Nik, your paper and fabric turned out beautifully! The Alum treatment is the mordant part. When you use vinegar or lemon juice it changes the pH to "acidic" and the dye released will be a certain color. If you add baking soda to the water the pH changes to "basic" and the dye released may be a different color. Red cabbage is a dramatic example of the changes you can get with certain additives. Look up organic dyeing with red cabbage.
I enjoyed the video. I watched your eco-dying tutorial many times. Alum worked for me. I modified your recipe by using bottled water (my water is too hard) and roasting the papers in the oven v simmering on the stovetop. I pour boiling water + alum over the papers in a covered aluminum roasting pan and roast it for an hour. The water continues to boil in the oven. I got great results with our ferns, lilac leaves (not flowers), birch leaves, rose petals, and marigold flowers. It is chemistry, so experimentation is required to see how each plant behaves. It’s a lot of fun.
Best tip of the day is knowing i can freeze the leaves until I’m ready to use them. I have a collection of frozen avocado peels and seeds in the freezer door, guess I can find room for a small flat container for leaves too. Thanks! And hope you continue to recover! Jan
Hello Nik, I'm so sorry that you've been sick. I pray that you never have to be ill ever again. I hate to hear of anyone being ill much less someone as young as you are. Okay maybe you're not a teenager, but still far too young to be dealing with what you have been. I'm not ever going to get the chance to try any of these eco prints, but I always enjoy seeing the results that others have done. I'd gladly buy just copies of them if I could and I'd be happy 😊. I pray that you are extremely better from now on. Take care young lady and God bless you and yours. Sincerely Becky B from Arkansas
thanks, Miss B 😊 I am feeling better from this last bout, alas wellness is a temporary thing. But, that's okay. We just keep swimming, right? ;) Big bear hugs to you!
LOVE this! So many different ways to do it. My sister's fern "farm" will not be safe! Also, a coupla "glug glugs" is an acceptable measurement. I'm sure it was used in 18th century cookbooks!
Nik, I just watched a video where an artist used black paper as a dye to make what he calls “X-ray” paper. He also used a binding technique I don’t recall ever seeing. He used scraps for all but the book pages. His channel is Arteo Mixed Media Art and he is in Italy. Speaks perfect English. The X-ray video is his most recent. Over the years, I’ve recommended you many times. I thought I’d recommend someone to you. Ciao! 👵🏻
Beautiful prints! I've been doing botanical printing on fabric for a couple years and recently moved to paper. Then wondered what to do with paper. That's when I found junk journaling and your channel! I get so excited when you upload a new video. Thanks so much for all your hard work and sharing it with us. My favorite printing leaves are rose, smoke bush, chestnut (buckeye), and maple. I live in Canada and I'm super jealous of all the exotic leaves other people around the world get to print with.
Yes, cotinus is one of my favourites and prints a strong blue as do Japanese maple. Rose leaves, wild raspberry and liquidambar will give lovely spotted pinks. I recently discovered American chestnut her in Denmark and the serrated edges lend a dramatic print with used with basic mordants
My favorite so far was a purple basil..(not a red freddie) and it turned my yarn like this grey purple color. It was stunning. Another is goldenrod. Normally I don't love yellow but it was quite nice. I like using plants I use for food or medicine..that way it's kind of layered into my shawls, paper or whatever so I can enjoy them in the winter when there's three feet of snow outside💚
Love all of the papers. The very light fern imprint looks like a fossil in a rock, so cool. The fabric is to die for. Thanks for sharing and explaining. Feel better 🤎
These are gorgeous!!! With the notecards, I think a slightly smaller folded sheet of plain paper sewn into the center of the card would look awesome. And by sewn, I mean either with a standard type junk journal stitch or even using a sewing machine down the center. Can’t wait to see what you do with these.
Thanks for the hints. I love that you help us not to overspend, but still have the joy of the craft. Due to trigger finger, and a contracture problem, I have not been able to use my right hand for crafting for a year. Two surgeries later and I will soon be back in my little happy room. YEAH ! I use the time watching your videos to do my hand exercises.
It's all gorgeous! I love the half sheets, they look like photo negatives. And the fabric! Yum! Great job! I have dyed paper with a few different things, but haven't tried botanical. I must, I really must! You have inspired me!
