Spring always brings some fascinating growths on our plum trees.
One morning I contemplated what might happen if I soaked and boiled some of the lichen and the used the resulting liquid to dye paper.
As soon as it began to heat up the smells transported me back 30 years to Koromatua, and memories of preparing natural materials for wool dyeing. They produce such rich aromas which I always loved.
One morning I contemplated what might happen if I soaked and boiled some of the lichen and the used the resulting liquid to dye paper.
As soon as it began to heat up the smells transported me back 30 years to Koromatua, and memories of preparing natural materials for wool dyeing. They produce such rich aromas which I always loved.
The resulting colour in the bottle was a rich golden orange which I hoped would transfer a similar shade to the paper. As with many natural dyes, this was not to be the outcome, but the paler gentle watercolour shade will still be useful.
My next experiment was with the boiled lichen. With this, I decided I would blitz it in the blender to see if it could be turned into a suitable pulp for making paper. Again, the outcome was not quite what I was expecting. The fibres did not break down completely and the pulp was very crumbly. However I drained it on a papermaking screen, couched it and put it on the press overnight.
The "paper" is a fascinating blend of autumn colours up close but a lovely rich earthy brown at a distance. (Yep, it does also look a bit like something you might find under your shoe if you don't watch where you are walking!)
The "paper" is a fascinating blend of autumn colours up close but a lovely rich earthy brown at a distance. (Yep, it does also look a bit like something you might find under your shoe if you don't watch where you are walking!)
Now I just need to think of something to make with it.
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