Too Good to Use? Exploring Eco Dyed Fabrics & Garden Plants

Have you been sitting on your creative projects?  Maybe you have tools, supplies, or even beautiful pieces you’ve already created, but you’re “saving them for best”? I know that feeling well and am there too!

Recently, I got all excited about starting some solar dyeing (which I am still going to do), but in the process, I almost forgot about the eco dyeing projects I had already worked on and the joy I found in creating them. 

Hand Dyed Fabric 

Do you have fabrics you’ve dyed that feel too good to use because the colors or patterns you created can’t be repeated? That’s exactly where I’m at. I have a box full of fabrics that I hold up and admire now and then, but I never use them in my creative projects… until now.

So in today’s Material Musings, we’ll:

• Explore some of my favorite past eco dyeing projects.
• Take a walk through the garden to identify potential plants for solar dyeing.
• Open up my stash of “saved” fabrics and bring out some stamps to play and experiment. 

It’s all about remembering the joy of creating, exploring what’s possible, and actually using what we make. Will you join me?

Join us on the FREE Tier Patreon for behind the scenes and early release content.

Join us for FREE on Patreon HERE 

Playing with Fabric - Having Fun!

 Playing with Fabric and Having Fun

Weekly Material Musings

With September moving fast, things are busy and so exciting  - I am in my fabric element! 

In Fodder School, I’m sharing my fabric lesson as the final teacher for Fodder School 4. All through September, you join me for a month of fabric play and creativity.  We have had so many gorgeous examples of how students have worked on their own fabric - it is wonderful to see how we can have the same instruction and create so many varied outcomes.  You can check them out on my Instagram Highlights

In the first part of the month we dive into ways to work with the fabric.  No experience is needed, just bring your curiosity!  If you’re already comfortable with fabric and mixed media, you’ll have plenty of room to add your own spice to the fodder we make together - in fact it is a must!  we focus on making our fabric fodder and seeing how many different ways we can make marks on the surface with the tools that we have.  I’ll guide you through ways I use my own stamps and stencils on fabric and we make a handmade stamp that you can keep using for future projects.

This month is extra special because I’ve collaborated with Fodder School and ArtFoamies to bring out my very own set of ArtFoamies! I share in a bonus lesson how I use my ArtFoamies on Fabric.   You can also explore my digital stamp sets in my Etsy store if you’d like even more creative tools - I have created a whole series of images that you can use in your creative projects.

ArtFoamies Variations

In the second half of September - which is fast approaching, we’ll take all of the fodder we’ve made and turn them into mini wall hangings, which you can hang as is or put in a frame.  They are also perfect for gifting, or simply adorning your creative space. You will have plenty of extra fabric fodder to keep experimenting in your other projects too - Wendy did a bonus video that shows us how to make a 'Side Kick Journal', which is so calling my name to be made from all of the fabric I have in my stash!  Susanna also shows us how she uses the ArtFoamies she designed in her projects on eco dyed fabric and watercolors.  Some great ideas to play around with.

Sunday Reflections & Material Musings

Sunday Reflections

Sundays are the perfect time to reflect on the week ahead, restore, and refresh your batteries. I’d love for you to join me in Material Musings each week, where I’ll share what fabric projects we’re working on next. It’s a gentle creative space to spark ideas, encourage your own practice, and remind you that making is meant to be joyful and part of your everyday activity.

Wherever you are at in your journey, come and join us and let us stitch, stamp, and play with all that delicious fabric we are sitting on!! 

Creating with Fabric in Fodder School 4 - My Lesson Approaches!!

 

What will you be doing in September?  Have you heard of Fodder School, why not come and check it out and I will share what I am doing as a teacher in Septembers Fodder School 4.

As the final teacher for Fodder School 4 you can come and join us for the whole of September watch the lessons and come away with an amazing aray of Fabric embellishments that you can use in your creative projects and we are going to have a fun time in the lessons that will last from the 1st until 30th September.

You will learn a range of different techniques that you can apply to Fabric. No previous experience is necessary but if you do have experience you can include your own spice to the fabric fodder we create.  We will be going through all the different techniques in the first part of the month to create our fodder - which will consist of painting on fabric, stamping & stenciling, doodling, layering, sewing and more - all that good stuff.

