The Big Reveal

I couldn't wait! Between the storms, high humidity and constant dampness, the restrained dried paper that had been made in the pour vat a few days ago and dried in the sun before it was put next to fans in the wet studio was STILL not completely dry.  So I decided to peek.  To my suprise, not only had the burlap coffee bag fibers and seams embossed the flax paper, the red, green and blue printing on the bag had transferred to the paper.

Handmade Overbeaten Flax Paper Embossed with Burlap (paper on pellon felt on left, burlap on right)

Handmade Overbeaten Flax Paper Embossed with Burlap (detail)

Overbeaten Flax Papers and Abaca Paper Final Drying on Felts

Overbeaten Flax Papers Awaiting Stitching and Dyeing

 

Overbeaten abaca and flax with burlap bag inclusions

At this point, I am hesitant and a bit skittish about taking the plunge and dyeing the paper.  Maybe I'll only work with one of the sheets and see what happens. Although one flax sheet has both embossing and printing, the other sheet of flax did not have the printed side of the burlap bag facing the wet sheet of paper while drying.  It has wonderful marks, but no color.  I'll start there.

Exploring Indigo & Walnut Dye with Potato Dextrin Resist on Handmade Paper

 I love indigo and walnut dye!  The walnut dye was made from walnuts collected at the home of textile artist, Pat Vivod's, garden a few moons ago when I was working on my research, "Handmade Paper from the Crops of Madison County" at SIUE in 2004-2005. Stored in plastic containers in the basement pantry, the dye has stayed as fresh as the day it was boiled and strained.

Since my indigo vat is set up in my art classroom down in Oakville, MO, I am using the vat at SIUE to dye my paper. The photo (above) was taken during my research of one of the crop fibers alone without sizing.  Since the paper was not strong enough by itself, a screen was used to support the paper during the dyeing process. The abaca and kozo paper that I am currently using is so strong that I can dye, crush, paint with potato dextrin, dye again and wash it multiple times.

Indigo & Walnut Dyed and Embossed Handmade Abaca and Kozo Paper with Ketene Dimmer Sizing Added to Vat When Pulling Sheets of Paper

More Handmade Paper Possibilities with Kozo Amate Layers

Vintage Family Photos Printed on Pellon Soaked in Bubble Jet Set, Dried and Pigmented Before Printing; Flax Pants Paper Beater Test Samples on Left

Walnut Dye and Gelatin Sizing Over Drawings with Potato Dextrin on Vat Sized Abaca & Kozo Paper

Walnut Dye and Gelatin Sizing over Indigo Dyed Paper (top left); Indigo and Gelatin Sizing (bottom left); Walnut Dye and Gelatin Sizing over Dried Potato Dextrin Drawings - All Abaca & Kozo Handmade Paper with Ketene Dimer Sizing Added to Vat

Pulped Pants

I first wore these linen pants to my daughter, Betsy's, undergrad graduation from Florida Gulf Coast University a few years ago.  Now that I am 14 pounds lighter, the pants were either going to Goodwill or the studio. 

After cutting up the linen with a roto cutter and putting it in the critter (hollander beater), 1/2 pound of abaca was added to get things moving.  Test sheets have been made at 2 and 3 hours.  At 3 hours, the pulp still wants to clump up after moving freely for no more than 10 minutes.  The bottom layer of pulp moves, but there is a top layer that wants to stop and just float.  Looking forward to tomorrow's tests.