If you want help with an event that doesn’t cost the earth, literally, cat can act to organise, supply, decorate and commemorate any special day.
With my extensive know-how and knowledge on all things eco, sustainable and waste free, i can sort your invites, gifts, tableware, clothing, activities, art and decor so you can relax knowing your environmental impact has been minimal, hopefully positive!
weddings
baby celebrations
corporate events
birthdays
fundraisers
An evening illustrated talk and demonstration showing the ingredients and methods I use in making my plant-based inks.
I’ll be making inks live using specially selected teas from the Waterloo collection – you’ll be able to sip, watch and also have a chance to play and draw onto postcards with the tea based colours, which you can buy on the night to take home.
Saturday 29th June
5.30 – 7.30pm
Waterloo Tea, Lakeside, Cardiff
Book now – limited places. Adults and kids over 12. No experience needed only an inquisitive nature!
Friday March 1st #stdavidsday I’m having a Stock and Sample clearance sale at ColourField studio. I’m cleaning up, having a sort out for a new year. There’ll be bargains and all sorts for sale. Vintage textiles, hand-dyed and printed pieces and garments, also loose dyes to buy if you bring a container, tools and whatever else i find I no longer need. 
This is my favourite time of year because not only is it my birthday month but it’s harvest time: nuts, corn, berries, turning leaves: all so vital to my work and also a reminder of the changing seasons and that it’s time to prepare for the coming winter. 
The acorn is a favourite of mine – such a pretty little thing that’s so full of magic.
A fairy hat or cup, a potential tree, a source of food and it’s also full of colour… go for a walk and gather.
I love to dye with acorns – they are full of tannin so using them on cotton is easy and it’s colourfast. You can also dye first in acorn and then colour with another plant dye to achieve a stronger faster shade. An acorn dye bath is not that exciting – it turns out a kind of stripy-beige. BUT, the moment your acorn-dyed cloth comes in contact with rusted iron, magic happens! That dull off-brown changes into a pale blue-grey and then a deep inky blue black… it’s amazing to watch. 
Acorn colour – neat and with iron
An iron solution sounds complicated- but it’s not. All you need is a few old rusty objects, white or apple vinegar, water and a week or so. That’s it! I have a big jar always on the go that i just top up routinely.
On to the dye…
Acorn Dye with Iron
*500g acorns per 100g fabric
*Natural fibre cloth: ie cotton, silk or wool that has been washed without any fabric softener
*Pre-made rusted iron solution
Fill a large pot with water and acorns. You will want enough water to cover your fabric and allow it to move freely. Heat the water and acorns on a light simmer for 1-2 hours to extract the tannin colour. Leave overnight if you can. Strain.
Fill another pot with iron solution and enough water to cover fabric. This will be what you dip your cloth in after dyeing.
Wet your fabric and squeeze out excess. Add to the dye vat. Lower the temperature and heat for 20-45 minutes. Remove, allow it to drip and then add it gently to the iron solution pot. Let it sit for 10 minutes. Remove from the iron solution and see if the shade is to your liking. At this point, you can alternate between the acorn dye and iron in 5 minutes intervals to deepen the colour to black.
Once the fabric is dyed, squeeze excess dye out and hang dry for 1 hour. Then, wash in cool water with natural soap to remove any lingering dye and dry. All done!
This is where we will post our latest info, new products, things we like, stuff we find interesting.
Like this:California’s Fibreshed wool and clothing project.
I met these lovely people at the recent Making Futures conference in Plymouth, where I spoke about making ink with locally sourced materials, to be used in a digital printer.
They were inspirational… could we start one here in Wales…? Maybe the new St Fagan’s National History Museum Gweithdy could be the place.
ColourField Natural Textiles 