Jill Kelly & Friends Reunion
Eco-Printing on Silk Workshop

GET READY …

Get ready for some very special botanical magic!

In this workshop you will create 3 of your own eco-printed silk scarves. Keep one and give one as a gift, or keep them all for yourself 🙂

We’ll take a simple, no-fuss approach, so you’ll be able to easily continue eco-printing you own silk from home. I have found that silk is the easiest fibre to eco-print.

You will leave with instructions and information to continue your own research, as well as information for buying scarves, natural dyes, mordants and other equipment and materials.

SAFETY

Our approach to eco-printing will be safe and relatively non-toxic. All ‘cooking’ is done outside with plenty of fresh air.

There will be chemicals involved in the process. General health and safety around eco-printing will be discussed, and gloves will be provided for use when handling mordant and salt materials.

You will be handling dye blankets, with gloves provided to avoid stained hands.

Please wear closed, comfortable shoes and comfortable clothes that you don’t mind getting dirty. Bring a studio apron if you have one.

WHAT’S INCLUDED

All materials you need for this workshop are included in the Materials Fee you paid when you booked your workshop.

You will be given 3x habotai silk scarves to eco-print these with plant materials. You can include dyes, modifier dips and blankets. If you have not eco-printed before, or not worked with modifiers and blankets, we will discuss this at the beginning of out day.

Scarf size options for the day (subject to availability):

• 40cm x 156cm – 8mm Habotai silk; and/or
• 28cm x 180cm – 10mm Habotai silk

You will leave this workshop with your eco-printed scarves plus handouts with information, instructions and reference to buy materials to keep eco-printing from home.

WHAT TO BRING

Please bring your lunch, and a pen and journal or notebook for taking notes during the workshop (you will be leaving with handouts).

Please also bring a sense of curiosity and patience. The natural chemistry of the process is quite magical and can be very unpredictable. Sometimes the outcome you hope for will result in something very unexpected, and other times the unexpected yields the most exciting results.

Bring something to take your damp silks home in – an old towel will be perfect.

Plant materials* – I will have a range of locally collected plant material (seasons permitting) on hand for us all to work with:
– eucalyptus leaves
– bracken
– tibochina
– silky oak
– maple and liquid amber
– and more

Below are other leaves that I have had results with in the past*, but I may not be able to access for our workshop. If it is easy for you to bring some along on the day, that would be great:
– casurina
– maple and liquid amber
– coleus
– rose leaves
– grevillea
– bleeding heart leaves
– smokebush aka smoketree aka cotinus
– grape leaves
– citrus leaves
– kaffir lime leaves

And other leaves that students have had results from that could be good to bring, if you have easy access to them:
– mulberry
– passionfruit
– ginko
– croton
– old man’s beard aka Grandfathers beard aka Spanish moss
– rosemary
– fiddle fig
– geranium
– carob
– sweet potato
– Japanese maple
– Flame tree leaves
– blue quandong leaves

*Please note that there are no guarantees as to how any one plant will print in this process. There are many variables that work to influence the printed result, and we will discuss this early on our workshop day.

BUYING SCARF BLANKS

In addition to the scarves supplied for the workshop, I will be giving you handout information about what materials I use and buy, and where I buy from. That way you can buy your own silk blanks and natural dyes to keep exploring this medium at home in your own space.

If possible, I will have scarf blanks to buy on your workshop day. However, I can’t guarantee that I will have stock. Stock has been difficult to source throughout the year.

LUNCH & SNACKS

A light morning and afternoon tea (gluten free) is provided during this workshop. As is tea and coffee throughout the day.

Please bring your own lunch. You can drive into town to buy something during our lunch break, but parking can be difficult on weekends. There are places to buy lunch in town on your way in to the workshop.

The studio has a fridge, microwave and cutlery.

ARRIVE TIME

For each workshop I ask students to aim for 9:45 arrival so we can kick off at 10am sharp.

If you’re running late or get a little lost, please don’t stress, and please don’t rush to make up time. Drive safe! If you can give me a call on 0413 384 426 to let me know that would be great, and I’ll catch you up on anything you may have missed.

The studio is open from 9:30am each workshop morning. You are more than welcome to arrive earlier than 9:45. I know that its tricky to predict travel times when you’re coming from the Gold Coast or Brisbane. There is a comfy area to sit with a cuppa and browse books and magazines while I finish getting the studio ready for our workshop.