Tag: eucalyptus dye

05 Nov
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Tasmanian Blues Robe Dress and Nigella Blues Smock

Amelia Hoskins / Dress, Dressing Gown, Robe / / 0 Comments

FEATURES:  Collar is of hand dyed silk, from natural Tasmanian eucalyptus tree bark dye  then painted over.  Silk sample designs see here. [add link]

APPLIQUE DECORATION:  Nigella Seed pod designs from my drawings of dried seed pods in my vegetable garden:  see photos on photography site resonant-visions [add link].  Beige lace has a similarity to the thin casings of the pods as they break down.

BLUE Patchworks

Abstract with text print blue/white cotton-viscose.

Feather print navy-white cotton.

Navy blue lace lined on gold.

Stylised flowers blue-gold-navy cotton print.

Gold embroidered cotton.

Gold plant dyed silk.

PLUS – Leopard print blue-black-grey and  Chinese Bird of Paradise with gold texture cotton.

Applique Seed Pods Nigella 'Love in a Mist'

Robe Dress has applique lace pod dyed in eucalyptus dye bath after the collar piece. Colour took well, which is a guide to fabric content being cotton or silk. Dark centres to seed pod designs are cut from eucalyptus dyed silk (iron modified).  Light centre to pod is from bundle steam died silk with seeds and petals.  Nigella blues has variable on same pod idea.  A motif is a good means to join over a seam (smock left top). Also provides contrast to break up a solid dark or light area.

NIGELLA BLUES Smock Top Dress

When there are enough patches prepared, another garment can be made.  Size and shape was dictated by the blouse used as an underlining, the colours of which were a perfect match, being cream brown and pale blue.  Short sleeves made in dark blue lace.  Coconut buttons with bound buttonholes.  Applique patches again created with eucalyptus dyed lace and bundle dyed silk.  Back hem is drooped lower.

Nigella Blues Smock – Bound buttonhole sewing – Click to enlarge

Tasmanian Blues Making Procedure

22 May
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Eucalyptus bark dyed silk

Amelia Hoskins / Dyes, Plant Dye / / 0 Comments
The bark falls off the trees ready for easy collection.

I collected this bark from 2 trees; Eucalyptus viminalis, Manna Gum, and Eucalyptus Archeri, Alpine cider gum (Tasmania) in Hillier Arboretum, Hampshire, UK.

Eucalyptus bark soaking in dye pan.

Break up bark and leave to soak for a day or overnight.  I added 3 leaves to ensure a colour result (as dye instruction books use leaves for strong result).  I heated to boil, then simmered for 1hr to 1hr 30mins.  Remove bark and put silk in pot.  (I pre-mordanted the silk by soaking in water with alum in a bowl overnight; although not necessary with Eucalyptus).  It wasn’t necessary to reboil and simmer the silk in the pan as it took up the dye well immediately, and quickly grew darker.  After about an hour of soaking, frequently moving around, I heated it for about 10 mins and again left it to cool soaking.Silk absorbs bark dye very well, and quickly. I left it in cold dye bath for 1 hr  then simmered the pot for 10 mins.Lace fabric on fist placing in dye bath (content unknown; likely cotton/polyester mix.)It rapidly takes up the dye, although it was not pre-mordanted, like the silk was.

Final colour is a rich gold: silk looks very bright in sunlight; a deeper old gold tone indoors.

Adding rusty water (iron) deepens the colour of silk and lace in two more samples.

Mixed fibre lace fabric dyed with eucalyptus dye pot, after the silk.  Top grey-brown was modified after dyeing, with iron using rusty water from rusty nails.

To follow up… a new garment using both silk samples with silk painting is in the making.  Colour combinations of blues with deep gold highlights, picking out colours in the prints.  The design will be used in kimono-dress, with the added lace pieces; also dyed with the eucalyptus bark

Eucalyptus dyed silk, two tones sheen, with painting stage one 2018-10-20 13.22.31 - 002 - edited annotated
Two tones dyed with initial painting idea

Seed designs steamed into dyed silk.  A new discharge paste brushed on to the seed head areas did not work on the natural eucalyptus bark dye!  To be re painted with contrasts.

Eucalyptus dyed silk, modified darker with iron rust, over painted, steamed.

Large poppy seed heads: (discharge paste did not work to bleach the eucalyptus dye from those areas).  Test piece for general design idea, to be repainted with darker seed heads.

Practice piece painting over eucalyptus dyed silk.  Discharge (bleaching paste) did not work through eucalyptus dye – interesting!  Seed heads to be repainted darker, for contrast.Outlines are drawn with acid dye into gutta resist (blue lines).   Background texture in maroon are created with collagraph printing:-   Seeds flattened and glued to cardboard, then used as a print stamp underneath silk, pressed from upper surface.  (Details to be added)

Kimono dress – ‘Tasmanian Blues’ – garment blog


Eucalyptus dyed silk, painted, used for collar on kimono-dress ‘Tasmania Blue’

Applique details – Eucalyptus bark dyed lace – as nigella seed shapes.

Eucalyptus dyed Habotai silk used in lower patches – ‘Tasmania Blues’

https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/684834947/comfortable-leisure-wear-kimono-dress-in?ref=shop_home_active_2

Images copyright Amelia Jane Hoskins Please email for use permission.