Pound out natural pigments to make pretty floral- and leaf-patterned fabric.
Tips
Pansies don't work very well, but blue lobelia print just
fine; red impatiens may be too bright, but pink ones leave a
delicate color. You can play with what works best for your
tastes.
| Prep Time: Under 1 hour | |
| What you need: | |
| Fresh flowers and leaves
Unbleached muslin cloth Paper bags Hammer | |
| Seasons: Spring, Summer | |
| Materials: fabric, nature objects | |
| Instructions: | |
| 1. | Cover a smooth, hard surface with paper bags and spread out the fabric. Arrange a leaf and flower design on one half of the fabric, then fold the other half over the design. |
| 2. | Feel where the outlines of the leaves or flowers lie. Using a hammer, pound on top of the leaves or flowers, being sure to go all the way to the edges. When the color has bled through the fabric, open it up and scrape off the plant residue. You'll have a mirror image of the leaves and flowers. |
Variations
The fabric pieces make great pillow fronts or quilt
squares. Use the same method to pound leaves and flowers onto
paper to make floral stationery, gift tags or notecards.
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