Natural Dyes Archives - Page 7 of 32

Video From FEEDBACK FRIDAY: Takayuki & Tomo Ishii of Awonoyoh

Last week on FEEDBACK FRIDAY we had a special treat with Takayuki and Tomo Ishii of Awonoyoh. The two are just wrapping up their time in Seattle as Botanical Colors’ artists-in-residence. Taka is a renowned indigo dye artisan and Tomo is a designer and expert in Japanese clothing. The two own a workshop in the mountainous area of Kanagawa Prefecture and they grow and process their own indigo to make traditional indigo fermentation vats. The two also run an indigo dyeing company using traditional techniques and materials. Watch the video recording here. Takayuki and Tomo will talk about the tradition … Read more

Video From FEEDBACK FRIDAY: Natalie Stopka + Tilke Elkins

Last week we had a FEEDBACK FRIDAY alumni discussion with Natalie Stopka and Tilke Elkins! The two returned to FEEDBACK FRIDAY to have a conversation on ruderal plant color, orphaned materials and forging relationships through materiality at the margins. The two discussed unwanted, discarded, or simply forgotten things and following intuition as a practice of emergent design. If you’ve never been to a FEEDBACK FRIDAY featuring two former presenters in discussion you’re in for a treat. Watch the recording below. Check out these three previous matchups: Preserving history with Narayan Khandekar + Porfirio Gutíerrez Mapping Color With Sasha Duerr + Maibe … Read more

Video From FEEDBACK FRIDAY: Fibershed Ireland Takes on Linen + Woad

Last week on FEEDBACK FRIDAY we took an inspiring textile and color journey with Fibershed Ireland! We travelled to the island of Ireland and met Mario Sierra from Mourne Textiles. Mario is bringing a spinning mill at the foot of the Mourne Mountains in Northern Ireland back to life. Despite having a rich history of linen production from soil to textile, in the last 30 years the linen industry has pretty much left Ireland, save a handful of weavers and finishers. Mario intends to change that at Mourne Textiles. We also met Jennifer Lienhard of AppleOak FibreWorks who talked about her … Read more

MORDANT MONDAY: Tips On Temps For Mordanting Fibers

We get mordant questions all the time at Botanical Colors so why not create Mordant Monday??? Got mordanting questions? Email [email protected] YOU ASKED: Does your wool gauze need to be scoured before I mordant it? KATHY ANSWERED: I do not scour the wool gauze as it’s so sheer and fine and it seems pretty clean. It takes the dyes exceptionally well with a mordant only. YOU ASKED: Which type of mordanting do you think ensures color fastness? KATHY ANSWERED: Color fastness is a function of the dyestuff and the mordant, not the mordant alone. If you dye a mordanted fabric … Read more

MORDANT MONDAY: Does Alum Triformate Shift Color?

We get mordant questions all the time at Botanical Colors so why not create Mordant Monday??? Got mordanting questions? Email [email protected] YOU ASKED: I have just recently tried Alum triformate, first time using it. Have you had reports that it shifts the colors? We used Sequoia extract that was purchased from Maiwa, and it should have a dusty brownish purple, and it did on the regular alum mordanted bits I had in there- but it made a greenish grey on the triformate. Just wondering if you had info on this? I’m going to do a test with 2 skeins in … Read more

Video From FEEDBACK FRIDAY: Heidi Gustafson & Book Of Earth

On our last FEEDBACK FRIDAY we had Book of Earth author, artist and ochre translator, Heidi Gustafson. Heidi is based in the Cascade foothills of rural northern Washington. Her collaborative ochre and iron research projects include work with scientists, anthropologists, linguists, indigenous practioners, citizen foragers, healers, artists and places around the planet. Heidi’s current projects focus on ochre, iron oxides and land pigments and her cabin/studio houses the Ochre Sanctuary, a counsel of ochres and pigments from contributors world-wide. She also just published the most beautiful book ever called Book of Earth. Watch the recording below. Website Instagram About Heidi: … Read more

Video From FEEDBACK FRIDAY: Natalia Woodward of Bat Flower Press

Last week on FEEDBACK FRIDAY, we had Tarrytown, New York-based Natalia Woodward, the founder of Bat Flower Press. In 2020, Natalia founded Bat Flower Press, a letterpress and papermaking studio that focuses on sustainable handmade paper and artistic letterpress designs. Having worked with high end art collectors and organizations such as New York City’s MoMA, Natalia has spent her career around precious artwork, and sees her company as an opportunity to bridge art and functionality, to collaborate with others, and to create meaningful work that is approachable to all. Watch the recording below. Bat Flower Press Instagram Bat Flower Press website Natalia … Read more

Video From FEEDBACK FRIDAY: María-Elena Pombo of Fragmentario

Last week on FEEDBACK FRIDAY, we had María-Elena Pombo of Fragmentario. Continuing on with our Earth Month series, María-Elena focused on using materials that are a byproduct of the food industry to prevent them going to landfill, but also as a strategy to promote non-extractivist and decolonial futures. Likewise, promoting using free materials and finally centering plants people have a connection with. María-Elena Pombo was born in Caracas and lives in New York City since 2011. She works through open-ended research projects that are normally translated into installations, objects, sculptures, and videos. Watch the recording below. About María-Elena Pombo: Instagram … Read more

MORDANT MONDAY: Non-Toxic Mordants + Brightening Color

We get mordant questions all the time at Botanical Colors so why not create Mordant Monday??? Got mordanting questions? Email [email protected] YOU ASKED: I am sure you have received this question a bunch but I am curious, is the new cold water mordant Aluminum Triformate you are selling considered to be just as good as Aluminum Potassium Sulfate? Is it also considered to be just as “non toxic” as far as natural mordants go? KATHY ANSWERED: Aluminum triformate seems to work as reliably and well as Aluminum Potassium Sulfate. It is more acidic than APS, so we always rinse after … Read more

The Beginner Dye Kit: Deep Red

These instructions are for wool or silk. This color is more challenging to achieve on cotton or linen. If available, use filtered, distilled or reverse osmosis water for the dye bath. MATERIALS CLICK HERE for our post on setting up your dye studio. PROCEDURE Different Shades For rich reds with an orange base, omit the calcium carbonate in the dye bath. How can I get a different red? Madder and cochineal are the 2 historic reds that react differently when mixed with a mild acid such as cream of tartar. Madder loses its red shade and shifts to orange, and cochineal moves from a … Read more