TECHNIQUES
techniques
Our processes use only natural organic plant materials and minerals,
along with unbleached natural fibres.
Grown and processed without any toxic synthetic chemicals or heavy metals.
Natural Dyeing - Immersion Dyeing
We love to use local, seasonal plants which have been grown without chemicals, for dyeing cloth, yarn and piece-dyeing garments. We choose to only work with unbleached, un-dyed fibres which have been locally grown-and-manufactured without harmful synthetic materials.
We offer small scale runs of dyeing for designers, and can also offer large scale yarn-dyeing productions.
For productions we tend to use organic extracts rather than handle large quantities of plants.
If you are interest in having your collection naturally dyed by us, and your fibres suit our requirements, do get in touch for more info and book a sampling service to start the process.
You can learn about natural dyes by reading our book or joining one of our workshops.
BUNDLE DYEING
Bundle dyeing is sensual kaleidoscopic experience, using fresh plant matter to transmute direct botanical impressions into cloth or paper with a simple bind and steam process which requires minimal water usage.
We can use fresh, dried or frozen flowers and plant materials to create beautiful, unique abstract repeat patterns.
Its a pleasure to offer this service to private clients, to up-cycle pre-loved or stained garments, turn a wedding bouquet into a beloved amulet or turn waste foods into an exciting range of products.
We currently offer online classes in this technique and love to visit flower farms in the summer to create stunning multi-sensual group experiences and workshops.
INKS + PAINTS
Inks for drawing and writing with quills, dipping pens, cartridge pens or printmaking with blocks, and screens.
Paints including gouache, watercolour and egg tempera
We create and use a range of inks and paints within our practise, for art prints, packaging and labelling, journals and paintings.
We provide powder pigments for you to create you own inks and paints at home and offer tuition in how to create beautiful colour palettes from local plants and waste foods, along with traditional plant and mineral pigments.
HAPAZOME
Hapazome is a fun method for direct printing with leaves and flowers, using a mallet to transfer the botanical inks from plant materials into cloth and paper.
A slow craft which offers the most beautiful impressions.
ORGANIC INDIGO "SUGAR VAT" DYEING + SHIBORI
The most mystical of natural dyes.
Indigo is the only colourfast source of natural blue. Magically extracted via a complex fermentation technique from a green leaved holy basil plant.
We use a sugar vat process, using only natural ingredients: lime, sugar and organic indigo to make stunning shades of blue.
Our vats use a closed-loop system, in that it is very disposed of. We keep them in large containers in our studio and simply add more ingredients to keep the dye balanced, as we use it.
The recipe is more complex and skilled that other dye processes and follows the technique developed by scientist/natural dyer Michel Garcia.
SHIBORI TIE-DYEING
Shibori is an ancient Japanese fold and bind technique for creating resist repeat patterns on cloth, traditionally used with indigo or madder.
We like to use a rainbow of different dyes with this technique - sometimes locally foraged, or from our range of in-house extracts (available from our online shop)
BLOCK PRINTING WITH NATURAL DYES
We transform our dyes into printing inks using handmade natural non-toxic plant starch binders. And carve motifs into reclaimed wood to make repeat patterns on cloth and paper.
Other items can be used instead on blocks, such as pressed leaves and found objects. We like to be experimental!
SCREEN PRINTING WITH NATURAL DYES
Our screens are locally made with wooden frames.
We transform our natural dyes into inks with our handmade natural, non-toxic plant starch binders.
All kinds of colours and surface designs are possible and we love to work with local print houses to create artisan ranges of printed product for designers.
COLOUR FORAGING WALKS
Develop eco-literacy and connect with nature in a new way on a colour foraging walk. You will learn to identify local colour-producing plants, how to harvest them responsibly and have an intro to seasonal variations, natural dyeing techniques, natural mordants and modifiers.