I will show you how I use my stamps and stencil on fabric, and we will create a small handmade stamp that you can use in all your future projects. 

I have also just collaborated with Fodder School and ArtFoamies and we have bought out my own set of ArtFoamies and I will be sharing some of the ways that I have used them.  You can check out my sets of Digital stamps on my Etsy Store

In the second part of September in Fodder School we will be taking all the Fodder we have created and use them to create mini wall hangings that you can hang or frame the choice is yours.  You will also have so much created fabric fodder that you will be able to use them on other projects as well.

Join us in Fodder School 4, all the lessons are self-contained and complete in themselves, and you will join a very supportive and encouraging group of creatives!

Before You go:

Check us out on Patreon for FREE

Managing Waste for Creative - Projects Material Musings

In this week’s Material Musings, I share some of the ways of incorporating fabric into mixed-media artwork. I use natural fibers alongside paper clay to create 3D sculptures and share some of the figures like “Stilt Walker’s Treasure” and “And Still I Rise.” Alongside experimenting with a self-made fibrous pulp, 

I also use natural dyes (henna, avocado, tea), and techniques include wax resist, stenciling, and bead embellishments. 

It has become increasingly important for me to consider sustainable sourcing for my supplies, and I experiment with techniques and recycling materials either from my own supplies or thrift stores and also revisit unfinished projects for renewed inspiration.

Before You Go....

Check out the FREE Mixed Media Art Tags Course

Doodling - Filling the Creative Well - Blog Series

 

Doodle Daily

Doodling might seem simple; it is something we often do without really thinking. When I used to have to sit in work meetings, I would have my note pad making marks in the margin. I also found myself doodling if on the phone to a friend - having a pen in your hand and a scrap of paper enables you to not only make the necessary notes for your understanding of what is being said, it can also help you process some of the thoughts that maybe going through your mind using mark-making.

Check out the video below for more examples

Doodling it holds amazing creative power. I now set aside time just to doodle or ‘mark making’ and in each of my art pieces there are aspects of doodling in the work.

What can you Try?

Start today with a pen and paper. Don’t worry about what you’ll draw. Begin with one line, then another. Let your pen dance freely. Make patterns, spirals, simple faces, or abstract textures. Doodling isn’t about the end result—it’s about the process.

Set a timer for five or ten minutes. Let yourself get lost in the motion. You might find that your mind relaxes, and your breathing slows, and you get totally caught up in the process.

Over time, regular doodling builds visual vocabulary. You’ll find motifs emerging that you can later use in larger work. Flowers, dots, arrows, waves—all unique to you.

Try doodling during a phone call or while you are listening to a podcast. Doodle in the margins of your journal. Let it become part of your daily practice. Don’t underestimate the power of something so small – it has a meditative feel about it that you can embrace.  Once you have mastered doodling on paper, try other material.  Below I doodle with fabric paints and stitching.

Takeaway Nuggets:

1. Doodling is a mindfulness practice disguised as play.
2. Tiny repeated acts of creativity build long-term confidence.

👇👇👇👇👇👇

Check out some of the free and paid resources below to enhance your creative journey 

Course Platform - there are a variety of FREE courses and resources for you to use in your creative practice.

FREE Tier - Patreon - I have a Free Tier on Patreon that has a selection of early release posts and monthly Digital Download Papers for you to use in your creative projects - Learn More Here

YouTube - Weekly Videos to encourage your creative practice, Slow stitching, art journaling and Artists chats - Learn More Here

Check out Filling the Creative Well which helps you establish your creative practice. In the course Filling the Creative Well, your journal is also a place to answer questions, encourage and motivate you, some days you need a reminder and so filling it with encouraging words so that you can come back to it, especially in those days where you are in a valley is really important. .

Making Zen Online Retreat - Check out the VIP Bonuses!!

Have you signed up Yet?

Just a reminder: the Making Zen Online Retreat, hosted by Kate at Zen Stitching, is returning 26th - 30th May 2025 - and it’s going to be a lot of fun

New to Making Zen?

If you haven’t joined us before, Making Zen is a free, five-day online retreat celebrating slow stitching, mindful making, and creative exploration. Over the course of the retreat, 32 amazing artists will each share a video workshop—free to watch for 24 hours—to spark your creativity and deepen your practice.

