around a horse shoe, with plenty of leaves and tea. I like it when the buttons are also cloth-wrapped, because they will dye too.
Printing
My little fabric painting set up. Hmm, I could really use another table.
Onto the printing! This skirt is for an Ursula the Sea Witch costume, from The Little Mermaid. I already had the blue/green dyed shirt, but I couldn't help adding to it.
This check dress looks more modern now with my own sundew stencilled on it.
I treated myself to a pot of copper paint this time and I was really happy with how it turned out.
I experimented with some paint mixes on some op shop pillowcases that I had.
Some great colour combinations! And I really like my stencil... I need to design some more!
I also tried some prints on items that I had already eco dyed. This skirt turned out well.
This shirt was going to be a gift for a family member. It had a big bit of rusty thing in the middle when it was eco dyed, but I apparently didn't wrap it tight enough because the middle of the shirt barely picked any colour up.
A single print on this skirt to offset the copper colour that the lace at the top has picked up.
And finally some mixed stencilling. I'm thinking that I'll shorten the sleeves on this top.
#lovelypennypatterns
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