Deconstructed Screen Printing with Natural Dyes and Stencils!

Materials List: 

Silk Screens

Squeegee for Silk Screen

Stencils

Natural Dye Extracts

Gum Tragacanth Binder

Containers to hold natural dye extracts/binder I used paper cups.

Plastic Spoons

Newspaper

Masking Tape

Fabric or Watercolor Papers

Products Used:

Black Birds in Tree Inverse Stencil

Links:

How-to make the Gum Tragacanth Binder Video

I am here today to show you how to use stencils with a silk screen and natural dyes for screen printing.

Instructions:

Mix up Gum Tragacanth with Natural Dye Extracts; see video for specific amounts and mixing instructions.  I made a little card with the names of the extracts I was working with and daubed a bit of the color next to each name, for future projects.

The Natural Dye Extracts blended with the Gum Tragacanth are now ready for printing!

Most silk screens won’t be the same size as your stencil, however, I have an easy fix for this problem.   Measure your screen and your stencil and then block off the required space for your stencil by taping news print to the FRONT of your silk screen.  Then tape your stencil to the front of the screen making sure to overlap the stencil onto the newsprint.

Blocked off silk screen, as seen from the front.

Blocked off silk screen as seen from the back.

Black Birds in Tree Inverse taped to the FRONT of the silk screen.

Place your natural dye binder medium onto the screen, towards the edge, this is known as “the well”.  Using your squeegee pull the medium in a firm manner across the screen, once you have reached the other side, pull the medium back towards yourself, do this several times adding more of the natural dye binder medium if needed until the color on the screen looks even.

Gently lift up the silk screen from your substrate, I used 300# cold press watercolor paper for this sample.

For this sample I used the same stencil and screen to print the image onto cochineal dyed cotton fabric that I had surfaced using my hand and earth pigments and fabric paint.

Printing onto cochineal dyed cotton fabric.

If you wish for your fabric images to be free of bumps, etc., tape the fabric to your surface to keep it from moving, etc., while printing.  I prefer an organic and whimsical look and therefore don’t tape my fabric to my table.

Deconstructed Screen Printing with Madder Lac Extract

Madder lac screen printed onto compost dyed cotton fabric.

Madder lac screen printed onto indigo mono printed cotton fabrics that was dyed with tannin, learn more in my eBook Mark Making with Nature!

Extreme Hearts the Beginning

Constructed cloth with silk throwster's waste dyed 
Cochineal, madder, and lac dyes.

WIP - Greg with More Beads

Greg is in a holding pattern now, I added some 13/0 delica's to her eyebrow section and then put her aside so I can work on a couple of other projects.  The last bit I want to work on, on this piece, is to take the trim out further, more fringe like. 

Old Dye Bath

It's really old, as in several years old old!!!  Yes it smells and yes that's fabric in the dyebath, which I believe is madder root.

Shimmering Light

Like columns of shimmering light! 

I will be setting up dyepots this evening and cannot wait to dye more of this!  John's vacation starts tomorrow and I have him home to help me, and to paint the house, for the next two weeks. First up is to take all of the pastel silks, I dyed with exhaust baths, and turn them into dark rich lucious colors like the ones in the photo above.  Out with pastels in with yummy!

WIP- Hoodoos

A new piece for my canyonlands series.

Madder lac on silk fabric, wool batting, cotton backing, machine stitched. 
Approximately 12'x14"

New Work Coming Soon!

Digitally printed silk organza overlaying a piece of logwood purple dyed silk organza, the small red strip of fabric on top is madder lac dyed silk organza net.

Corn No. 53

Corn No. 53 - Madder Root dyed cotton fabric, cochineal dyed silk organza net. Machine stitched.

WIP - Corn No. 52

Corn No. 52 (Eclipse) - Getting closer to done!

WIP - Corn No. 52

Corn No. 52 (Eclipse) - Almost there, just a bit more to do!

WIP - Corn No.'s 51 and 52

Corn No. 51 (That was then.)

Corn No. 52 (Eclipse) ~ It has been awhile since I've worked in the horizontal plane. Right now I'm taking a break from the sewing machine so I my eyes can relax a bit.

Corn Silk Project

Sample that I made several years ago from constructed cloth and osage orange dyed silk organza.

Auditioning fabrics for the corn silk piece, osage orange to the far left, madder root in the center, and compost dyed to the right, silk fabrics.

18x45ish inches silk chiffon that has been compost dyed.

Studio Redux 061411

The excitement and anticipation is starting to set in, I cannot wait to work in my new studio space!  John is retrofiting an old book shelf to fit it's new space, then we will move three bookshelves into the new space and a final bookshelf will be retrofitted for the space.  I wasn't sure as to how I'd fit everything into the space but with the two bookshelves being rehabbed it'll work!  Photos on Thursday.

Until then my madder root dye bath, that I have been ignoring and horribly so had the good graces to turn red yesterday so tomorrow it's off to wet studio and will be dyeing a variety of fabrics.

Mad about Madder Root e-Class

Mad about Madder Root e-Class Starts Tomorrow at the Natural Surface Network.

If the PP button doesn't take you to the payment page please email me prairiefibers@hotmail.com and I will send you an invoice for the class. ~ Kimberly

Mad about Madder Root Natural Dye e-Class

Class starts tomorrow June 3rd!  Membership at the Natural Surface Network is required.  Cost is $30.00 (USD)  This class is a self directed class. 

 

Once you are enrolled in the class you will have access to video, instructions, etc. I will check the classroom daily for questions.



Mad about Madder Root e-Class

Available June 1st, 2011 a self directed e-Class dedicated to dyeing with Madder Root. Cost $30 USD

In this class students will learn how to use a traditional madder root vat to create a range of colors on silk and wool fabrics, ranging from deep scarlet to brilliant orange and everything in between. This class is self directed which allows students to work at their own pace.

Membership at the Natural Surface "IS" required and pre-payment is required before accessing class information.

Class will formally open June 1st, 2011 (12:00am CST that's Iowa)

Mad About Madder Root e-Class

Available June 1st, 2011 a self directed e-Class dedicated to dyeing with Madder Root. Cost $30 USD

In this class students will learn how to use a traditional madder root vat to create a range of colors on silk and wool fabrics, ranging from deep scarlet to brilliant orange and everything in between. This class is self directed which allows students to work at their own pace.

Membership at the Natural Surface "IS" required and pre-payment is required before accessing class information.  Class will formally open June 1st, 2011 (12:00am CST that's Iowa)



Crow Work Finished

Crow work finished and awaiting it's niche.

WIP - Crow

Natural Dyed Cotton Fabric -Madder Root and Cutch on Natural Muslin.  Mordant - Alum Tannin Alum.
Timtex Core.  Machine Stitched, Hand Beaded, Glass and Natural Mineral Beads, Bone Pipes.
Still needs hand stitching, I will work on that tomorrow.
8x6 inches.