Over the past few years, I have experimented with a variety of textile and surfaces for natural dyes. Indigo is my dye of choice, although I often experiment with botanical prints on fabric too. If you are a natural dyer, artist or simply someone looking to explore textiles in a more sustainable way, then I am going to share my favorite blank textiles for natural dyeing. 
As you will see, all of my selections for this round-up are either cotton, linen or silk, which are all natural fibers. 

• Dinner Napkins with a hem-stitched detail and a subtle linen texture

I dyed these with indigo and they dye wonderfully! The hemstitching also adds a nice touch. 

• Color diffusing paper - If you are new to Shibori dyeing and you would like to practice some of the geometric folds. I highly recommend experimenting with this color diffusing paper. The texture is a cross between fabric and a coffee filter, yet it is actually paper! It provides a wonderful ground for color. 
  
• Large dinner napkins - these are 20' with a smooth finish

If you are looking for additional items to dye that might make a great gift, then I highly recommend the items listed below. Pocket-squares make the perfect gift for a man, who likes to accessorize. Kid's t-shirts are a great birthday gift or baby shower gift, while tote-bags are reusable and always come in handy.

• Silk pocket squares 
• Cotton pocketsquares 
• Kid's t-shirts 
• Cotton Tote Bags​
• White pillowcases

Happy natural dyeing! I hope you found something that you might like to dye here. I can't wait to hear all about the beautiful things that you create. Here are some additional links, that you will love:

• Indigo Textile Collection
• Shibori Textile Basics
• Shibori Resource Guide

Today, I am excited to share a round-up of my favorite pillows from my capsule home collection that launched this Spring! First, a little bit about how this collection came to be. As many of you know, I am a painter and I have worked styling interiors. I love to design products and I wanted to extend that love of product design and painting to pillows. Over the years, I have had many pillows made for my clients. So, designing my own collection, came naturally and unfolded on a recent trip to India and Japan. 

One thing that is unique about my capsule collection is that it uses natural indigo dye. After working with natural and botanical dyes in my home studio, I sought out textiles that had been dyed using natural color. This collection is inspired by California living and being near the ocean. Reminiscent of both sea and sky. These pillows are meant to be a piece of art for your home. Energetic benefits of indigo include, a profound calming feeling of total relaxation. Also known as the deep blue color associated with the 6th chakra in the body, or the third-eye. Engaging with this plant and it's magical dye activates your awareness and inner reflection.

Indigo comes from the ancient plant, indigofera tinctoria, used for over 5000 years to dye fibers and clothing. ​​Some of the pillowcases are hand-dyed, while others feature batik, crewel and Shibori techniques. All textiles are sourced from handmade artisans or dyed by me in my studio.

The majority of the collection features natural cotton linen fabric, wool or silk. Our Sky Blue Lumbar pillow below is woven in wool from a regional geometric Kyoto motif. It measures 12" x 24" and was created from a unique roll of kimono width fabric, meaning that it was designed in a traditional fashion featuring a famous geometric motif. 

At the moment, I am exploring natural indigo on wild peace silk in a new 18" Expansion Kumo Shibori piece. These are a beautiful color, and made from a beautiful yet pricier silk in which the silk moths are not harmed in the process. This type of challenge is what motivates and inspires me to design something that is ethically made and eco-friendly. 

While, I stuck with mostly indigo blues. I couldn't resist this dhabu mud-resist batik fabric created in North India. I love the organic results of the dhabu technique along with the sandy texture and inspired me to create this Sand Batik Pillow in Spots, which is easy to mix and match within a space. 

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You can view the whole capsule pillow collection in my textiles shop. If you are located near the Bay area, I will be at Renegade Craft at Fort Mason, July 14th and 15th in San Francisco, I and would love to meet you in person! ​