I grew up in a football/baseball kind of family and when I was a really small child, I pieced together that football season meant autumn—fall. Huge colorful mums. Brisk nights. Loud, overwhelming crowds in bleachers full of crazy fans.
Baseball season meant the advent of summer. And summer vacation meant, more than anything, a return to the woods. Looking back on this the education I value the most came during the summers, during my forays into “the woods”, for the the woods shared secrets, shaped my world view, my understanding of time and space, my awareness of “self” in the big picture. My understanding of “seasons.”
Now, surely, I’m in the mellowed, fine-wine season of my own life. My life-in-autumn phase, a vital time, replete with the bounty of nature, a return to the woods and to the joys of eco printing.
following thread 
I know I’ve said this before, but it bears repeating: you pull the most amazingly intense colors from the land. What a treat for the eye.
I wonder if you have done any linen dyeing? Or cotton muslin?
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Hi Liz. Glad to see you here. Yes, I do dye on natural cellulose fabrics. In fact most all of my clothing has been fiddled with one way or another. For me personally I love the soft muted tones of natural dye on cellulose. Eco printing has become somewhat of a life-line for me. I’m passionate about the process and about staying within the bounds of sustainable/non-synthetic practices. I love the results…thrill at the un-bundling…am stimulated with the problem-solving aspect when I get something I don’t expect…which is often! And I won’t say “more importantly”, but nevertheless “importantly,” eco printing has become my main income source–and to that end I pay attention to what customers respond to. Thus I tend to stick with silk as it’s quite easy to print. I guess I’m fortunate to have found this process…it affords me a living wage and satisfies my need to create beauty. Right now I’m doing about 10 shows a year and teaching at several different venues. And I still love every bit of it. May it remain so! (And btw, the next time I hear s.s. referred to as an entitlement, I just may go crazy!)
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good to see you and your beautiful work Patricia!
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Hi Mo! You really wouldn’t believe how long it took me to figure out how to enable comments. I was almost ready to email you for help I kept thinking I could be printing…but glad I hung with it. Pennant is coming along! and thank you for your kind words!
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Beautiful economic printing. Love the scarves.
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Thank you, Diane! I’ve never thought about this in terms of “economic printing.” Would love to have you elaborate if you’re so inclined!
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Holy Smokes how did you get he golden background?
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Mordanted with t.o. Then dipped in oak gall before printing. No other dyes used!
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That top one…so alive!!
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Wow…. this gold is absolutely delicious! Beautiful colors!
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