Fall Colours

September is drawing to an end, so thought I would post some fall colours!

Rust on hand dyed cotton fabric.
 
I do believe I dyed this with MX dyes back around 1994,  before I became allergic.  Anyway, I love the colors of this piece, as the leaves start to change I will take some photos, do some color studies and use some of this fabric as it's wanting to be stitched and oh so badly.

Studio Rag

The colors are a deep camel and pale yellow, the yellow doesn't show up well in this image due to the poor lighting in my office.  Natural dyes on cotton.

Woad and Indigo Blog Crawl 2013

List of participating blogs so far, if you have a blog and are working with indigo or woad and would like to be included please let me know!

Janet ~ www.starrynightalpacas.com
Ulrike - http://nemo-ignorat.typepad.com/nemo-ignorat/ 
Diana ~  http://dyeing2weave.wordpress.com 
Terri ~  http://terrilipman.blogspot.com

Woad and Indigo Blog Crawl

I will be posting the list of participating blogs later tonight!

How does a Blog Crawl Work?

???

How does a blog crawl work?  What happens is come late Friday night I put up a list on my blog of all of the participating blogs in the blog crawl.  Then those participants copy that list from my blog and post it to their blogs.  This allows for the blog crawl, featuring Woad and Indigo, to go viral!  There are many artists working with Woad and Indigo this month so I'm hoping that those who are will participate so that we can show the world the beautiful fabrics and fibers being dyed with woad an indigo!

Hope you participate as well.

Woad and Indigo Blog Crawl

I will be hosting and blog crawl for Woad and Indigo this coming weekend, August 30th!  If you'd like to participate just let me know via the comments section.

Indigo and rust on cotton fabric.

Common Phlox

Common Phlox Phlox divaricata

Not worth my time collecting to use in a dye pot, any color it would yeild would fade in a matter of days, if not hours.  The stems would yeild a weak yellow at best.  But given the current extreme heat Iowa is experiencing it is one of the few plants that has survived in my garden without needing watering.

Compost Dyeing and Other Fermentation Dyeing Techniques eBook

If you purchased a copy of my eBook "Compost Dyeing and Other Fermentation Dyeing Techniques" last year through Kindle and it is corrupted please let me know and I will send you a replacement copy!

This eBook is Currently ON SALE

for $3.99

Indigo Blog Crawl Continues!

This month's particpants will be listed over several posts since it's easier to list them this way than to keep updating an older post.

Diana de Souza http://dyeing2weave.wordpress.com  - Diana will be starting a Garcia vat this week so check back often to watch her progress!

This months Blog Crawl entails dyeing with Indigo.  I will be updating the list throughout the weekend.

Ulrike - http://nemo-ignorat.typepad.com/nemo-ignorat/

Indigo Dye Blog Crawl - Update

I will be listing participating blogs this evening!

August Natural Dye Blog Crawl and a Challenge

I will be posting Augusts blog crawl list on the 17th, and I'm adding a challenge for those that want to participate - Indigo. 

Dye something with indgo, but just don't stop there dye something with indigo and then overydye it with yet another dye.

Dog Transport eBook Special!!!

Dog Transport eBook Special!!! 

 

I've marked all four of my Natural Dyeing eBooks to the special price of $3.99 to help raise transport funds for Junior the labradoodle from Texas to Iowa!!! 

He also needs to be neutered once we get him here to Iowa, he's eight months old and the cute wore offso now he's coming to live with me, we will  have many years of happy walks together! http://www.kbaxterpackwood.com/e-Books.htm

I will post a photo of the new pooch as soon as I have permission to do so, not everyone wants their images out on the net!

French Pearl Cotton Thread

Some vintage french pearl cotton thread I purchased at a local haunt today!  I am thinking of dyeing with indigo and then overdyeing with walnut hulls and leaves!

Natural Dye Blog Crawl - July 2013

Here is a list of some very beautiful blogs that feature natural dyeing!!! 

Ulkie http://nemo-ignorat.typepad.com/nemo-ignorat/

Pallas www.animpartationofcolor.blogspot.com

Kate www.windsongfibersfarm.blogspot.com

Maggie  http://betterlivingthroughdyeing.blogspot.com/

Ann www.shroomworks.wordpress.com

Myra www.hookedanddyed.com

MJ http://naturaldye.tumblr.com/

Moya https://mojoquilts.wordpress.com

Diane http://dyeing2weave.wordpress.com

Deb http://debmcclintock.wordpress.com/

Kimberly http://thenaturalsurface.blogspot.com/

Trace http://www.soewnearth.blogspot.com

Ladka www.mamaladka.blogspot.com

Liz http://digitalgardener.wordpress.com/

 

If you are a natural dyer and would like to be included in this blog crawl list please let me know and I will add you to the list!

