dyeing | Beth Emmott

This is the archive for the ‘dyeing’ Category

Scotland

September 20th, 2019

It was a whirl wind tour of Scotland. Starting in Queesnferry so Bob could finally see one of his favorite bridges, the Forth Bridge, and a bus into Edinburgh to visit Dovecot Studio.

Visit for each of us!

Then Skye—staying in Elgol for a boat trip and small hike to Loch Coruisk in the Cuillin Hills and in Dunvegan with hikes at Quiraing, and Neist Point.

Hikes in Skye

After Skye, up the west coast staying at Inverkirkaig—hiked a bit—very windy—and found the most wonderful bookstore/cafe, then across the top to the ferry to Orkney.

Orkney: Ring of Brodgar at dusk, Skara Brae, the sun came out as we bought our tickets, sheep, wool and dye sheds, a tapestry gallery, a scotch distillery, and more wind. I love wind, but this wind could, under certain circumstances, drive one mad. For us, in our short time, it was part of the adventure.

5000 year old Neolithic sites.

Ferry back and down the east coast and into Glendevon for a great dinner, another short hike and then the plane from Edinburgh. All I can say is WOW! Around every corner—more beautiful than the last—WOW, food and people—WOW, history, geology—WOW!

Beauty whether you look up or down

We had never been to Scotland and wanted to get an overview, seeing as much as possible in the two weeks we had. Bob did wonderfully driving on a different side of the road and on the many two way but one lane roads—with sheep on them! (There were signs.) He also researched and booked all our accommodations and to a one they were great! Three hotels and the rest B&Bs.

Cattle grids in the roads kept the sheep in their area but not off the roads.
Some were very cheeky and would play “I dare you”…

We didn’t seek out castles but they were everywhere.

Had to take at least one castle picture!

Didn’t hear a bagpipe but saw several guys in kilts. Stayed away from tourist sites as much as possible. Scotland is a very contemporary country and while I did want to see the Neolithic sites in Orkney I also wanted to experience Scotland today as much as possible in our short time.

Some how as I planned out our trip with post-its of where we would stay and what we wanted to see, I still thought we’d have time to hike every day and sit and sketch, and just feel where we were. Time doesn’t stretch that way so only a couple of quick sketches (one done in the car) and a few rather short hikes, but lots and lots of images and now that I’m home I wake up at 4:30-5:00 and hit the studio—so excited to download my brain into studies and paintings and spin the wool that I bought and just digest.

Not squares

July 17th, 2019

Last week I was invited to join my friend, Jane, at Needlers Camp—a group of women who meet to share their fiber projects, good food and good company. They meet during the year but one week in summer they meet every morning and call it camp! So many talented people, so many inspiring projects, so much skill and love of their work. I was asked to bring my “Stitches, not Words” project, “Fiber Book” and “Bridges” project for show and tell.

Not squares.

I wanted to take something to work on but the bridges project is solitary as I need it to speak to me for direction so I need something else. When I was finishing “Stitches not Words” I had made one base that had been dyed with madder in addition to the rust and tea that the others had been. I had grown the madder and harvested it a number of years ago.
The piece is rectangular (9.25″ x 7.5″) and assembled in triangles, not squares. I wanted to stitch on it in triangles and add some text. I have some ideas but will wait and see what it says it needs.
So that’s what I worked on while having a lovely morning chatting and nibbling away. Thank you Jane and thank you Needlers!

Dyeing Tests

April 1st, 2018

I have been exploring natural dyes with my Harrisville Koehler Yarn to use in mixed bundles for my tapestry. These small balls were dyed with madder, and iron & black tea.

Samples of dyeing with madder, and with rusty iron and tea

The one on the upper right is just iron and tea in a jar left to set for days. The others use madder from a plant I grew and harvested years ago. The top left ball is pre mordanted with alum and a bit of cream of tarter – the lower left was a mixture of iron, tea, and madder all together, the lower right was pre mordanted with alum, then soaked in the just the tea/iron mix for days and then into the madder dye overnight.

I’m not going for exact dye recipes as I did years ago but rather letting the magic take me where it does. And it is magic!!!

Time Takes its Toll

March 6th, 2018

Imperfect Gallery had a exhibition “An All Women Show” and I wasn’t going to enter as I have a problem with being labeled a “Woman Artist” I am a woman and I am an artist but while each influences the other, I don’t feel they define each other. But as it got closer I decided to get over my self and enter as I really like supporting this small wonderful gallery that is doing so much for my neighborhood.

I had dyed this camisole previously and had been thinking how to display it. It developed from my rusty dyeing for stitches project but while I really liked it it did not stand on its own. I liked the references to time and decay that the dyeing with metal gears gave and wanted to develop that theme. After applying it to a distressed canvas with bits from old linen formal napkins that had belonged to my grandmother, I added the clock gears and hands – they had belonged to my grandfather. These references to family history, for me, added to the sense of time and things lost.

I got it just in the nick of time and was glad I entered.

“Time Takes its Toll”

I’m pleased with how it turned out and would eventually like to show it along side pieces from my “Stitches, not Words” project.

Rusty Bits on Paper

April 28th, 2017

Continued to work with Rusty Bits. Balancing the amount of tea and the effect of the various rusty bits. Have some wonderful diagonals from Jay and some wonderfully round rusty bolts from a pier in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia… I like the fact that I know where the bits came from and that they represent experiences and interactions to me.

Print from Rusty Bits and morning tea bag.

This piece has more textures than some and has wonderful fine lines which are more easly seen in the larger view.

Will post some more in the future. I love the fact that while I can adjust the tea and rust—even the type of paper makes a difference—the result is a wonderful surprise! I’m working on some stitched fabric that I can try with this—printing the rusty patterns after the stitching.

Rusty Bit from Walk in the Woods

March 27th, 2017

Found a rusty bit yesterday during our walk in the Wissahocken. Lying there in the mud it had been flattened and at first I thought it was a bit if twisted string but went back and sure enough it was a rusty bit!

Love the twists – perhaps some sort of hanger?

This am I used a piece of folded rough watercolor paper I had prepared to insert in a sketch book and layered my new Rusty Bit with my tea bag from breakfast!

How much fun is this!!!