OMGoodness!!! Nik those turned out fantabulous!!! I totally agree that some didn't do as well but still pretty and usable in their own right. And the cloth!!! I just can't say enough about it. I had to grab a napkin to wipe the drool. Thanks so much for sharing the papers and.cloth and hope you continue to get well. Looking forward to another mystery craft; hopefully soon-ish.
I wouldn't want to write on them because they are so beautiful! And the fabric, also awesome! I did something similar in watercolor class using watercolor on a parchment type paper. So glad you're feeling better. Glad you're back!
Beautiful results!!! Thanks for sharing your process & the variety of chemicals & methods you used! The over-night "wrap & rest" is something I will definitely try with my next batch! "Your milage will vary" always applies, of course, but younger, "softer" leaves & those without a "waxy" surface seem to print best for me. Hope you're feeling better soon!
Nik thanks for sharing your processes! Eco dying paper is one of my all time favorite things to do. I feel like a mad scientist lol!! I really like using impatiens bc of the watercolor effects I get. I’ve also found that arborvitae give a fantastic print. I’ve tried lots of different types of paper, even old book pages and the cheap mixed media paper gives the most consistent results, but half the fun for me is in the crazy experimentation. Even the ‘losers’ have their own charm. The addition of the foiling on the paper is not something I had thought of, so thank you for this great idea!! I did the heat sensitive foil for awhile and finally broke down and bought a glimmer machine. You can bet that I will be using it on my botanical prints :)
Thanks Nik! Love the papers! I was doing flower pressing! I really want to do the papers! Will give it a shot! Thanks for sharing! Hope your 100% soon! 🤗👍
Wow! Great video! I love the pages with added color. So much of the techniques used are ones I used back in the day to naturally dye wool yarn and fleece. Thank you again!
I follow the same method for dyeing that you described in the first part of the video, minus the tea…we’ve had the best results with it. The papers are so beautiful, it’s hard to know what to use them for! I had been thinking of using a small piece for lining a piece of leather to make a travelers’ journal style book..so I could enjoy it through multiple refills 😂
I wish there was an “outfit” (sounds like something Nik might say) that YT channel owners could recommend buying from that isn’t working towards intergalactic domination. In this case, maybe your local plant store for alum? (I don’t know.)
I've been hoping for this kind of video done by you, and my wish came true! :) Thank you. :) Your prints are all really beautiful! I need to find a large pot, second hand, first before I start...I think... at least with alum, or with vinegar too? Even if I only use natural dyeing products (like tea, onion skins and so on...)?
hi michelle! you will get more consistent results with alum, iron and tannin-rich botanicals. I've gotten decent results, as you can see, with vinegar/tea combo, but even then, I put rusty bits in the simmer pot.
What did you use to transfer the images onto the fabric??? I'd love to try that!! Assuming you washed the 100% cotton first (muslin maybe)? You clearly laid the fabric out ( not stacked unless you did 2 levels). Would really love to know what you used & the process. Thank you so much for sharing this with us!!
heya! if you look under the video, there's a link to a playlist. One is a quick process video of a piece of fabric I did last year. Its not comprehensive, but might answer some of your questions. :)
good morning! I have papers I printed from several years ago that look the same as when I printed them. I would think anything exposed to direct sun would fade, but that would be expected as most things would! The prints on fabric I've done has also remained in good condition, but I have not tested any with frequent washings.
Man I would LOVE to do this but sadly there is almost zero tree diversity where I live. Basically there are ONLY cedar trees and live oak that have tiny simple leaves. 😢 I would have to search out some other area to steal leaves from. Maybe a park or something. The cedars were brought in decades and decades ago and ended up doing the opposite from what they were brought in to do. They also became an incredible invasive species that proliferates quickly and chokes out other trees. 😭
I was thinking of trying holly and since it's kind of thick I thought it might be hard to print with. Do you think a real light sanding might help with getting the color for the print?
that is a great question, Lori 🤔 I am not sure what kind of tannins are in holly. Maybe a sanding and a long soak? if you test it out, I'd be curious to know!
Usually it's the thin leaves that leave a print. I've experimented with thicker more waxy leaves with not much success. But you never know until you try! Maybe using them as a resist will come out pretty!
So sorry to hear you were sick. Good to see you back. Thanks for your videos.
