motainai dyeing

second extraction, this time using the hot water-kneading japanese method. could not bring myself to open the tap (yes it has a tap!) and dispensing the liquid as there was dye . added the second water and dunked the linen knit which had been  mordanted in alum-tannin- alum and then wound shibori like to a plastic rope.

the color is a bit darker than in the photo and also duller, not as clear as the first water.this will be dipped a couple more times to develop the color.

neki desu
 

of murasakizome

japanese say that alcohol extraction is no good, that it doesn't give good color,but i guess it's they way they have to save their tradition.

as i don't have a murasakizome tradition i allow myself to take the shortcut.and i am pleased with the results.

 here's the stainless vat, which btw it's performing very well.remember i bought a beermaking vat? not exactly this one ,but close.
i can dye now in my bathroom!! looking forward to starting an indigo vat . you set the temp  and time and the vat keeps them.rejoice,rejoice i can dye in the winter.

but back to murasakizome.the outcome of the first waters.

alum cot mordant on silk, bottled water because i have been lazy and haven't tested the water here.

it's close to hon murasaki 

hon-murasaki (true-purple) #65318e and i am super chuffed with it.
until now i had just been able to get fuji murasaki and then shifting the blues by adding an acid.

neki desu
 

a tale

how the two and a half hour dress became a three day dress.
because ofthe sleeve bands that i wanted to coordinate with the hem and pockets.
ended up giving up.will have to live with it as is.
 gosh,those langelook dresses always look enormous.







neki desu
 

and the beat goes on and on and on

disclaimer:this was not a dye factory, it was where the extracted ore was processed.

happy to have visited it in fukiya japan.my photos here.

have a good weekend.




neki desu
 

i am a weaver too

although very little weaving content lately i do weave  (＾∇＾).
this one is rocking. a beautifully tensioned warp weaving effortlessly and progressing at a good rate as the oranges are appearing in front of the reed.the merino cashmere weft yarn is a dream to work with.
it is a long warp so it will take time.thinking about lading some bengara on the white parts to keep on with the latest craze.





neki desu
 

knitting

finished. another long rectangle this one linen .
english rib  wet finished  and blocked.thinking about  putting the bengara to work.




neki desu
 

and now on fabric

using a scrap of linen from the will be dress.a bit of embellishing, a lot of stamping  and a light wash of bengara to mute the pink.

read on a japanese page that a small operation that sells  a prepared concoction uses something 

qualified as latex. then you have to iron the cloth to fix the pigment.maybe they use that because soy milk is short lived, but i used soy milk and it works very well. i mean that's what's used traditionally.

this is a wrecked piece of knitted linen and it took very well.

less arty photo showing the first coat. i gave it two to even out the lighter spots.

going back to the latex addition i don't see why not use gac 900  which is universally used by surface design artists and quilters.

neki desu