A while back I wondered if the silk/mulberry connection could be taken further -- if mulberry leaves would color the same cloth it indirectly creates. India said yes, so I made a bundle and cooked it up exactly how she describes in her new book, Second Skin (one of the most pleasurable books I've ever read). Such a small amount of processing, and so lovely.
I also wondered how red amaranth would transfer in a simple cotton bundle. Again, much better than I ever expected. All of these photos are absolutely untouched other than a little cropping.
These bundle tools can be reused many times!
beautiful lovely fabrics!
ReplyDeleteLove natures tools :)
Thanks, Marie, I'm trying to do as much dyeing as I can with the inevitable weather changes ahead!
ReplyDeleteI've just caught up on a week's posts here; all so beautiful and inspiring. But I stopped by to tell you I'm going to bundle my last wild grapes today, inspired by your post on grapes...so I will think of your thoughtfulness as I put the bundle together! Thank you, as always.
ReplyDeleteI was reading an essay by Thich Nhat Han last night, about how the sun is in a piece of paper. And so is rain, and so is the logger (or recycler) and so is the wheat that made the bread that person ate. So touching paper, one touches all of these things (and of course, if you take it out and out and out, all things are in the piece of paper. So I particularly like the idea that the mulberry is now in the silk TWICE!
ReplyDeleteGracie, thank you! I'll love seeing how your wild grape bundle comes out -- it'll be beautiful, I know!
ReplyDeleteJo, I know that exact essay. I just now went straight to my 1987 copy of Being Peace and there on page 45, The Heart of Practice, it was! It's my favorite chapter in the whole book!
ReplyDeleteThanks for making me remember it...we connect again!
aren't these beautiful! love those string lines. 2nd grade finally made their bundles today, we're crossing our fingers...
ReplyDeleteCindy, thanks -- oh, what a fun project for the kiddos. I've been thinking about doing it with some of the groups I belong to...age is no barrier to this kind of fun!
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