Onions in the Pot
The other day I was at the stove, stirring the boiling pearl onions I needed for my balsamic braised chicken. As I stirred, I noticed that the water had taken on a gorgeous russet color.
I dashed upstairs to my studio, grabbed a piece of PFD cloth, and stuffed it into a plastic bowl,
I kept the cloth in the water overnight, where it cooled and became
viola, a piece of "eco-dyed" cloth!
After rinsing it's not as vibrant as it once was, but I still love the variations in color, with the splotches and dots strewn about the surface. Who knew? Well actually, I've since learned that onion skins are frequently used to dye cloth and Easter eggs.... but for me it was a fun discovery.
I'm so excited by the possibilities of combining two of my loves -- food and fabric -- that I went on-line to buy India Flint's Eco-Colour book to keep handy in my kitchen. Who knows what I'll do next? (I'm thinking it might involve blueberries.....)
I dashed upstairs to my studio, grabbed a piece of PFD cloth, and stuffed it into a plastic bowl,
just in time to drain the water from the onions. (Here's my in-the-sink-draining set-up.)
I kept the cloth in the water overnight, where it cooled and became
viola, a piece of "eco-dyed" cloth!
After rinsing it's not as vibrant as it once was, but I still love the variations in color, with the splotches and dots strewn about the surface. Who knew? Well actually, I've since learned that onion skins are frequently used to dye cloth and Easter eggs.... but for me it was a fun discovery.
I'm so excited by the possibilities of combining two of my loves -- food and fabric -- that I went on-line to buy India Flint's Eco-Colour book to keep handy in my kitchen. Who knows what I'll do next? (I'm thinking it might involve blueberries.....)
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