Simple Cloth

You may well have come across Jane Dunnewold's book, Complex Cloth, which describes many different ways of making marks on fabric, combining several layers of surface design to make the 'complex' cloth for which she is, quite rightly, famed. I taught a workshop on dyeing last weekend, and had a very happy time with my students, making simple cloth. Or is it?

Well, yes it is. It's very simple to make. The techniques are simple. Relax, scrunch (or fold), pour, rinse, wash. How easy is that! It's the results that are complex. I know a lot of people who avoid dyeing because they think it's too hard for them to learn. I'm here to say, it's easy. And fun. I warned the class to wear old clothes, but particularly enjoyed the lovely lady who modelled a binbag in place of an apron. We decided that the black bin liners with the drawstrings would probably be the couture model, a touch of the Vivienne Westwoods, methinks!

Meanwhile, thanks to Kitty Johnstone for letting me share images of the cloth she made at the workshop on Saturday. And thanks to all the students, I don't know about you, but I had fun!