Drying in the sun

I'm not a lady who likes to wear a silk scarf with an outfit, but I couldn't resist a workshop on eco-printing held at the Corn Mill at Beetham today.  A selection of leaves were soaked in a mordant made from rusty iron and vinegar, arranged on lengths of cotton or silk with flowers and rose petals, steamed in a microwave, then hung in the sunshine - a mixture of old-fashioned skills with modern technology which stopped it being too laborious a process.  There was a sense of magic as we unwrapped the fabric and saw such vivid colours develop.