Well a lot has happened since yesterday. I have this lovely oxalis plant. Have you ever seen these? The leaves close up at night and open during the day. The leaves have three parts to them and each part is shaped kind of like a triangular gingko leaf. If you treat them right, Oxalis will allow you to see their tiny pink flowers. I’ve seen them in green and the lovely red brown that I have. Each leaf set is like an individual plant that grows from a clump under the dirt. The word ryzome is in my mind but I’m not sure why.
I made a silkscreen from the leaves and set it up so that when I print I can repeat the pattern and keep going down the length of the fabric. Here is how I did it.
I positioned the leaves in a way that was pleasing to me on a sheet of clear acetate
- I gently placed a sheet of tissue over the leaves and traced their outline.
- then I carefully removed the tissue making sure the leaves stayed in place. I placed the tissue down next to the leaves to see where the next “print” would land. Here it is sideways
- If things seemed a bit close, I moved them, retraced and repositioned until I was satisfied that a repeated print would look the way I wanted. I threw in a couple of smaller leaves and lilac flowers for good measure.
Some paper towel to blot the excess moisture
some books to weigh it down and flatten. This is my favorite book about art quilts.
Here is the screen with dry photo emulsion over the acetate with the vacuum frame closed and the lights on. I’m “burning” the image onto the screen.
Washing it out after 10 minutes of lights.
It’s done. Once it’s dry I can use it to print dyes, inks or discharge. You can see an old image from the last print. (A Jane Austen tea Towel)It doesn’t affect the new print. I’ve got to figure out how to lay out the text and photos better. Thanks for your patience!
some books to weigh it down and flatten. This is my favorite book about art quilts.
Here is the screen with dry photo emulsion over the acetate with the vacuum frame closed and the lights on. I’m “burning” the image onto the screen. 
ps the lilac flowers didn’t come out so well. They weren’t opaque enough.
i dye every day 
Reblogged this on i dye every day and commented:
I am reblogging some of my older posts because I am hoping they will inspire me to screen and dye again. It gets harder when working a full time day job but- not impossible! Oh oxalis I need to have you in my house again!
Hi Marjorie. Amazing! loved this post. Tfs the info on the book as well.
Regards Florence x
Hi Florence! Thanks so much! Jane Davila is so inspirational for me. I always find something new everytime I take that book out! And Elin Waterston too. Love those ladies and their work!
I love oxalis! Was thinking of you when I came across some of it in an old growth forest near campus. The screen looks great!
Awwwwwww You have wild oxalis! Reed is so cool. Let’s talk later! xoxo ma
Thanks for showing us the steps. Amazing!!
Well I left a few out! But that’s basically it. I’ve been silkscreening since I was a teenager so I’m old school but everyone uses thermofax now. It looks pretty cool. Whatever gets the job done, right?
Great! Thank you for showing how to do this. I actually have that oxalis!
I can’t wait to print with it! But I’m so tired right now I think I will take a nap!
Was perusing my new magazine: Container Gardens. Just got to page 91 and guess what? There’s the oxalis! Pink flowers and all.
So funny I am laughing out loud. You know I always have these serendipitous garden/dyeing moments. You too I see!
And that’s the truth!! 😎