Nik, your paper and fabric turned out beautifully! The Alum treatment is the mordant part. When you use vinegar or lemon juice it changes the pH to "acidic" and the dye released will be a certain color. If you add baking soda to the water the pH changes to "basic" and the dye released may be a different color. Red cabbage is a dramatic example of the changes you can get with certain additives. Look up organic dyeing with red cabbage.
Each piece is BEAUTIFUL!! And finally a good use for Virginia Creeper!! 😁😁😁😅😅😅
Beautiful tanks you idée 😍
Hope you start to feel better soon Nik 💕
Loved everyone one of them! Glad you are feeling better.
I love that you did some with vinegar and tea, so we can give it a try without having to buy fancy “chemicals”.
I enjoyed the video. I watched your eco-dying tutorial many times. Alum worked for me. I modified your recipe by using bottled water (my water is too hard) and roasting the papers in the oven v simmering on the stovetop. I pour boiling water + alum over the papers in a covered aluminum roasting pan and roast it for an hour. The water continues to boil in the oven. I got great results with our ferns, lilac leaves (not flowers), birch leaves, rose petals, and marigold flowers. It is chemistry, so experimentation is required to see how each plant behaves. It’s a lot of fun.
Best tip of the day is knowing i can freeze the leaves until I’m ready to use them. I have a collection of frozen avocado peels and seeds in the freezer door, guess I can find room for a small flat container for leaves too.
Thanks! And hope you continue to recover!
Jan
Awesome!
They are all gorgeous,tyfs!
Amazing!
Learned a lot from this great video! Thanks!
Super cool prints Nik...as always~a great video!!
They are so beautiful
Love them... Thx 🙏 for sharing your experience & glad you are doing bedda... Stay safe 📌 & BEE 🐝 healthy... xo 🎶
Thank you for sharing Nik! Beautiful results !!
Hello Nik, I'm so sorry that you've been sick. I pray that you never have to be ill ever again. I hate to hear of anyone being ill much less someone as young as you are. Okay maybe you're not a teenager, but still far too young to be dealing with what you have been. I'm not ever going to get the chance to try any of these eco prints, but I always enjoy seeing the results that others have done. I'd gladly buy just copies of them if I could and I'd be happy 😊. I pray that you are extremely better from now on. Take care young lady and God bless you and yours. Sincerely Becky B from Arkansas
thanks, Miss B 😊 I am feeling better from this last bout, alas wellness is a temporary thing. But, that's okay. We just keep swimming, right? ;) Big bear hugs to you!
@@NiktheBooksmith Big bear Hugs 🤗🤗 right back at ya young lady. God bless you. Becky B
That fabric would make a beautiful table runner!
LOVE this! So many different ways to do it. My sister's fern "farm" will not be safe! Also, a coupla "glug glugs" is an acceptable measurement. I'm sure it was used in 18th century cookbooks!
It’s so nice to see you and your beautiful work. I’m so glad that you’re feeling better ❤️
Ngl, I love the last batch. (of the full size sheets)
Nik, I just watched a video where an artist used black paper as a dye to make what he calls “X-ray” paper. He also used a binding technique I don’t recall ever seeing. He used scraps for all but the book pages. His channel is Arteo Mixed Media Art and he is in Italy. Speaks perfect English. The X-ray video is his most recent. Over the years, I’ve recommended you many times. I thought I’d recommend someone to you. Ciao! 👵🏻
😂…”a couple of glugs”…exactly how I cook! 😆 Thanks for sharing; enjoyed it. 💚
Thank you so much for this informative video. I haven’t tried eco-dying yet, but you made it seem doable for me. I appreciate it!
This is so beautiful, thank you!
So many great tips!! Never thought to freeze leaves?!
Beautiful prints! I've been doing botanical printing on fabric for a couple years and recently moved to paper. Then wondered what to do with paper. That's when I found junk journaling and your channel! I get so excited when you upload a new video. Thanks so much for all your hard work and sharing it with us. My favorite printing leaves are rose, smoke bush, chestnut (buckeye), and maple. I live in Canada and I'm super jealous of all the exotic leaves other people around the world get to print with.
