Our local fruit and veg barn couldn’t believe how much cabbage I was buying.
“Wow – you really love your cabbage don’t you!” they said. So, I tried to explain.
Which probably made the situation worse. I’m sure they now think I’m some sort of obsessed fibre munching, cauldron boiling witch 😊
I will admit that over the last few weeks, things got just a little bit out of control. I became rather hooked on the purple cabbage eco-print process. Almost every morning I ventured out into the garden to gather plant matter to be layered between papers of various weight and texture – tracing paper, swing tags, serviettes … anything I could lay my hands on really.
Into the pot with purple cabbage and mordant to simmer for forty minutes, and then the impatient wait overnight for the dawn (well, almost dawn) unbundling.
I experimented with alum and copper mordants. Copper seems to result in a clear pale blue background with some shades of pink …
Whereas Alum gives a darker, smoky greyish blue …
I’ve amassed quite a pile of dyed papers, and thrown more than a few on the compost heap.
I’ve framed several of the better papers …
And I’ve made this year’s Christmas cards …
I’m putting together an artist’s notebook which I’ll bind, when I’ve refreshed my memory on the Coptic binding method.
If you’d like to read my relatively foolproof method, Purple Cabbage eco-print recipe
A Bellingen Diary 
They are beautiful Fenella. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Thanks Helen – it’s good to share ….
They look amazing Fenella, you should start selling on line, I love them all👏Such s talented lady!
Thanks KK – I may have to open an Etsy shop if I don’t kick the habit soon!
Beautifully creative Fenella.
Thanks Trish – I’ve stopped for a few days to get some gardening done
This is fantastic! Very beautiful, very low-tech. You’ll have to take some of the results to your cabbage-merchant to dispel the mad-cabbage-eater image.
Thank you and maybe I should send them a Cabbage Christmas Card!
Stunning, beautiful colours and the shadow shapes are so defined & delicate !!! XD
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Thanks Desmon – all credit goes to Mother Nature …
Beautiful work, I too have masses of paper I am trying to upcycle. Thanks you have reinforced a good lesson, too often I want to unwrap immediately. Might try another lot now & try to wait. I have had more success steaming than boiling but will try going a little more slowly. Kerrie Korora.
Hi Kerrie – Thanks, I can hardly contain myself overnight. I’m taking a short break, and when I make my next batch of papers I’m going to try and wait for 24 hours instead of 12. I’d really like to see if there’s much difference. Then I need to stop hoarding my papers and get to work on a book 😊