Dying with Japanese White Oak.

On the way back from picking students up at the station the road was blocked by the city workmen cutting trees that were tangled in the power lines. I noticed that one of the trees cut was a Japanese White Oak. (shirogashi) Since there was no room in the car Takeshima san held the branches out the window and we drove on.

With an iron mordant we got these steel dove grays using the bark, small branches and leaves. Each kind of silk took the dye differently. Takeshima san under dyed some heavy crepe silk. The following week she tried several shibori techniques.