I could hardly believe my eyes when I opened this dye bundle. That unidentified leaf from the madder jar (the one I thought may have been a dahlia) turned out to be a cherry leaf. I had a feeling about the shape and size of the unidentified leaf, so I went to Roath Park to collect some that I thought were the same for this piece.
I took a small antique cotton table cloth which I'd pre-mordanted with alum and soya. I placed the leaves in the centre, then folded it into a bundle. I then boiled it with eucalyptus leaves, and opened it straight away.
I'm really pleased with the definition and the intensity of colour from the cherry leaves, and also the more subtle hue from the eucalyptus which holds it all together.
Here are some details from the edges. There is a good variety of colour, shape and texture within the cherry leaves themselves.
As I was ironing the newly laundered cloth, I noticed a seredipitous coincidence. If you look at these last three detail pictures, you will see that the table cloth has little cherries woven into the damask. Synchronicity at it's finest! I've already been back to the park again today to collect more windfall from the cherry tree.
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