FLORA FOCUS | COSMOS
FLORA FOCUS |
COSMOS
Cosmos flowers, with their delicate petals ranging from soft pinks to deep purples and whites, offer a rich palette for natural dyeing. By harnessing the pigments present in these blooms, we create magical flora prints that imbue our silks with a unique and ethereal beauty.
COSMOS | Cosmos bipinnatus
SULFUR COSMOS | Cosmos sulphureus
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Cosmos are a quintessential cottage garden flower – beautiful and easy to grow annuals that produce an abundance of delightful blooms. With their charming, daisy like flowers, long slender stems and airy foliage, they make a romantic addition to any garden (or bouquet!). These graceful blooms, with their delicate petals dancing in the gentle breeze, attract pollinators and passersby alike with their vibrant display of colours, from soft pinks to bold oranges and deep purples. But, not only are cosmos a beautiful cut flower and garden specimen, they are also a remarkable dye plant (and one of our favourites at that!)
The process of extracting dye from cosmos flowers is both simple and rewarding. First, the petals are harvested at their peak, ensuring the richest concentration of colour. These petals are then gently simmered in water, releasing their pigments and infusing the liquid. Once the dye bath has reached the desired intensity, silks are then submerged, allowing them to absorb the natural colours of the cosmos. The length of time the fabric spends in the dye bath will determine the depth of colour, with longer immersion resulting in richer tones. What makes cosmos flower dye particularly special is its versatility. Sulfur cosmos create a beautiful spectrum of orange and yellow dye. Depending on the mordants used, the colours can vary from soft pastels to bold, jewel like shades.
Bundle dyeing is a fascinating technique that allows us to extract colour from plant materials and transfer it directly onto silk, resulting in unique and intricate designs. When incorporating cosmos flowers into bundle dyeing, a magical transformation occurs. Petals, carefully arranged on fabric, release their pigments when steamed, imparting a delicate and ephemeral beauty to the cloth. The process is akin to painting with nature's brush, as the colours from the petals and blooms bleed and blend, creating organic patterns that seem to dance across the fabric. When an iron mordant is added, purple cosmos create beautiful deep blues with chocolate centres, while the white blooms cast hues of peridot, olive and sage. Each bundle dyed piece becomes a wearable work of art, a one of a kind, timeless piece imbued with the subtle elegance of nature’s imprint.
The art of natural dyeing with cosmos flowers offers a way to incorporate beauty and mindfulness into everyday life. to inspire and enchant us. Each piece tells a story of sustainability and craftsmanship, rooted in the traditions of generations past.