Yes, cotinus is one of my favourites and prints a strong blue as do Japanese maple. Rose leaves, wild raspberry and liquidambar will give lovely spotted pinks. I recently discovered American chestnut her in Denmark and the serrated edges lend a dramatic print with used with basic mordants
My favorite so far was a purple basil..(not a red freddie) and it turned my yarn like this grey purple color. It was stunning. Another is goldenrod. Normally I don't love yellow but it was quite nice. I like using plants I use for food or medicine..that way it's kind of layered into my shawls, paper or whatever so I can enjoy them in the winter when there's three feet of snow outside💚
Really cool Nik! Love it!
terrific prints!
You”re back!,,,
Miracle Max's pill must've worked, time to storm the castle! 😄
Wow they look beautiful. The fabric looks like you bought. Thanks for sharing 😍🌴💕
I lived in Ohio for the last 15 years, I need to go back and get some buckeye leaves! Beautiful
Love all of the papers. The very light fern imprint looks like a fossil in a rock, so cool. The fabric is to die for. Thanks for sharing and explaining. Feel better 🤎
These are gorgeous!!! With the notecards, I think a slightly smaller folded sheet of plain paper sewn into the center of the card would look awesome. And by sewn, I mean either with a standard type junk journal stitch or even using a sewing machine down the center. Can’t wait to see what you do with these.
Thanks for the hints. I love that you help us not to overspend, but still have the joy of the craft. Due to trigger finger, and a contracture problem, I have not been able to use my right hand for crafting for a year. Two surgeries later and I will soon be back in my little happy room. YEAH ! I use the time watching your videos to do my hand exercises.
Oh! Nic ,this is so beautiful. I just love it!
It's all gorgeous! I love the half sheets, they look like photo negatives. And the fabric! Yum! Great job! I have dyed paper with a few different things, but haven't tried botanical. I must, I really must! You have inspired me!
These print are so very pretty!
Thanks for all of the detailed info. I can’t wait to try some of your methods. Your results are gorgeous and. Your cards are just beautiful. 🤗🇨🇦🤗
very helpful. thank you for making the video.
They are absolutely beautiful!!
OMGoodness!!! Nik those turned out fantabulous!!! I totally agree that some didn't do as well but still pretty and usable in their own right. And the cloth!!! I just can't say enough about it. I had to grab a napkin to wipe the drool. Thanks so much for sharing the papers and.cloth and hope you continue to get well. Looking forward to another mystery craft; hopefully soon-ish.
They turned out so pretty!! Thanks for sharing, Love eco printing!!
Love, love, love! The fabric is extraordinary!
Stunningly beautiful!
I wouldn't want to write on them because they are so beautiful! And the fabric, also awesome! I did something similar in watercolor class using watercolor on a parchment type paper. So glad you're feeling better. Glad you're back!
Beautiful results!!! Thanks for sharing your process & the variety of chemicals & methods you used! The over-night "wrap & rest" is something I will definitely try with my next batch! "Your milage will vary" always applies, of course, but younger, "softer" leaves & those without a "waxy" surface seem to print best for me. Hope you're feeling better soon!
Wonderful job Nik 👏
thank you Nik for your explanations - your prints came out beautiful - its time for me to give this a try - hope you are doing better - be well xx
Beautiful! Especially the fabric. Thanks for sharing your techniques.
Hey, Nik!!! Glad you are well enough to be back on you tube!!! Happy to see results of eco-printing!!! Sending hugs & love to feel better!!! ♥️♥️♥️
Very interesting, thanks,
Nik thanks for sharing your processes! Eco dying paper is one of my all time favorite things to do. I feel like a mad scientist lol!! I really like using impatiens bc of the watercolor effects I get. I’ve also found that arborvitae give a fantastic print. I’ve tried lots of different types of paper, even old book pages and the cheap mixed media paper gives the most consistent results, but half the fun for me is in the crazy experimentation. Even the ‘losers’ have their own charm. The addition of the foiling on the paper is not something I had thought of, so thank you for this great idea!! I did the heat sensitive foil for awhile and finally broke down and bought a glimmer machine. You can bet that I will be using it on my botanical prints :)
Just amazing!!
Very nice outcome! Gorgeous 😍
Beautiful! Thanks for all this information.👏👏😁
Thank you for sharing 😊
Those papers are gorgeous! You do an amazing job! Thank you for the video!!
, ., ,? Thanks 5 6oopo
.
Just beautiful what a job, I think if you scan and sell the printable I’ll love getting some.
