For our September meeting, Linda Rudkin talked to the group about “colours from nature”. After she retired as an English teacher Linda visited the Bayeux Tapestry and was amazed by the soft rich vibrant colours bearing in mind the age of the embroidery. She soon realised at that time they only had plants to use for dyes so she started researching the topic and created a number of display boards. She produced a board for each plant showing the dyeing samples for wools, cottons & silks. In addition to varying the materials and threads, she used different mordents (fixing agents). Having produced 62 different display boards, publishers A & C Black commissioned her to write a book. The natural dyes included white & red onion, carrot tops, blackberries, coreopsis, comfrey and wode which she grows from seed. She only dyes what she can get in a saucepan and has found that the colours mellow with age. Fresh, frozen or dried plants can be used so she can work when convenient.
Linda explained the dyeing procedure and ended her talk by showing us various pictures some of which had been quilted and embroidered, and cushion covers which she had made.
We did enjoy your talk, Linda and a group of us look forward to attending your workshop on Tuesday to learn how to pound and trap flowers.
Our next meeting will be at 14:00 on Monday 7 October when we will be holding our AGM and Guild member Christine Seager’s talk will be entitled “It’s not enough to make a blouse!” Doors open at 13:30.
Ros
Ros