Lichen Hunting

Today while I passed time until my fiddle lesson, I took a walk in a near by cemetrary. 

It was the perfect kind of day for it, as it was damp outside.  

For 25 minutes I stared at a few tombstones with dozens of different lichens growing. 

Some were tiny and some out stretched. 

Some over lapping. 

It was glorious.

I can't quite tell you how much I love and adore lichens. 

For so many reasons. 

I'm so inarticulate most of the time and all I can say is I love lichens.

For the past day and a half, I've been checking the mail about a dozen times as a very special tool is arriving soon. 

The one and only,

Brodo's Lichens of North American.

An encyclopedia size book with keys that will help me identify my finds. 

Next on the list, is a microscope.

“I find myself inspecting little granules as it were on the bark of trees little shields or apothecia springing from a thallus such is the mood of my mind and I call it studying…"
~ Thoreau

Peaks Island Plant Dye Workshop Series; Summer 2014

{It's a cutting it a little close} 

But- this Saturday marks the beginning of 

my plant dye workshop series here on Peaks Island!

Just 2 miles out in the Casco Bay from Portland, Maine. 

Ferries run about every hour and it's very easy to get to. 

Join me in my back yard with my chickens and dye pots 

for some dyeing adventures. 

My home and outdoor workshop is just a 5 minute walk from the ferry so no car is needed. 

In each workshop, materials will be provided,

you'll receive 5 hours of instruction

and enjoy a delicious organic home cooked meal from one of my favorite recipes

which we'll enjoy on my porch with a breezy view of the water.

And you'll come away with a ton of skills, knowledge, dyed samples, 

and a full belly.

For further questions or to reserve your spot for any of the workshops

send me an email at:

44clovers@gmail.com

and I'll send you further info including directions and info about the ferry. 

First up:

:: Under the Rainbow :: 

Saturday July 19th

10:30am-4:30pm

{ferry from portland-9:15am. ferry from peaks- 5pm}

Plant dying for the true blue beginner. We’ll learn the basics of preparing plant dye pigment powders with safe habits, experiment with color blending, and go over equipment and materials. You’ll come away with a ton of techniques and tricks to apply in your own dyeing. 

Materials and delicious home-cooked lunch included. 

$125

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:: Mermaid Threads :: 

Sunday August 10th, 

10:30am-4:30pm

{ferry from portland-9:15am. ferry from peaks- 5pm}

Plant dyeing for fabric and garments. Bring 3-4 white/ light colored natural fiber garments or fabric bits. We’ll use a variety of plant dyes like indigo, madder root, onion skins, and a few others to add new life to your pieces! We’ll go over equipment, safe practices, where you can purchase dye materials, and how to care for your newly dyed pieces.

Dyes and a delicious home-cooked lunch included. 

$125

************************************************************

:: Foraging for Color :: 

Sunday August 31st 

10:30am-4:30pm 

{ferry from portland-9:15am. ferry from peaks- 5pm}

Have you ever looked at a plant and wondered if a dye lived inside? I’ll get you jump started into the world of exploring your back yard and neighborhood for dyes. We’ll go over foraging within an ecological context, cook up test pots, go over handy equipment, and talk about safety habits. 

Materials and a delicious home-cooked lunch included.

$125

***************************************************

:: Lichen Magic:: 

Sunday September 7th 

10:30am-4:30pm

{ferry from portland-9:15am. ferry from peaks- 5pm}

  

 Lichens have been used for their dye properties for thousands of years. The colors that can come from lichens cover the rainbow spectrum! You’ll come away knowing at least 4 different types of dye lichens, a few good reference books to use, pigment testing methods, extraction methods, respectful collection methods, the 3 dye-prep methods, and even a little lichenology.

Materials and a delicious home-cooked lunch included.

$125 

Do email me if you have any questions about these workshops.

Hope to see you there!

ox, rachel

Bundles Galore; a short and sweet peak.

As a natural dyer, I have been crazy about exploring India Flint's concept of bundle dyeing. 

Her book Eco Color is a beautifully laid out example of how you can take almost anything and work it directly into cloth to create one of a kind, naturaly dyed fabrics.

The beauty of this technique is all in attitude of putting "whatever" into just a piece of cloth. 

Maybe you throw in a piece of metal you found in the road, or squeeze it with lemon or both.

My creative eye now sees all things natural as potential dye additives, mordants, pigment givers and more. 

I created about a 1/2 dozen bundles
while at our B&B in Mendoceno this past feburary.

I brought along 4 pieces of premordanted with alum silk fabric. 

I was most excited about the eucalyptus I'd find. 

I found some all right, but I didn't get the results I was expecting. 

After being home for a bit I contiuned to build and add to these pieces of cloth adding layers of pigments.

Here are some results below: (i went a bit crazy)

zinfendel oxalis with left over daffodils from a dye pot

started to bundle it here and un did some of it so I could add in the dried basil leaves neglected in their pot. 

I couldn't resist but to check on it every few days. 

I was really wanting to go the way of letting it dye slowly beacuse the idea of heating it up, I wasn't sure if any of the dye pigments would like the heat. So I experiemented with this first. 

Juicer bits like blood orange rind where so much fun to add! 

I thought I'd add some sea water to the mixture to see what would happen. 

finished and pressed

Eucalyptus from Mendocino

daffodils and iron nails

blood orange and red kale stems

LOVE these earthy colors with the pink and pops of forest green!

baby eucalyptus leaves..

fun dots!

layered over some purple flowers tree blossoms.

small ferns near the American River

Love the patterns it left

One of my favorite surprises. 

pattern created by rusty iron nails and vinegar.

looks like a man with a staff or walking stick. 

And mountains in the back ground.

More earthy pink pigments. 

Really fun experimenting with. 

Now that flowers are starting to bloom, I'll be keeping my eyes out for when the blossom is just about to pass on. Then I'll snip it off and wrap it in some cloth and wait. 

little grape hyacinths are next on my list. 

ox, rachel