20th - 21st September 2024
The Country Brocante at Thyme
The meadows at THYME,
Southrop, Lechlade, GL7 3NX
Talks & Demonstrations
Botanical Inks Book Talk & Silk Dye Demonstration
(included in the ticket price)
Friday 20th & Saturday 21st September - 12 noon
Babs Behan is a natural dyer/artist/author, known for using a "soil-to-soil" approach to textiles and fashion. With locally grown chemical-free materials and traditional plant dyes she creates items of beauty, to enfold the body and be both gentle on the skin and to the earth, where all things will eventually return.
Babs extracts pigments from local plants, including leaves, flowers, roots, nuts, berries and bark, to create long lasting, traditional colours on textiles, clothing and art pieces.Her latest work is with the only source of organic UK-grown peace silk (kind to moths) which she hand-dyes using a "bundle dye" technique, to infuse floral pigments into the cloth.The silk is locally sewn into beautiful robes, of which a selection is available for sale at the show.Dyed with this Summer's harvest of dye flowers and organic extracts from her personal apothecary of natural dyes.
A collection of Bundle Dye kits are also available, so you can try out this technique for yourself from home!Babs pioneered the first relocalised, non-toxic, chemical free textile production system in the UK about 200 years. Using local regeneratively farmed wool, traditional plant dyes and locally artisan mills, without the use of any harmful synthetic substances. The Bristol Cloth has featured in BBC Countryfile, BBC News, Sky News and numerous editorials and is a key case study for all major sustainable textile degree courses.
Her two book editions, "Botanical Inks" (2018) and Botanical Dyes (2024) published by Quadrille Books have become bestsellers worldwide with translations in French, German and Chineses.Signed copies are available during the show from her stand along with a selection of naturally dyed textiles and garments, all made using a "soil-to-soil" ethos.Watch Babs' Ted Talk "Soil To Soil Textiles" here
Join us for Babs' book talk and demonstration to learn about natural dyeing and see how she extracts colours from flowers and captures them into silk for adorning the body and wearing their herbal qualities close to the skin. Book your free place via our ticket section.
Demonstrations available on Friday & Saturday
And view the collection of silk robes, bundle dye kits and books available to purchase.
Find out more about Babs Behan's work here:www.botanicalinks.com
Insta: @Botanicalinks
The Country Brocante
Harvest Fair Exhibitors 2024
Thyme
