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Ecoprint

This document provides instructions for eco printing on fabric using natural dyes from plant materials like leaves. It describes eco printing as a form of natural dyeing where colors are transferred to fabric by steaming or boiling plant materials. The instructions include laying leaves out on fabric, wrapping them tightly, then steaming the bundle for 1.5 hours to transfer the dye. Black walnut leaves produced the strongest prints initially, but using an iron modifier with cotton fabric yielded even bolder results. The document encourages experimenting with different plant materials and gives tips for stronger dye transfers to fabric.

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thread baba
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4K views5 pages

Ecoprint

This document provides instructions for eco printing on fabric using natural dyes from plant materials like leaves. It describes eco printing as a form of natural dyeing where colors are transferred to fabric by steaming or boiling plant materials. The instructions include laying leaves out on fabric, wrapping them tightly, then steaming the bundle for 1.5 hours to transfer the dye. Black walnut leaves produced the strongest prints initially, but using an iron modifier with cotton fabric yielded even bolder results. The document encourages experimenting with different plant materials and gives tips for stronger dye transfers to fabric.

Uploaded by

thread baba
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
  • Introduction
  • Step 1: Supplies
  • Step 2: Lay Out Your Leaves
  • Step 3: First Eco Dyeing Experiment
  • Step 4: Second Eco Dyeing Experiment
  • Results and Usage

instructables

ECO PRINTING on Silk and Cotton Fabric

by fiberartsy

Eco Printing - A Beginner's Tutorial by natural dyeing where the colors from plant material
[Link] are transferred to paper or fabric via steaming or
boiling. (If anyone out there has a better definition, by
all means let me know).

SAFETY NOTE: Even tho it’s called ‘Natural


What is Eco Printing? Dyeing’ and ‘Eco Printing’, beware that some
substances used can be very toxic.
The way I understand it, Eco Printing is a form of

ECO PRINTING on Silk and Cotton Fabric: Page 1


Step 1: Supplies:

– Fabric s.a. Cotton or White Silk Chiffon

– Various Leaves

– PVC Pipe or Dowel Rod

– Old Roaster Pan

– Stove or Portable Burner (so you can do this outside)

ECO PRINTING on Silk and Cotton Fabric: Page 2


Step 2: Lay Out Your Leaves:

I used what leaves I have available in the yard: black result. Next, I wrapped a cotton string around the
walnut, red maple, green maple, cleome, croton and package, again very tightly to make sure there is
redbud. Lay them out on your fabric. good contact between the fabric and the leaves for
printing.
I folded the other half of the chiffon over the leaves
and rolled the whole thing, very tightly onto a piece of I steamed the bundle over plain water for about 1 1/2
pvc pipe. You can use a dowel, stick or even a piece hours. Let this cool completely and left the bundle to
of pipe for this. set overnight. The longer the better but I don’t have
the patience to wait. It’s too much fun opening it up to
see what you got!
Note: depending on what metal the pipe is, it may act
as a mordant s.a. a copper pipe which will alter the

Not surprisingly, the black walnut leaves printed the href="[Link]


best. Black walnut contains its own mordant yarn-with-black-walnuts-update/">dyed some yarn
(tannin??) and is washfast and colorfast. Here’s how I with black walnuts.

Step 3: Here Was My First Eco Dyeing Experiment.

I printed the leaves on silk chiffon fabric. The red maple leaves left a pale but very pretty lavender/lilac colored
print.

As you can see, the prints are fairly light. My second experiment yielded stronger prints.

ECO PRINTING on Silk and Cotton Fabric: Page 3


Step 4: Here Was My Second Eco Dyeing Experiment.

The second time, I used the same types of leaves A friend gave me some eucalyptus leaves so that'll be
(red maple, black walnut, etc.) but I dipped them in an my next eco printing experiment. Give it a try!
Iron Modifier first. I also used cotton fabric instead of
silk. Enjoy,
Annette
(Here's how to make the Iron Modifier - at bottom of [Link]
post)
See the full step by step tutorial at [Link]
Using an iron modifier made the prints much stronger
and bolder.

ECO PRINTING on Silk and Cotton Fabric: Page 4


I like the results :) What do you think you'll use the fabric for?

ECO PRINTING on Silk and Cotton Fabric: Page 5

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