Friday, April 8, 2011

mud cloth

I bought this at a fiber frenzy sale. It seems to be part of a long tunic or gown and I immediately took out some seams to make smaller pieces to work with. But then I stopped deconstructing. It felt so wrong. Because whatever it was needs to be part of what it will be.

The more I look at it, the more fascinated I am. I wonder about the Earth in my garden, could it do something? It stains my clothes, so maybe so.

Interesting that there are very few good-quality videos on how African mud cloth is created. I wonder why that is.

                                 
Posted by at
Labels: , ,

19 comments:

  1. deanna7treesApril 8, 2011 at 10:37 AM

    i love mud cloth.

    ReplyDelete
  2. PeggyApril 8, 2011 at 10:40 AM

    That makes two of us, Deanna!

    ReplyDelete
  3. HermApril 8, 2011 at 11:55 AM

    i have not heard of the name "mud cloth", maybe i have some and i don't know it, is it always black and white? tomorrow you will receive an envelope!

    ReplyDelete
  4. MartineApril 8, 2011 at 2:18 PM

    i love mud cloth too, very much.
    Last year i had a workshop mud cloth with some textile students who studied in Africa for a month. It is not difficult but the result depends on the mud.
    XXXm

    ReplyDelete
  5. helenApril 8, 2011 at 3:27 PM

    Ditto for the love of mud cloth. My sister traveled to Africa a couple of years ago and brought back lots of it. She bought it from the people (win there) and then sold it at a church bazzar with the profits going to the church (win there). Everyone benefited. I could watch this all day, so interesting.

    ReplyDelete
  6. PeggyApril 8, 2011 at 3:29 PM

    Herm, I know so little about it -- I couldn't even make a guess but this one is b & w. I think it depends on the minerals in the earth, etc.
    Well, thank you very much and you didn't have to do anything, you know! But I'll be watching!

    ReplyDelete
  7. liniecatApril 8, 2011 at 3:34 PM

    I bought some differing pieces from an african stall at a show once but had no idea thats what it was! Its still in a draw waiting for me to decide what to do with it but it 'spoke' to me and I had to buy it too, like you!
    So interesting to see how they make it, thanks so much for the link too.

    ReplyDelete
  8. PeggyApril 8, 2011 at 3:42 PM

    You're so lucky, Martine! That would be so cool to actually make it with someone who knows what they're doing. Will have to watch for classes like that around here...xo

    ReplyDelete
  9. PeggyApril 8, 2011 at 3:44 PM

    Helen, that's neat what your sister did, a definite win/win! -- were you able to get any for yourself?
    Now I want more!

    ReplyDelete
  10. PeggyApril 8, 2011 at 3:50 PM

    That's amazing, Lyn! A surprise treasure in your stash that you, yourself, bought -- how often does that happen? Love that.

    ReplyDelete
  11. AnonymousApril 9, 2011 at 6:07 AM

    Thank you for sharing this video!
    This is something I need to look into
    further. Some of the red clay we have
    may work!
    Love the designs.
    How does the fabric feel that you
    purchased?

    ReplyDelete
  12. PeggyApril 9, 2011 at 2:07 PM

    Cristina, it's a medium weave -- cotton, not real smooth but not like a rough burlap either. I would guess that it would soften more with time. Like everything does!
    Red clay will be interesting -- my soil is clay, too, but not red...

    ReplyDelete
  13. deb gApril 9, 2011 at 6:54 PM

    I have some mud cloth, it's wonderful...

    ReplyDelete
  14. PeggyApril 9, 2011 at 7:42 PM

    Deb -- have you done anything special with yours? I'd love to see it if you have it on your blog.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Nat PalaskasApril 9, 2011 at 11:25 PM

    I have seen it done in India and I think there are video in Youtube too. I have a couple of pieces of African prints, but I don't know if they are mud prints. Yes mud, we can dye with it uh? hugs Nat

    ReplyDelete
  16. PeggyApril 10, 2011 at 8:51 AM

    Nat, world exploress! -- yes, mud, leaves, flowers, minerals, urine, etc. and probably things we don't even know about yet. It's pretty wonderful what Mother Earth does for us! xo

    ReplyDelete
  17. Deb GApril 12, 2011 at 7:29 PM

    This is mud cloth:

    http://beecreative.typepad.com/bee_creative/2011/03/small-project-fabric-box.html

    I have another project half done. I'll be sure to identify it when I post it.

    ReplyDelete
  18. MarieApril 13, 2011 at 5:25 AM

    I am pretty sure I have a piece of mud cloth in my little stash of fabric from Africa. It was a gift. I recognize this type of pattern that you have shown. Love it. I would have so much fun creating this kind of dyed fabric. I enjoyed the video too!
    :)

    ReplyDelete
  19. PeggyApril 13, 2011 at 9:15 AM

    Marie, it's so interesting that many of us have pieces of mud cloth in our stash. What will we make with it, I wonder?

    ReplyDelete

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)