Natural Dye Blog Crawl

 

I'm putting together a natural dye blog crawl for next weekend, if you'd like to participate let me know @ prairiefibers@hotmail.com   I will list all participating blogs here on my blog starting Midnight (Iowa Central Time) July 27th!

Prairie Storm

Compost (eco print), Rust, and Natural Dyed Silk Fabric.

Wet Studio Assistant

Angel keeping me company, and trying to stay cool, while I work in my wet studio.  My wet studio is a full 15 degrees cooler than the main part of the house right now, it's 77F down here and hotter than two blazes upstairs!

The Natural Surface Network Down 062413

If you are trying to access the Natural Surface Network it appears to be down this afternoon, showing a 500: Unexpected Error Message.  Am hoping it will be available and very soon, as of yet they haven't sent us creators/owners a message as to what has happened to cause the error message.

Marigold

Common Marigold - Tagetes sp.
Golds to browns using cold water extraction method.

Coreopsis

Dyer's Coreopsis
Oranges to reds
Stable

Mark Making with Nature eBook Combo Sale!!!

Mark Making with Nature eBook Combo 

$29.95!
Own all four eBooks today! 

Getting Started with Natural Dyes

Compost Dyeing and Other Fermentation Dyeing Techniques

Rust and Clay Dyeing

Mark Making with Nature

Natural Dye eBook Give Away!!!

Getting Started with Natural Dyeing

eBook Give Away!!!

 

Hurry, this Offer Ends Soon!

Natural Dye App

I'm still working on the natural dye app!!!  I've added more plants and more characteristics about the dye plants to the database and it's taking a bit longer than I anticipated to put together.

Rabbitbrush and Sage Dyed Wool

 

Rabbitbrush and sage dyed wool, 2007, in an iron pot.

Dried rabbitbrush from western Nebraska eastern Wyoming area.

Sage in bloom from western Nebraska.

Rabbitbrush and Sage

Rabbitbrush and Sage in a cast iron pot ~ 2007

I have studio visitors coming May 7th, the designer wants to learn how to dye with natural dyes and see some of my natural dyed fabrics.  My plans are to show her some of the dyestuffs that are native to the plains states.

Coming Soon ~ Natural Dye App

Bloodroot - Sanguinaria canadensis ~  just one of the many plants and plant images in the new app, in addition to parts to use, colors obtained, methods of extraction AND whether it's fast or fugitive!

The new natural dye app is taking a few days longer to finish than I anticipated, the good news is I currently have 120 plants in the database and there's room for about another 50-100 plants before all is said and done.  There are many wonderful things about this new database that excite me to no end, thanks to my best friend Brenda showing me how to set up filters!

If you'd like to be a beta tester for the new app please let me know :-)

Mark Making with Nature eBook Package Sale!!!

Shall continue until later this afternoon...

 

Enjoy!!!

 

 

Mark Making with Nature ebook Package Sale!

Mark Making with Nature ebook Package

$24.95

Now through Mother's Day!!!

 

Own all four eBooks today!

Mark Making with Nature eBook Package

Mark Making with Nature eBook Package

Own all four eBooks for one low price of $30.00!

• Mark Making with Nature
• Compost Dyeing and Other Fermentation Dyeing Techniques
• Rust and Clay Dyeing
• Getting Started with Natural Dyes!!!

Details on my website!

Digitally Printed Fabric

Tomorrow it's all about the crows and the redwing blackbirds! 
Silk Organza and Cotton fabrics.

Immersion Dyeing

Spring has finally sprung here in central Iowa!  Rumor has it it's going to make it into the 60's today.  Starting next week, after I hang my upcoming solo show this coming Sunday, I will be hitting the dye pots and hard.  Also on the docet is the natural dye garden, I'm planting native dye plants, and if all goes well madder root in a livestock barrel to prevent it from overtaking the lawn.  Stay tuned for photos, video, and more.

Rust Dyeing eClass

 

Growth.

Rust Dyed Cotton Fabric

Machine Stitched.

I'm working on the content for the Rust Dyeing eClass!!!  Learn how to rust dye fabric, paper, and how to overdye with tannins, etc., for a gorgeous one of a kind surface!

