I haven't had this much fun for a long time! I was at the Naturally Dyed workshop at the weekend with my dear friend Jacky. I visited the blog and fell in love with Jude Craig's work. I asked Jacky to come along and we had a fabulous time. I love going to workshops. I learned so much more about eco-dyeing and plant materials growing locally.
The workshop was at Jude's home. It's the best workshop/studio anyone could dream of having. Jude is a textile artist and natural dyer. She regularly exhibits her work in and around Melbourne. She has one coming up in March. You can visit her blog here...
Here is Jude standing next to a Miss Havisham she created using eco-dyed fabric she dyed. The object on the left is a sheet of metal she is working on for her next exhibition. I am intrigued to see what she will come up with!
Jude's designer wall is covered with pieces and work in progress. I can see so many ideas she has pined up there. Jude's studio is situated amongst eucalyptus bush. As you know eucalyptus is an essential part of our dye materials. What an ideal spot for a workshop. It is every dyer's dream!
I wondered what this piece is turning into! I was in a daze admiring all her work around her studio and the house attached to it. We were free to take photographs of all her work. I might have to have two posts to show them all to you.
Jude framed a lot of her work and displays them throughout her lovely home. I have got lot of ideas to use with my overfilling dyed fabric.
A quick demo from Jude and we all took off choosing the dye materials provided. What great choice of eucalyptus leaves, red cabbage, onion skins and I took some purple carrot (more on that later) to share.
The dyeing baths are ready and waiting for us. It didn't take everyone long to wrap up our bundles and drop them in the bath. In the morning we had eucalyptus dyed bath and later on in the afternoon we had red cabbage and onion skins baths. I did about 5 bundles in the morning and a few more in the afternoon.
We had a quick stop for lunch and then we were ready to reveal our bundles. It was sometimes confusing identifying our individual bundles. In the end everyone found their own. This is the best part of the workshop. The exciting bit!
We gathered around on the deck. The perfect spot just outside of the studio. Lots of excitement was going on while unwrapping our bundles!
Left - Jude gingery handled the bundle when talking us through the process. Right - Jude modeling one of the dyed pieces. It look fabulous on her!
Left - Jacky was unwrapping one of her bundles. Right - the pink silk fabric over dyed with plant materials.
Left - my piece filled with all kind of leaves. Some eucalyptus, prunus and eucalyptus mistletoe leaves. Right - is the result of the left photo. It is a long piece of kimono silk. I'm making it into scarf, I might add a trim to the ends.
Left - another crazy piece of mine with onion skins, wattle flowers and eucalyptus mistletoe. It's wild! Right - silk chiffon. I'm not sure what she used in it.
Jacky and I had a great day. I started brewing my own dyed bath since I came home. I'm not sure if I like the dyed bundle sitting in the liquid or over the steam! The challenge for me is to leave my bundles longer so I can decide which methods I would prefer!
Please visit our Japanese Textile Study Tour blog to read about Tokyo Quilt Festival.
Enjoy
Nat
18 comments:
can you say inspiring???? WOW I am in awe.....
sure wish I could have been there even if I was the one to just make you lunch!
Kathie
Very interesting Nat...I know nothing about doing this...Enjoy xoxo
Looks like great fun, Nat. Love the results.
what a wonderful class! I can see why you enjoyed the day so much, Nat. Beautiful, beautiful fabrics.
fabulous images. it looks like it was a great workshop. how wonderful that you have someone like that so close to where you live.
I am very envious for the possibility that you had to join this workshop! How amusing, how entertaining, how beautiftl.
OMGoodness....what fun you had! I just loved seeing all of the beautiful pieces that came from the dying. The colors are amazing.
This must have been so much fun! And the result is always a surprise, I think.
A wonderful post. Your dying is really georgeous. I like watching your results.
The workshop looks llike it was fun fun fun.
What a lovely time Jacky and you had !(and all the others)
Really to "dye for" ;-)
Will go over to Jude's blog (could it be the náme ????!)
Wow! Spectacular results and I love that everyone looks like they are having a wonderful time. Enjoy your new fabrics.
what a wonderful day, nothing like sharing the work, insiration and results with an enthusiastic group of like minded friends.
Absolutely glorious, Nat! And how fun for you and Jacky to go together on an adventure. I am really interested in your mention of new uses for your dyed cloth. That's something I hope to learn from you because it does pile up and then I don't know what to do with it all! What problems, eh? ;-)
wow! what fun you had. love the results.
Fabulous review of a fabulous day. I really got a sense of what it was like to be amongst her inpiring work, and then to see how you did your bundles. Both the wrapping and the baths.
Thanks Nat. Beautiful work.
Hello Nat,
What a colourful day you all had. I was interested to see you talk about the purple carrot, I bought some of these the other week to eat and thought of you as soon as I started peeling them. The colour left behind after cooking them was so lovely.
Happy Monday.
What fun! This was a girls day out for sure. Jude must be a fabulous teacher/artist.
: )
Love seeing all the wonderful dyeing you girls did! Thanks so much for all the great photos of fabric.
Just starting to play with Pinterest now...so fun!
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