Indigo has been used to dye fabric in many cultures for centuries. Traditional Shibori folding techniques combined with indigo dye can create beautiful fabrics with intricate patterns with both subtle and bold shades of blue. Begin by preparing your dye vat. We are using an Indigo Dye Kit that includes all the ingredients for a … Continue reading "Indigo Shibori Dyeing"
Cyanotype is an early photographic process that uses two solutions (Potassium Ferricyanide and Ferric Ammonium Citrate) to create an image or ‘blueprint’. It was introduced by John Herschel in 1842 as a way to copy notes but was brought to the photographic world by Anna Atkins the following decade through her photograms of algae, seaweed, … Continue reading "Cyanotype"
Transfer printing is a quick and playful printmaking method. The dyes require no fixative – only heat! They can be mixed up and left in a covered pot to use another day – they should keep indefinitely. Pour 100ml of warm water into a pot. Sprinkle 1tsp transfer dye onto the water. Use colours straight … Continue reading "Heat Transfer Printing a Collage"
Making a batik is the satisfying process of layering wax and dye to create bold, intricate designs. The more layers of dye and wax that are added, the thicker and stiffer the fabric will become. At the end of this process, you’re left with a hard, milky-looking piece of cloth. Here’s how to iron the … Continue reading "Ironing the Wax out of a Batik"
There are several waxes that can be used for making batiks, all of which will produce slightly different results. Standard Batik Wax is a blend of beeswax and paraffin wax but soya wax makes a good alternative. Soya wax is more sustainable, plant based, natural and petroleum free wax. Our soya wax comes from renewable … Continue reading "Soya Wax Batik"
Quick and basic Eco Printing in preparation for our Fab Friday class tomorrow! We gathered a selection of leaves and berries. (Dyes from leaves will usually be more permanent than dyes from berries. It is such a shame you can get some lovely colours from berries but often they will wash completely out of fabric – … Continue reading "Eco Printing"