Bjorkboda detail.
Rust, tannin, and indigo dyed cotton fabric.
Machine and Hand stitched.

Fruit Fermentation Vat 040313

 

Fruit fermentation vat.

 

 

The dark stuff towards the center is the indigo pigment settled at the bottom of the vat.

 

 

 

A lovely shade of yellowish green.

 

Indigo

The indigo vats are looking oh so wonderful!  The indigo in the above photo was on it's way to reduction and now has fully reduced.  So part of today's plans are to dye some fabrics with indigo. 

My live streaming capabilities are on hold at the moment so I will video tape my dyeing session and place it over at the Natural Surface in the Indigo Dyeing Group!  If your not subscribed to The Natural Surface then come on over and join the fun, membership is $29.95 a year.

Earth Pigments on Cotton

From this past weekends streaming session; raw sienna and raw umber on cotton fabric.

Live Streaming from Google Groupchat Tonight!

Until I can figure out how to combine my two google accounts please follow my Google+  with the accompanying banner photo! In order to include you in my live stream tonight you have to be in my "circles" on google. For some reason I'm not allowed to stream to the "public" and I cannot figure out how to create the invite linky...

Fruit Fermentation Vat and Live Streaming

Attempted my first ever fruit fermentation vat this evening, notes about this are over in the Natural Surface forum, I liked it a LOT!  I streamed this session but was having a lot of issues with Ustream, so I will be streaming again tomorrow evening and from Google/YouTube Live instead of Ustream.  I will post a link tomorrow for the stream location.

I also worked with some earth pigments in this stream, it's recorded but will say I'm not sure how much of the recording has audio. 

I'm off to spend some quality time with hubs and my favorite pooch Angel.  See y'all tomorrow evening!

The Natural Surface Login & Pinterest

To pay for your subscription click on the "Purchase" button, I have highlighted the button in the accompanying image, the button is white on white and barely visible, however, clicking the word "Purchase" will take you to the payment center. 

 

I created a board for the network on Pinterest, you can find that board here:  The Natural Surface

 

 

 

 

Spring is Coming!!!

It really is!  Until then I'm still moving snow and will live stream tomorrow evening!

Indigo Fermentation Vats

My 150 gallon stainless steel vat, yes it is possible to keep a vat going for years even decades.  Learn more about dyeing with indigo in my Introduction to Indigo Dyeing Class at The Natural Surface!

My 30 gallon stainless steel indigo vat.  Both vats came from a defunct dairy farm.

Indigo

Indigo dyed wool strips.  Introduction to Indigo Dyeing begins February 15th, this class is self paced.  Cost $75 USD plus $29.95 subscription fee to The Natural Surface!

Prairie 2002

Prairie
2002
45x38ish inches
Natural Dyes
Silk Crepe de Chine

This is "Prairie" I found it last night in a wicker trunk with several other pieces to my 2002 Prairie Rermnant Solo Show.  I'm thinking of cutting it into four sections, after pressing, and machine stitching, maybe push the surface a little further, and work them into my Canyonland Series.  This while I wait on my indigo vat to do it's thing!

In the Mean Time

Cotton fabric dyed with procion dyes and surfaced with fabric inks, created well over 12 years ago.

I'm teaching an online basic introduction to indigo starting February 14th at the Natural Surface (which is now $29.95 a year to be a member)  http://naturaldyeing.ning.com I will be teaching both the instant indigo vat, and the standard chemical reduction indigo vats.  Cost for the class is $75 USD.

The Natural Surface Network - Changes!!!

BIG CHANGES are coming to The Natural Surface starting February 14th, if your a member check out the discussion in the forum!

I’m setting the membership price at $29.95 for one year. This is well below the price of a high quality natural dyeing book.  .

Current perks to a paid membership would be:

·        Your own personal page and profile

·        Access to the Forums

·        Access to the Open Groups this does not include Paid Access eClass Groups

·        Access it the Library.

·        Access to the Critique Group!

Future perks to a paid membership will be:

·        Your own personal page and profile

·        Access to the Forums

·        Access to the Open Groups this does not include Paid Access eClass Groups

·        Access to my DVD’s and Videos – coming this spring

·        Access to my podcasts – coming this spring

·        Access to my zines

·       Access it the Library.

·        Access to the Critique Group!

·        Coaching

Introduction to Indigo eClass

 

This class will begin February 14th, and will run approximately 90 days.  This class is perfect for the novice dyer whose never made an indigo vat, or hasn't had success attempting an indigo vat. The class is available through The Natural Surface.