Dyeing and Tying

For the last little while I’ve been dyeing and tying. Probably the first image that danced through your head as you read “dyeing and tying” were images of Grateful Dead t-shirts on aging hippies, but this is a little different. I will admit it is still a bit of a crunchy, earth-loving  endeavor but with a rather nice product at the end.

I have been toying with the idea of either starting an on-line store or possibly doing a few markets. I love natural dyeing but felt I wanted to offer a range of naturally dyed items rather than just scarves or a few art pieces. The idea of naturally dyed bracelets seemed like a fun item to try.

I have been natural dyeing heavy cotton thread. Some of the dyes are from natural dye suppliers, such as the madder and cutch dyes that I am using. Other dye materials I have been growing (marigold) or finding in ditches (goldenrod). I like the concept of natural dyes compared to that of using chemicals to dye with; to me, natural makes sense.

I have been using the dyed threads to tie bracelets. Essentially the bracelets consist of hundreds of little knots. The pattern and color combinations are endless, making it so easy to create a one-of-a-kind handcrafted bracelet every time.

I have also been incorporating glass beads into the bracelets for a little sparkle, as well as utilizing repurposed buttons and wooden beads. I feel using repurposed buttons and beads along with the naturally dyed threads really supports the “green” concept of the bracelets. I love the idea of wearing something that is NOT mass-produced, that is one-of-a-kind, and is made by real hands.

I plan to spend the next few weeks tying, trying new color combinations and patterns, and adding new embellishments. I also need to come up with a child-friendly version as my three-year old keeps asking “Mommy you make me one?”.

I will update my website www.thehuntergroup.ca and my Facebook pages ( Hunter Photographics & Studio H ) with my progress of setting up an on-line store and any markets I may participate in. I am looking forward to creating an affordable, naturally dyed product….an easy way for anyone to wear something “green”.