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Variety of soaking pots to extract different plant dyes 
Marigolds soaking in a dyeing pot 
The entire printing process from drawing, carving to painting 
Sample of hand carved painted botanicals 
Silk scarf sample from blood root plant locally foraged 
Closeup of hand carved unpainted botanical 
Reveal of the linoleum print 
Finished folded neckerchief 
Neckerchief stylishly worn
Please enjoy a look into the silk dying process. Silk is dyed using plants I grow or collect. Some flowers I source from local farmers or from sustainable traditional natural dye suppliers. The dyestuff is simmered in a pot to extract the color. I add the fibers once a saturated color has been extracted. When I like the color of the silk, I take it out of the water, rinse it and let it dry. Sometimes I have ideas already of what I want to print on the silk, but other times, I let the color of the finished silk inform the motif.
While the silk is drying, I draw onto the linoleum and then carve with my tools. Linoleum blocks are a softer choice versus using blocks of wood. (aka wood block carving which is more commonly known)..during “the reveal” I take a closer look at the print. It is a carving of a butterfly bush which I will print onto a piece of hand dyed silk. I print everything by hand one by one. The last image shows each stage of the printing process from the original drawing of the motif, the block I carved and the hand dyed silk that has been printed with the motif. After motif is printed onto the scarf I let it cure which takes some time. Then I iron, trim and pick the right thread for hemming.
Final photo of a custom 21×21 neckerchief.
To see more of my work visit my Spectrum Online store page.
–Mallorey Caron
