Horace

Another view…

Yet another view

After an hour in the oven in foil at 175 deg F, I took it out.  I’m now very happy with the “forest floor” look .

Revealed after cooking in the oven

Unwrapping the parcel

I’m happy with these markings for my quilt backing

After five hours of steaming, I let the coiled tube cool, then brought it inside .  After unwrapping the bandages, I unwound the old sheet.  Lovely colour from the pomegranate and the brown onions but I was disappointed with the absence of any of the usual dark grey marks from the casuarina needles.

The still bandaged sheet out of the steamer after 5 hours

After removal of the bandages

Unrolled but still folded over the plant material

Close-up of the markings

So I microwaved t for a few short bursts then left it to cool in the microwave.

Next day spent a long time looking for it.  It was friend Liz Arnold who suggested I check the microwave.  Disappointing again as still no casuarina marks.

I washed it and, as expected, it paled considerably but was still attractive.

After washing and ironing…and still not casuarina

Close-up after washing

However, I’d wanted a look of the forest floor about it so I decided to go again with the casuarina needles, this time spraying with iron water rather than alum. The spray of iron water added grey tones immediately.  The solution was 5g ferrous sulphate to 500 ml of water. It’s pouring with rain here in Perth and I don’t want to have my extension cords in the wet so am using the oven!  I’ve no idea if it will work.

Sprayed with iron water and scattered with casuarina needles

1.Old 100% cotton sheet with half  across the bench and the other half hanging down. Sprayed all over with alum.

2.Cleaned and cut up pomegranate skins laid over half the sheet

3.Layers 2&3: casuarina needles and dried brown onion skins

4.Close-up of Layers 2&3 showing colour leaching from the pomegranate already.

5.The other half of the sheet folded carefully over the plant material

6.Close-up of folded sheet after spraying this side with alum

7.Starting to roll along the long length from the open edges. This allows the fold to be filled with material as it shifts under pressure, meaning no empty strip down the centre! Note colour emerging more now.

8.The whole sheet rolled up.

9.The whole sheeet is now tied as tightly as possible with “bandages” of cotton strips which have been used in this way before, hence their gorgeous colours!

10.The coiled and bandaged sheet is put into the steamer over a hotplate for several hours (with the lid on of course).

I’ve just put a large piece of cotton sheeting into the steamer to cook.

I’ve done it because I need a backing for my Mysterium piece. Here are the progress shots as I set it all up.  You’ll have to wait until the next post to see if it works!

So glad I’ve got a biggish stone kitchen bench!