I have some purple/black bearded iris in a canning jar on the counter. They are beautiful- I "saved" them from the post office- with permission, of course!!! Their tall stalks had been broken and their blooms dragging in the mud. When I go back to the post office today, I am going to check and make sure none of the brilliant yellow ones have broken- or they will come home with me also!!! :>)
I noticed, as the day long blooms start to wither, they cry huge purple tears on the counter top.
I thought this might be a good opportunity to see how the blossoms might work as a dye. So, I dug up some felted wool, and put some spent blooms and the wool in water. The water turned a pretty shade of blue! In order to have the color set into the fabric, I thought I might try boiling it to see what happens.
The pretty blue, when boiled, turns the fabric to a not so attractive earthen shade of yellowish brown. Not quite the color I was looking for! I'll have to do a little reading on dying to see how to set color.
This morning, there was more iris 'blood' on the counter, so I grabbed a piece of watercolor paper, and my rubber gloves (iris blood stains), and started dabbing away on the paper with the limp bloom.
Now you see why things don't get done around here - I am SO easily distracted!!!
It actually turned out quite nicely-the photos don't quite do it justice. I'm thinking more "spoonflower" fabric with this one!!!
Try putting the paper under the jar with the flowers and see what it looks like when it just drips on the flowers! I wanna play too!!
ReplyDeleteBlessings~LillySue
P.S. My Iris's are still getting leaves poked up. I may have my own in a few weeks!
Sheesh...I meant, drips on the PAPER!! See, you got me flustered thinking of a new art form!
ReplyDeleteOOOOO...the watercolor paper looks so pretty with the iris dye on it. What a fun thing to do!
ReplyDeleteHow cool is that? Our irises will be blooming in another 2 weeks or so ... something to look forward to!
ReplyDeleteCoincidentally, the new Country Gardens Magazine came in the mail today and they have an article on bearded irises!!! Also, for Patty :>), a woman who gardens in her hypertufas!!!!
ReplyDeleteOh I gotta' run out and try to buy a copy of that magazine too! Loved your narrative on the iris painting, Lennie
ReplyDeleteI tried dying wool with blue iris one year, and got a very bright earthy yellow. Not quite what I had in mind. Your idea of putting it on paper is great, and it would make a beautiful fabric. Oh, and when I did dark red dahlias? Yellow.
ReplyDeleteLove how you think and your use of Iris 'tears'....well = too fabulous!
ReplyDeleteHave you been to Mrs. Thomas' Iris/peony garden out near where Pat S lives, any day now it should be raging...every color and variety of iris one could imagine!
Guess I'll have to check out Country Gardens Magazine :) thanks for heads up!
Creative and clever. And a beautiful outcome. Art from nature!
ReplyDeleteThe yellow ones don't 'paint' as well. The color is a barely there pale mustard yellow- just looks like a wet spot on the paper.
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