Elm tree leaves do well too
Thanks Nik! Love the papers! I was doing flower pressing! I really want to do the papers! Will give it a shot! Thanks for sharing! Hope your 100% soon! 🤗👍
You're almost at 100k subs! These are beautiful prints.
Too many varied techniques for me to keep track of. But thanks for sharing all of this! And they turned out great!👍🌞❤️
Wow! Great video! I love the pages with added color. So much of the techniques used are ones I used back in the day to naturally dye wool yarn and fleece. Thank you again!
I follow the same method for dyeing that you described in the first part of the video, minus the tea…we’ve had the best results with it. The papers are so beautiful, it’s hard to know what to use them for! I had been thinking of using a small piece for lining a piece of leather to make a travelers’ journal style book..so I could enjoy it through multiple refills 😂
Wow! Great job, Nik! Will you put (some of) these up on Etsy? 🥰😘🤩
I love these prints...wish you would scan them and sell them in packets ...would buy in a heartbeat!..
I wish there was an “outfit” (sounds like something Nik might say) that YT channel owners could recommend buying from that isn’t working towards intergalactic domination. In this case, maybe your local plant store for alum? (I don’t know.)
I first coloured my white paper with a wet teabag or coloured tea water then did a gelprint with leaves on the paper
Uhmmm can you scan the half sheets and make printables?!?!?! Those are BEAUTIFUL I’m obsessed
Maybe I’ve been watching too many episodes of Stranger Things but at 12:18 I see a face…. Love all the papers!
I've been hoping for this kind of video done by you, and my wish came true! :) Thank you. :)
Your prints are all really beautiful!
I need to find a large pot, second hand, first before I start...I think... at least with alum, or with vinegar too? Even if I only use natural dyeing products (like tea, onion skins and so on...)?
do you have to use alum or rusting stuff? Can you just use the hot water and vinegar and the tea?
hi michelle! you will get more consistent results with alum, iron and tannin-rich botanicals. I've gotten decent results, as you can see, with vinegar/tea combo, but even then, I put rusty bits in the simmer pot.
Would you consider making digitals? I love these !
hi Laura! I haven't checked to see if they'll scan well, but I shall do that!
Hi Nik were the leaves fresh or were they dried before you placed them between the paper?
hi Karen! The leaves were either fresh or had been frozen/thawed. I do have some dried around here, but didn't use them this time.
@@NiktheBooksmith Thank you Nik, I have some nice leafy plants I might try in my garden (Aussie so will need to experiment)😄
What did you use to transfer the images onto the fabric??? I'd love to try that!! Assuming you washed the 100% cotton first (muslin maybe)?
You clearly laid the fabric out ( not stacked unless you did 2 levels). Would really love to know what you used & the process. Thank you so much for sharing this with us!!
heya! if you look under the video, there's a link to a playlist. One is a quick process video of a piece of fabric I did last year. Its not comprehensive, but might answer some of your questions. :)
@@NiktheBooksmith Thank you Nik!!❤️
Do you know how colour fast the prints end up being? They are beautiful
good morning! I have papers I printed from several years ago that look the same as when I printed them. I would think anything exposed to direct sun would fade, but that would be expected as most things would! The prints on fabric I've done has also remained in good condition, but I have not tested any with frequent washings.
💜💜💜
Man I would LOVE to do this but sadly there is almost zero tree diversity where I live. Basically there are ONLY cedar trees and live oak that have tiny simple leaves. 😢 I would have to search out some other area to steal leaves from. Maybe a park or something. The cedars were brought in decades and decades ago and ended up doing the opposite from what they were brought in to do. They also became an incredible invasive species that proliferates quickly and chokes out other trees. 😭
I was thinking of trying holly and since it's kind of thick I thought it might be hard to print with. Do you think a real light sanding might help with getting the color for the print?
that is a great question, Lori 🤔 I am not sure what kind of tannins are in holly. Maybe a sanding and a long soak? if you test it out, I'd be curious to know!
@@NiktheBooksmith I will. It might make great Christmas cards.
Usually it's the thin leaves that leave a print. I've experimented with thicker more waxy leaves with not much success. But you never know until you try! Maybe using them as a resist will come out pretty!
Umm. 20 minutes of finger wiggle, looks a nice idea, where is the technique video?
👍👍👍💕💕💕🇩🇰
Really confusing