Nature Printing with Steam

 

Eco-printing, or eco-bundling, the terms for India Flint's dyeing technique, is gaining in popularity. I prefer to call this method "nature printing with steam", for to me it explains the process best. I wrote up a tutorial describing the basic steps of the process as I have been doing it for the blog, 12 Months in View. You can find that tutorial by clicking HERE.

Next I want to experiment with this process to print on watercolor paper (and then on my handmade papers, which would bring this project full circle) without bundling. I've seen some examples of this on the web and the results are cool!

Rhododendron Flowers Eco-Print

I unwrapped the bundles this morning to see the results of the steam printing. Here is how they turned out. When they are dry, I will iron them and lay them side by side for comparison of the different mordants.

The most spectacular eco-print came from magenta rhododendron flowers that had recently fallen from the shrub. This was wrapped in un-mordanted cotton, mulberry paper and silk and steamed in a stainless steel pot.

Isn't that incredible?? the pieces are air drying now. I need to rinse and gently wash them to see if the color is fast. If it is, I've got to dye a t-shirt with these flowers before they dry up!!

First Eco-Bundling Batch of 2013

Today I cleaned the outdoor papermaking/natural dye work area. I then cut fabric, got the hot plates and pots out, cut some flowers and wrapped some bundles. For most of what I gathered, I am trying four different variables. I want to compare the effects of the same flower on alum mordanted, copper mordanted and unmordanted cotton. I also want to see if steaming a non mordanted bundle in the presence of copper (a colander in this case) will have any effect.

 

While the bundles were steaming, I applied a first layer of latex varnish to some mold and deckle frames my husband made. I want to teach papermaking workshops, and need them in order to do that.

I left the bundles to sit in the pots to cool and set overnight. I will open them tomorrow morning and see if any magic happened! Stay tuned...

Top Three Posts

Blogger counts each time a post has been viewed and of my 80 posts, the Eco Bundling - OMG post has received the most by far - 102 views and climbing. This post has been viewed almost every day since I posted it! My post Papermaking Adventures: Water Retting is second with 87 views and Experimental Printmaking I (carving into Masonite) is third with 81 views. In general, most other posts get anywhere from 6 to 35 views. I suppose these three topics have very little written about them although India Flint and her eco-bundling technique is getting more popular every day. She has spent much time traveling and conducting workshops and posts on her blog regularly. The popularity of the technique has folks searching for more, I suppose.

To those who have searched for information on these topics, please leave a comment and let me know if you found what I wrote to be helpful and share something about your own experiments and experiences. Thanks!