Eco Art - Native Plant Dyes

On a very rainy day in Brisbane, enjoyed a workshop on the ancient process of dyeing fabric using native plants (Eucalypts) and a mordant (iron, copper, alum and tin) on merino and silk fabric strips.

Thanks to Brisbane Botanica Gardens Mt Coot-tha for running this workshop.

Top left picture is the arranged leaves prior to rolling and going in the dye bath (leaves were sandwiched between the two fabric strips). The darker more pigmented strips are the merino whilst the more pastely images are on the silk. The yellowish photo is the same process on card (though didn't take too well most probably due to the limited time to process. Bottom right is a display of samples made previously by the hosts (and to the left lovely Leeanne holding up her card print coming out of the dye bath)