We will be diving into themes like:

 Coloring with fabric scraps
 Intuitive art-making
 Zero-waste stitching
 Botanically dyed pouches, stitched landscapes…… and so much more.

You’ll come away with mini projects to stitch, fresh techniques to try, and a deep sense of inspiration and calm. 

Get the VIP PASS and additional Bonus!

If you know that you already want to get the VIP Pass you will be offered a variety of bonuses from each teacher and you get the following:

$3,300.00+ worth of exclusive gifts, guides, extended workshops and resources to help you reignite your creativity!

  

This price is only available for a limited time! Normally $147.00—get it now for $97!

❤️ Early access to all 32 workshops (starting this week!) ❤️ Lifetime access so you can revisit and perfect your skills anytime ❤️ Gifts from our artists to inspire fresh ideas and projects ❤️ Daily live creativity sessions with Kate on Zoom ❤️ Transcripts + the Making Zen eBook to keep your focus sharp and your learning seamless There is an extra Bonus course from me Embellished & Stitched below if you use my link to purchase the VIP Pass (it will be no extra cost to you) !

I will be adding my Course Embellished & Stitched to the Bonus gift bag for all those who purchase the VIP Ticket using my link - you can check out the course (Value - $47) HERE

In the course Embellished & Stitched, I share different ways in which you can transform your stitched words into embellished designs with a variety of techniques and over an hour and a half of video content organized in short segments so you can jump in and out of an activity.  Once your purchase has been confirmed you will get access to the course! 

Looking forward to having you on the creative adventure!!

Before You Go

Have checked out the papers available on my Patreon.  From Free, $3, $10 and $15.  Join us on Patreon for FREE

Here are the papers that are available across the tiers that you can use in your art journals and creative projects.

Free Papers for May 2025

Fabric Art Journals - Material Musings

 

Here is Material Musings for this week. I have been slightly snowed under, but I wanted to get a start on the topic this month.

For May we will be looking at additional ways that you can work on the fabric in your journals if you make them and use some of the supplies that you may already have.

I will be sharing over the coming weeks the following, and anything else that I may have that can make marks on the fabric and create some unique and individual pieces for stitched projects:

• The use of Glitter on Fabric - Most of us have used glitter in the past, I am sure you have some lurking in one of those draws

• Derwent Inktense Pencils and Inktense Bars - these are two of my favorite supplies, they are highly pigmented and permanent once dry

• Neo Colors

• Gesso

If you would like to know more about the supplies, I have linked them so you can check them out. Essentially, I want you to try some of the supplies that you may not have thought of using and that you already have - experimenting and playing.

Did you miss last weeks Material Musings - check it out below:

Before You Go - Check out the Art Resource Hub and the FREE online classes we have available. Learn more HERE

Wax Resist - Material Musings - Project 2

 

Join us for the next part in the Wax Resist Series on my Channel, sharing how I work on one of my projects and the techniques used to create a wax resist/batik piece.

You can catch the first episode below

You can catch us live in the chat, stitch along with me and have fun creating.  I will also be sharing the main project that I am working on.

Looking forward to seeing you in the studio. 🤩

Fabric Embellishments - Material Musings

 

Check out the video HERE

Welcome to Material Musings where we look at some of the fabric embellishments that you can get to use in your work.

I source mine from a variety of sources, around the home, thrift stores, or swaps that you can do with other creatives - especially those who stitch, they will always have some unusual and interesting trims that you may be able to use in your work.

In this video I share some of the ones that I have and how I use them.  Join me on this Material musings slow stitched journey.

Check out the previous video and you will be able to see some of the fabric in a project.

Material Musings - Slow Stitched Projects

Before You Go

Come and join us for FREE on Patreon and see behind the scene and dive into a creative oasis!  Learn more HERE!

Material Musings - Textile Art Project Update

 

Welcome to Material Musings where we will see the progress made in the current projects that I am working on in the studio.

I have been moving each of the projects on a bit at a time throughout the week, each of them has something different, and I tap into that depending on the sort of work that I want to do on each.

I have added the beading to this one and additional stitching and I think that it is finally coming together.  It definitely has been a journey getting them complete, I think that I assumed that they would take less time to complete.

