Bev Hauenstein
Take Joy in Eco Friendly Textiles
My name is Bev Hauenstein and I am the owner of TAKE JOY! I create textiles using the natural method of eco printing. I am semi-retired in the healthcare field which allows time for me to pursue my love of working with textiles. I began working with textiles as a 4-H member and I have continued throughout my life. I have always enjoyed the creative process of walking into a fabric store to pursue a new project. There are so many wonderful textile art forms to explore and I have had the opportunity to experience most of them. Two years ago, I strolled into a wonderful fiber store to explore all the colors and textures of yarns that were available. As I browsed, I noticed a display of silk scarves that had the most intriguing colors and designs that appeared to be very realistic leaves. I was told they were created by eco printing and I was hooked! I immediately signed up for an upcoming workshop and my journey began! Under the tutelage of Raeschell Noonen/Nimby Fiber Art of Mount Vernon, OH and Nicola Brown/Clasheen of Ireland, I became totally intrigued with eco printing. I literally could not stop experimenting with all of the various leaves and flowers that were in my neighborhood and to see what each scarf would reveal, as each one is a wonderful surprise!
Eco printing is the art of directly applying plants to textiles to alter color, apply color and create interesting designs. Everything used is natural, such as flowers, leaves, bark, and roots. A simplified explanation of the process is gathering the vegetation that I wish to use and arrange it on the fabric. It is then bundled up and steamed. The natural tannins are extracted from the leaves to create color and prints. The results are not always indicative of the color of the leaves. Each finished textile is color and light fast and able to be hand laundered with a pH neutral soap. I print on habotai silk, silk noil, wool, cotton and linen to make scarves, wraps, table runners, wall hangings, pillows, aprons, and bags. Paper can also be eco printed to make delightful journals. I also capture “memories” by preserving special moments in life with an eco printed keepsake that is created with leaves or flowers from your bouquet, a funeral arrangement or a family home. This special memory will be eco printed on the textile of your choice, whether it be a table runner, pillow, or wall hanging to admire; or a shawl to wrap around you.
The magic of nature plays the most vital role in the process, which makes the result of each creation a one-of-a-kind unique beauty. The process of eco printing has given me a new appreciation of nature and all it has to offer us. We should cherish that gift. TAKE JOY!
