Natural dying encompasses an immense amount of processes and dye materials- plants, insects, shellfish, minerals and other matter. Yes, they're finicky, and yes, they require patience, but they are completely worth the trial and error. The variety of color obtainable from a single, individual plant is pretty crazy. 

Procion Mx dyes are synthetic dyes for plant-based fibers and silk. They come in a variety of colors and can be mixed together to create a even great selection of color. They're fairly reliable and are easy to work with.

I'm no expert by any means on either Mx or natural dyes- the slight nuances and specifics I imagine could take years to learn. But!, they'r some of my go-to methods and I would like to share the recipes I've used for this project. 

As with all dyeing, use caution and follow the dye suppliers's directions and warnings. Gloves, apron and a particulate dust mask should always be used. Designate a large pot for fiber dyeing. Don't mix cookware and dyeware!

Have fun!

1. Measure the weight of dry fabric in grams. This is your dry weight of goods (DWG)

2. (For plant-based fibers only) Soak the fiber in a 2% soy solution. Unsweetened soy milk in water will do the trick.

3. Mordanting: Bring enough water to generously immerse your fiber to a boil. Add 12% DWG of Alum and 6% DWG Cream of Tartar to water and stir. Add fiber and boil for at least 1 hour. After boiling, the fiber can either be used immediately in a dye or it can be allowed to hang dry and dyed later. 

4. To prepare the dye bath, again bring enough water to generously immerse the fiber to a boil. Add 100% DWG of coffee to pot and boil for at least an hour, stirring frequently.

5. Add mordanted fabric to dye bath. Boil for at least one hour, stirring frequently. 

6. When finished dyeing, rise fiber with water until all dyestuffs is removed.

To make 1 Cup of Hand-painting Dye Paste:
(Always use your gloves, your gloves are your friend)

1. Add 5.5 TBSP of PRO Thick SH to hot water and stir rapidly until well mixed. Let sit for at least one hour. 

2. Add desired amount of Procion MX dye to paste 
(use dusk mask and gloves!)
Pale: 1/2 tsp
Medium: 2 tsp
Dark : 4 tsp

3. Add 1 tsp of Baking Soda.

4. Add Urea water to thin paste until desired consistency is achieved. I usually add 2 TBSP of urea water
(Urea water is 2 quarts water with 9 TBSP Urea)

5. Paint your fabric! 
(keep using your gloves- always use your gloves!)

6. When dry, either steam your fabric for 30 minutes, or batch it- cover/seal your fabric in plastic wrap and place it in the sun or a warm place for 24 hr+. 

7. Wash out your fabric in water (with gloves again!)

To escape the cold during the winter months of North America, numerous varieties birds migrate to Latin and South America, finding shelter in shade-grown coffee plantations. Include in this immense journey are various warblers, tanagers, vireos, flycatchers, hawks and orioles among others.

Due to continual habitat loss, these birds rely on the forest-like structures of traditionally grown, shade-covered coffee. With this method, growers foster coffee plants along with other native foliage. These plants have various roles within the plantation ecosystem. Some such as Inga trees fix nitrogen, a vital plant nutrient, into the soil, and provide habitats for other organisms. Non-coffee plants can also provide benefits to the growers. Trees can be a source of firewood, and compost is a natural fertilizer.

Many of these benefits are not found in new methods of sun-grown coffee. These plantations focus only on growing coffee plants and require chemical additives such as synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. Because of the lack of biological diversity, these plantations are not suitable to harbor migrating birds.

The Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center, in addition to providing articles and slide shows of the information above, has created a certified seal for “Bird Friendly Coffee”. They have much, much more information on the subject, along with coffee vendors and retailers on their website. Go check it out- it’s pretty interesting and the topic for the next piece in the Bird Series.

 

"The Migraters"
Procion MX Dye on Kona Cotton
27 x 44 in.

"The Black Oil Seed Ground Feeders"

Repeating Two-Screen Screen Print
Hand-Painted Details

First Surface/Resist Dye project of the semester. We were required to take 2.5 yards of cloth and guide it through 4 dye/resist actions. 

1. Natural Black Bean Dye (the light blue/gray)
2. MX Navy with tied resists
3. MX Magenta with tied resists
4. MX Jet Black handpainting

90 x 43 in. 
Kona Cotton
Alum/Soy/Cream of Tartar Mordants
Black Bean Natural Dye
Procion Mx Dye

The fall semester is already proving to be busy-busy. (The first week kind of hit me like a sack of bricks) But I found some time to sneak in a little photo shoot and put some more work up on Etsy.

Expect lots of fibers and dye samples and experiments throughout the upcoming weeks. I already have a bunch to share.

I'm doing a series of mini social design classes for kids later this week at Ben's Jammin' Treasures in Slingerlands, NY. My lesson's focused on screen printing as an outlet for raising awareness and funding local change. I'm excited and it should be a bunch of fun. 

The Albany Pine Bush is the subject of my demo. It's a inland pine barren- an ecosystem that relies on routine fires to control invasive species and support native fauna and flora.

A work in progress shot of a trade with Clara Bacou. 

Her work is fantastic- definitely check her out.

My boyfriend and some of our friends make music together. They've just released some acoustic jams (which they recorded and mixed themselves!). 

They're a bunch of fun, and produce some great work so go check them out! They also have a lot of BIG surprises for the near future. 

I got the opportunity to make some cover art for their work too. Always a bunch of fun. 

And I even had a little helper during my photoshoot.

There's already some softies and pin cushions listed and many more waiting to be photographed.