This piece is made up of wax resist and dyed fabric, lots of slow stitching, and beading.  The figure that I use on the piece is one of my digital downloads available on my Etsy store - HERE

When you are approaching your projects don't try and rush through them, especially if you work somewhat intuitively, there is always something that catches your eye that wants to be added, so I just enjoy the process.

Next week on Material Musings I will be sharing some of the ways in which I source my fabric embellishments.

Before You Go

Do you want to see behind the scenes and Early Release Posts? Join us on Patreon

Material Musings - Fabric Inspirations and Kawandi

 

Come and check out this weeks Material Musings. We look at lots of lovely dyed and hand printed fabric, and we start a Kawandi!

A Kawandi is a type of hand-stitched quilt traditionally made by the Siddi women who are descendants of enslaved Africans who were bought to India. 

Kawandi quilts are distinctive because of their vibrant, improvisational designs and the way they are constructed. They are made from layers of fabric scraps, often brightly colored, and sewn together with running stitches. Here's a closer look at their key characteristics:

Key Features of Kawandi Quilts

1. Construction Style:

   • Kawandi quilts are typically sewn from the outer edges toward the center, unlike many traditional quilts made from blocks or panels.
   • The stitching is done in a spiral pattern, ensuring all layers stay securely held together.

2. Materials:

   • They are made using recycled fabrics, including old saris, or other discarded textiles.
   • The use of fabric scraps gives the quilts a rich texture and unique, look.

3. Aesthetic and Design:

   • The quilts are often colorful and feature bold patterns, with an emphasis on spontaneity and personal expression.
   • Small decorative touches, like folded fabric triangles called phulas (flowers), are added to the corners or edges.

4. Practical and Cultural Significance:

• Kawandi quilts are made for practical purposes, such as providing warmth, but they also reflect the Siddi community's history and artistry.
• The improvisational process mirrors storytelling and a connection to cultural heritage.

Let me know if you have made one and how it turned out.  Looking forward to sharing my progress with you.

Material Musings - Fabric Projects

 

In Material Musings this week we look at a range of fabric projects that I have been working on and getting to the completion stage.

I love working on these pieces, they are very therapeutic and I love the textures that are created.

Join me on the FREE online class - Making Zen where you will see me create a slow stitched piece.  It starts on the 18th of November.

I will show you how to create this piece, slow stitching words and dealing with any issues in a creative way that can happen when you have different tension between the fabric and threads.

If you sign up for the VIP giving you lifelong access to the videos and the Bonus videos you will be able to have access to my course - Embellished and Stitched, where we look at additional ways to work with words and lettering in our stitched projects.

Join us for Free by signing up to the online Retreat and if you decide to join us with a VIP pass you can get the early bird rate. 

Stay blessed and be a blessing.

Material Musings - Slow Stitching and Bargello

 

In today's video I share my most recent Material Musings video, where I look to continue working on the 'Choices' Slow stitched project.  If you want to see what the project looked like before you can check out the previous video below:

It is nice to have a smaller project to work on in-between larger projects as it enables you to take a breather, but still keep your hand in.  I also worked on a new project known as Bargello.  I had all the supplies, but had used them for other things.  I check out Kiala Givehands monthly meetups and saw a presentation by Bonnie Natko and was able to create with it.

This is how the projects eventually turned out which was quite pleasing.  I just have a few other things to do with the stitched project and also decide how I want to use the completed Bargello - who knows maybe try some others.

Before You Go....

Creative Gardener Today

Here is what I share in the garden today.  You can check out the video below.

There has been a lot of other growth in the garden, and I will do a garden tour towards the end of the month.

Gratitude Junk Journal - Early Bird 20% Off

We have an early bird rate (until 31st October) on our Gratitude Junk Journal, which I am teaching in.  If you would like to get 20% off then enter the code AMORE24 at the checkout.

Learn More About Gratitude Journal HERE

Art Resource Hub

Every month in the Art Resource Hub I share a FREE digital Download, for your creative projects, here is the one for October:

Material Musings - Fabric Books

Join me for Material Musings this week.  Here are an additional 3 fabric art journals that I have been playing with. It is always nice to revisit previous journals. I did some painting in a couple and plan to do some stitching and maybe add beading.

Here are the three fabric art journals that I work on, made from recycled materials.

You will also see a page in progress and ways that you can add stenciling to a page.  I will be spending a bit more time on the pages and adding some additional embellishments.