More leaf studies and a different type of leaf prints

I enjoyed making the little leaf studies so much last week that I made a few more. I got out a few of my hand carved stamps, some hand dyed fabric and did some prints.

Then pieced some borders and now I've got nine.

I've decided to stop making them and actually finish them. The three on the left now have embroidered leaves, but that's as far as I got.

I got a bit side tracked trying some eco printing/botanical printing. Even though I've dyed fabric for over twenty years, I've always avoided natural dying. My rational was I didn't need to add more chemicals to my studio. I finally succumbed to the allure of natural prints. Right now I'm working mainly on watercolor paper although a piece of silk noil did get tossed in. Here are yesterdays results.

The papers and silk were first soaked in an alum solution, the leaves were dipped in an iron solution and everything was bundled together and steamed for two hours. As I'm writing this I have another bundle steaming, this time the leaves were dipped into a copper solution, and more silk pieces were added. I'll know in about an hour how they turned out.

I keep trying to use up all my fabric and yet I signed up for a monthly mailing of sari silk fat quarters  from Darn Good Yarn. Today I got my first shipment and I'm quite pleased, not only did I get the four fat quarters but included was a sample of some sari yarn. Not that I needed any, I still have leftovers form the daily stitching I did a few years ago that used sari silk.

I have an idea floating around in my mind on how to use these, but it's not fully formed yet.

Weekly Stitching
Signs of Life:The five universal shapes
wk#37
more french knots

2017 Daily Stitching #2 days 94-100

French knots here also and more background

I'll be linking up with "Off the Wall Friday" and "Slow Sunday Stitching"