Solar Dyeing with Kids

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This is such an easy dye technique anyone can do it!

All you need is…

  • A jar with a lid that can secure to the top or alternatively wax paper & string/rubber band
  • Water
  • Natural fabrics, yarn or thread
  • Plant materials
  • String

I always find onion skins both yellow and red transfer to the fabric really well but you could try leaves from trees, shrubs and ferns. Eucalyptus leaves are great to try and you can even use old rusty nails or bits of copper, even tea leaves are worth sprinkling over the fabric. Beetroot and red cabbage also do well, and so do red berries but I often can’t bring myself to use them when all I want to do is eat them! Give anything a go!

  1. Wet out your fabric, yarn or thread so it is damp; you can mordant these in advance if you wish to.
  2. Place your natural materials on to your fabric.
  3. Fold or roll your fabric up with the natural materials inside and tie with string. You can also do a layering of natural materials and fabrics etc until the jar is full.
  4. Fill jar with water to cover everything and secure the top.
  5. Set in the sunniest position you can find so the water is heated as long as possible; turn every couple of days so that every part of the fabric gets exposed to the sun.
  6. Leave for as long as you can; a month is great if you can stop the urge to open the jar and see what the fabric looks like!

Solar Dyeing on Linen

Solar Dyeing on Raw Silk

Solar Dyeing on Cotton

There is lots of information online about solar dyeing and printing. There is some great information and videos on https://momlifehappylife.com/natural-dye-lesson-plan/ and https://lacreativemama.com/natural-dyeing/

Have fun!!

 

 

Natural Dyeing Summer 2020

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Rather a delayed post but better late than never! Whilst Provenance didn’t have an indigo dye class this year we did take the time to get a few pots on the simmer. We have had some amazing results with onion skins and better success with madder this time around. Our trusty indigo vat was re-invigorated and as per usual did not disappoint. Dyeing with walnut husks was new to us and whilst we got this amazing chocolate brown liquid it didn’t translate onto fabric with only a pale taupe achieved.

If you are wondering what to do during lockdown for 4 weeks then dyeing could be the answer!

 

Trip India 2020 Update

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Well our trip was unfortunately very short! We managed to get to Singapore but could not fly on to India due to border closure to all foreigners. Unfortunately we had to return to NZ but we hope to re-schedule our trip at a later stage.

Stay posted by joining our community e-letter

 

Selvedge World Fair – London

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THE SELVEDGE WORLD FAIR – A CELEBRATION OF CLOTH, CULTURE & CREATIVITY

3rd – 5th  September 2020, Mary Ward House, London, UK

 

Selvedge magazine has a passion for handmade textiles at its heart and a responsibility to support the artisans who make these textiles in its conscience. Over the last 15 years, Selvedge Magazine has grown to be both a source of thoughtful inspiration and an essential voice in the global promotion and preservation of handmade textiles. With the support of the magazine, the Selvedge World Fair is in an ideal position to find long-term, innovative solutions that support artisans globally and nurture the handmade.

In September 2020, The Selvedge World Fair will launch its inaugural event, a festival celebrating textiles in Bloomsbury, London, held over 3 days. Within the historically significant Arts and Crafts building that is Mary Ward House, a curated group of the world’s master artisans will join together to share and sell their textiles and demonstrate how they are skillfully made. Expect indigo dyers from Japan, baskets makers from Swaziland, rug weavers from Uzbekistan and much more… At the event, the master artisans will take part in a programme of presentations, offering the chance for guests to hear their stories and learn of the importance of their crafts in their home countries.

The Selvedge Foundation will be working in partnership with department stores and museums to host a series of workshops in the week leading up to the Selvedge World Fair.

So if you are in the UK early September make sure you have your tickets for this amazing inaugural event!

Annual Indigo Dye Class

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Spend a magical day learning to dye using a natural indigo fermentation vat.

We show you how to:

* setup your own indigo dye vat (indigo kits available @ $30ea)

* simple shibori techniques

* dye using our indigo vat

Maximum of 8 people

All materials included + morning & afternoon tea

*Please bring your own lunch.*

 

Dates:  Sunday 2nd February 2020

Time: 9.30am to 3.30pm

Where: Provenance Studio, North West Auckland

 

Price: $200 per person (signup to receive the Provenance Community e-letters (go to our home page) and receive a 20% discount on your indigo class)

Recycled Silk Products

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A number of customers have requested information about our recycled silk products. We have yarn, scraps, bundles of strips, squares 22cm x 22cm approx. and fat quarter packs. Because these items vary every time an order comes in we do not have them on the website. However, we are always happy to send photos of items if you email through a colour description. Of course we always have these items at the craft events we attend.

Customers Creative Ideas

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Provenance recently attended the Cambridge Creative Fibre Event and was delighted to meet Simone who had used our recycled silk sari yarn on a felted headboard. Thanks Simone for sharing your amazing creative idea!

Madder Dye Trials Day Three

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I’m not sure this is any better! Still no red colour just this horrid apricot! Back to the drawing board!

Madder Dye Trials Day Two

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Oh dear! Helps if you read the instructions correctly! Should have been Calcium Carbonate not garden lime! Should be able to get the Calcium Carbonate from the local brew shop. Will re-use the dye bath and just add the calcium carbonate and see whether we can revive the dye, if not the liquid will end up on the garden and we will start again.

Madder Dye Trials

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Today we started our trials with Madder, a very different process to that of indigo! Madder requires a mordant, we used one dip of alum on yarn and fabric, and also some with just a gall dip; Jenny Dean’s recipe uses an alum, gall and alum mordant regime. We had an over abundance of red guavas so have tried them as a mordant too. You start with cold water, add the garden lime (madder responds better in hard water), madder powder and fabric/yarn. The water temperature needs to rise and hold at 80 C for 45minutes, then leave to cool overnight.  I guess we will see whether any are a success but have a feeling we may have been a little stingy with only 20grams of madder powder!