Yarnable Wednesday: Dyeing Eggs

eggs dyed with embroidery floss by Margarita

Although I am a Passover girl, I had to share these amazing egg dyeing techniques. I love Easter eggs, and to be honest, making them was a great delight when I was young. My grandparents celebrated Easter and I remember wearing the most ruffled dress imaginable, carrying my basket, and looking for eggs. I think they still have footage of me slipping and falling on my ruffle-butt undies, Mary Janes and lace-edged socks high in the air!

In the Passover Seder, an egg is placed on the Seder plate to represent the coming of spring and new life. We dyed those eggs as well (our own family tradition). Here's some terrific ways to snazz up your lawn or your Seder plate:

Eggs Dyed with Embroidery Floss

These eggs by Margarita on her Greek blog, Syntages...Apo Spiti, are so cool and they look like they've been resting in a nest of yarn! Follow the link to her blog to learn this technique. This is such a unique look, and a wonderful idea! I think I might try wrapping instead of cutting, or trying to make designs with the thread. I'm definitely inspired!

from the blog Syntages...Apo Spiti

Silk-Dyed Eggs

Sara from Ourbestbites.com posted this excellent idea of recycling silk ties and using them to dye eggs! It's so inventive, and you get the most beautiful patterns! Go here for the full tutorial.

Temporary Tattoo Eggs

Country Living just recently posted the idea of making your own temporary tattoos, which you can then apply to eggs. It's super sweet and sophisticated, for those who love a Victorian twist. Or any other images you can download!

Photo by Burcu Avsar

Happy Egg Dyeing!

Textile Tuesday: Blue & Red & John Robshaw

Pipal Indigo bedding set by John Robshaw Textiles

I cannot seem to get over this blue and red theme I have completely by accident with all our decor. Then I discovered John Robshaw Textiles. Now I think I'm lost to it. for some reason a lot of our artwork has blues and reds in it, and our couch is a chili pepper red leather. I've been looking for ways to add a light and airiness to this combo, because we've been pairing it with dark woods, and lots of ethnic touches, which can make it all seem very heavy. The lovely thing about John Robshaw Textiles is that they are ethnic, which I love, and block-printed with the daintiest designs. Can't you image a beautiful spring breeze blowing through the room?

1. Twine Light Indigo  2. Alahambre Coral  3. Algiers Lotus 4. Petra Cobalt
All block-printed by hand on linen by John Robshaw Textiles

I fully encourage you to read more about John's story, because he has traveled so many places and learned the various techniques you see in his shop. His description of block-printing is an obvious reflection of his passion for this art form:

"It's so simple and natural. You touch a woodblock to wet clay and then to the fabric. After the clay dries, you dip the cloth into the indigo vat and the clay stays on. One dip gives the fabric a sky-blue color, two dips and it deepens to cobalt, three dips and its a saturated midnight blue. Then the fabric is laid out to dry in the sun and later the clay is washed off. The dyer says the indigo vats are like a mistress because they need constant attention. I was completely fascinated by the dyeing and printing processes, as well as how the finished product is used. Textiles become intimate companions in daily life, whether as a pillow, bedcover or sarong." 

In addition to his block-printing, John Robshaw sells a collection of found objects, furniture, blankets, and pillows named "Souk". I absolutely adore this blanket, which is made from vintage fabrics collected from around the world.

Patched Coral Blanket & Euro by John Robshaw Textiles

It gets me in the mood to make some quilts of my own!

Art Collage

We had this nice big wall in our new living room that needed something on it. We also had more art than I knew what to do with. This is why I love the new fad of art collages. Who wants a boring wall filled with all images that look entirely the same? And who has that? The beauty of art collages is that just about anything can go up on the wall. Usually you get a quirky conversation piece that's a well-rounded representation of all your interests. This is nice because it combines the things I love with what Jason loves. What do you think?

I started by laying everything on the floor until I got an interesting collection of things and moved things around until it felt "right" or balanced. You don't have to do that. You can just take some nails to the wall and do whatever. Great, right?

I always try to add a little moment of surprise and humor in what I put up. Hence the little gnome. He moves to a new place every time we move. :)

Moving in to our new home has made me realize that it just isn't home until I've surrounded myself with art! Now back to sewing...