Eco-dyeing

Today I'll be eco-dyeing, or slow dyeing.  This technique is taught by India Flint (the first link is to her blog and this is her web site).  The object is to steam the fabric, then set it aside to finish processing. 

I decided the rocks should go inside the veggie steamer, instead of under it.  Be aware, the stainless steel pan and veggie steamer are designated for my crafts ONLY.

I tore a full length of twin bed sheet, then tore it into three manageable lengths.

I forgot to take a photo of the first bundle before I tied it, but it has two rusty can lids and a few dead leaves in it.  Be sure to wear gloves for this process, whenever working with rusty materials, since the rust will affect the hemoglobin in your bloodstream.

I remembered to take photos of the second bundle, which has a rusty railroad tie, a piece of corrugated cardboard I found in my rust bucket, and various pieces from my and my neighbor's garden.

My fresh sage, along with dead leaves, petals from a geranium, fresh evergreen,

and ferns, 

make up this second bundle.   I folded the edges inward to keep the plant material from falling out in the steaming process.

I tied the bundle with wax linen and added it to the pot.

I was nearly out of items to add to the third bundle, which also included a rusty piece, dead leaves from my yard, tiny bits of evergreen, and a dying rose from my neighbor.


Now it was time to steam this bundle for a few hours.  I added enough water to cover the bottom of the pan, but not above the veggie steamer and rocks.  I added the lid and turned the heat to medium.

Once it had steamed properly, I removed the bundles and wrapped them in a plastic bag.  I will open these bundles in about two weeks.  You will get to see if this time, I did it right, or if I messed up again.  The first time I tried this, I cooked the bundles, rather than steaming them.  I got one nice piece, though, if you want to see what I did the first time I tried this technique.  This is part one and this is part two.

Thanks for visiting today, when I started my second batch of eco-dyeing in hopes that I did it right this time.  BTW, most people wrap their bundles in sticks.  I chose rusty pieces instead because the rusted piece I used before gave the best results.

I can't stress two things strongly enough:

1) Always, always wear protective disposable gloves when working with rusty pieces

and

2) Never use products or tools in food preparation that are designated for your craft room.  Good equipment can be found in thrift stores or you can get them from friends.  Please be safe when working with products that are designated for your craft room or studio only.

For Day 9

of AEDM, I started an Eco-dyeing process.  Only time will tell if it is a success or not.  Speaking of time, I will be gone most of tomorrow, because it is the last nice day before our promised frigid weather arrives with daytime highs that will be well below freezing.