Eco Dyeing & Rusting Results, plus plus plus

I couldn't wait any longer to unroll my rusting silk.

Above is my first piece.

You can clearly see the re-bar that the silk was wrapped around,

plus the lines (white) from the cotton twine that tied the little packet.

While I'm not thrilled with this result, 

I learned a lot -

and that is the point of all of this - right?

right!

What did thrill me, however, was this:

this was another small packet of silk

that I wrapped around pvc pipe over a year ago.

I never even moistened it!

I found it the other day in my project box,

and decided right then and there to stick it in my rusting dye bath.

Can you see the faint leaf in the lower center of the photo?

It's a River Birch leaf.

Here's another shot of yet more leaves:

these leaves are running horizontally -

do you see them?

There were also impatiens in this bundle -

I think they made the black spots,

but I'm not sure.

Anyway, I decided to memorialize this first batch of

eco dyeing by making a small wallhanging from the silk.

I remembered that Jane LaFazio

had a great tutorial about 

free motion quilting your sketchbook designs,

so I decided that is how I would begin!

Of course, I was relying totally upon memory of her tute

and didn't think to go back and watch it again - until later!

(please note I didn't follow her excellent tutorial exactly.)

So I grabbed several river birch leaves from our patio,

and sketched one

then I carved a stamp from the sketch

next I stamped several of the leaves on tracing paper

I cut out one leaf and carefully free-motioned stitched it

to the back of my piece  ('quilt' top & batting) 

-this is a trial 'scrap' piece, not the silk eco print-

notice: your bobbin thread is going to be on the top of your finished piece!

and voila: my free motion quilted river birch leaf!

I used a heavy silk thread in my bobbin,

so it almost has the effect of hand embroidery.

I will tackle my eco dyed River Birch leaves next -

but that's another post on another day!

peace