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.

                                 

19 comments:

  1. That makes two of us, Deanna!

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  2. 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!

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  3. 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

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  4. 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.

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  5. 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!

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  6. 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.

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  7. 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

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

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

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  10. 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?

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  11. 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...

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

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

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  14. 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

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  15. 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

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  16. 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.

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  17. 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!
    :)

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  18. 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?

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