first post and maple leaves

So happy to start my blog. I am addicted to natural dyeing. 
The first post will be dedicated to the maple leaf. I had so much fun gathering them last autumn.

This is an example of eco- printing with maple leaves. The t shirt was prepared with alum and a tea dye bath.
Tea is full of tannins and this helps to prepare the cotton to absorb dye from plants. 

The tea already gave plenty of colour and this turned out a bit brown/beige. 

I then simmered the t shirt in a madder dye bath changing the colour to a lovely pink. I rolled  maple leaves and other plant bits in the fabric and steamed it.

I am impressed with the colour and the print I got from dark red maple leaves.

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