Dyeing silks and things in the microwave

I had some fun experimenting this last week dyeing various items in the microwave. I use Dupont silk dyes for all my dyeing projects and these are steamed fixed in a pressure cooker which can take up to an hour plus the use of water to rinse. Some time back I learnt that you could fix dyes in the microwave… but I was reluctant to try not being a fan of microwaves anyway.
However… having seen another textile artist posting gorgeous pieces on Facebook and learning that she had fixed them in the microwave, I vowed to try the very next day. A bit of googling and I found some basic instructions which I followed. This was not enough for my enquiring mind though. I wanted to test other materials that I had previously steam fixed successfully. Continue reading Dyeing silks and things in the microwave

Natures Jewels.

I absolutely love this time of year when natures jewels are ripe and ready for picking. Elderberries, blackberries and rowan mountain ash all grow nearby where I live so I am super lucky to have these to forage. I don’t think I have missed more than a handful of years since being a small child to pick blackberries. It’s almost a ritual. I think perhaps bordering on addictive. Who can resist those juicy black berries. One for me and one for the bucket! Risking brambles and nettles to reach the prize. Continue reading Natures Jewels.

Back to Dingle

Last week we managed to take a few days away and headed for the ancient lands in the Dingle peninsula. The Kingdom of Kerry is steeped in traditions and culture, history and folklore with a landscape to match. We booked four nights at the Rainbow Hostel, a lovely rural setting surrounded by fields of yellow flag irises and bounding lambs. Continue reading Back to Dingle

Mermaids Purse

Earlier this year while wandering the beaches nearby, I came across an unusually large number of Mermaids Purses in various colours and shapes, some I had never seen before. These curious flotsam that wash up on the tide are the egg cases of sharks, ray, dogfish and other similar sea beings and yet they conjure up something more mystical, magical and altogether more charming. Continue reading Mermaids Purse