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shirt-to-dirt gallery

See the visual data we've collected so far!

Simple science version

Laura

Simple Science

8 weeks

Raleigh
North Carolina
Simple Science
Nov 12, 2023

Janet

Simple Science

8 weeks

Mississippi
Simple Science
Nov 8, 2023

I planted my #5 linen sample (the control) in a pot of same soil and watered it whenever I had to water deck plants. We are in extreme drought and #1-4 barely degraded. Just add water to highly acidic soil and linen degrades!

Laura

Simple Science

6 weeks

Raleigh
North Carolina
Simple Science
Oct 29, 2023

Janet

Simple Science

8 weeks

Belden
Mississippi
Simple Science
Oct 23, 2023

Got some precious rain; damp, acidic soil seemed to degrade the fabric. On week #2 I decided to place my control (fabric square 5) in a pot with same soil that was watered whenever my deck plants needed it. I’ll dig it up on week 10 and upload its photo if this site is available.

Laura

Simple Science

4 weeks

Raleigh
North Carolina
Simple Science
Oct 15, 2023

Christin

Simple Science

8 weeks

Corinth
New York
Simple Science
Oct 16, 2023

Dana

Simple Science

8 weeks

Olathe
Kansas
Simple Science
Oct 7, 2023

Laura

Simple Science

2 weeks

Raleigh
North Carolina
Simple Science
Oct 1, 2023

Laura

Simple Science

Just buried!

Raleigh
North Carolina
Simple Science
Sep 17, 2023

Malia

Simple Science

6 weeks

East Lansing
Michigan
Simple Science
Sep 28, 2023

Linen swatch is completely gone. Same as week 4. Big happy worms are in its place.

Janet

Simple Science

4 weeks

Belden
Mississippi
Simple Science
Sep 25, 2023

So dry here…

Janet

Simple Science

4 weeks

Belden
Mississippi
Simple Science
Sep 25, 2023

So dry here…

Simple science
Linen biodegredation project
Buried Books

buried meditation books

Annie

6 weeks

O'Fallon
Illinois
September 12, 2023

Starting to feel like autumn is blowing in. Consistently having drizzly cool mornings a few day a week. Definitely cooler in the am and still warm in the afternoon. Snow peas are popping up around the dig sight.

Janet

8 weeks

Houston
Texas
September 2, 2023

Very little decomposition. Slight breakdown on edge of wrap.

Emma

8 weeks

Oconomowoc
Wisconsin
August 29, 2023

It hasn't rained much and has been pretty hot here. The book is definitely more stiff and fragile. I am going to replant it in the ground and leave it there to fully decompose now!

Patricia

8 weeks

Minneapolis
Minnesota
August 28, 2023

Dry dry dry. No rain since last digging up of my book 2 weeks ago. Not much life in the dried out soil. Both front & back covers separated from the book, and in tatters. The rest is pretty well intact, with interesting patterns from plant material I tucked inside and from deterioration of fabric. The threads themselves held up well, and the indigo-dyed fabric is most intact.

Michelle

8 weeks

Eastlake
Ohio
August 27, 2023

Completely gone but for the small piece I found. Lots of worms in the area, rain the last few days as well.

Barbara

8 weeks

Thornton
Colorado
August 26, 2023

As I suspected - all fibers and threads have disintegrated. Happily I was able to locate the stick that was used as my locator.

Sheila

8 weeks

Sandy Hook
Connecticut
August 12, 2023

Quite fragile binding almost totally disintegrated. Brittle covers inside pages have beautiful coloration and remain intact. Overall I’m surprised at how well it held up.

Barb

8 weeks

Aromas
California
August 24, 2023

I tried to rinse the dirt off my book, which only made the fabric fall apart faster. This is what my wet, muddy book looks like. I'm looking forward to seeing what it looks like when if dries, but it's so fragile that I just have to wait for it to air dry!

Barb

8 weeks

Aromas
California
August 24, 2023

I've been watering my garden daily, but with sandy soil, it dries out quickly. I had trouble finding my meditation book today, since it was really dissolving! I gathered all the pieces which were covered in soil.....

Janet

6 weeks

Houston
Texas
August 19, 2023

Still no rail. Cracks are 7” deep in the ground. Slight bit of decomposition/worn spots on some pages. Haven’t had rain in weeks.

Beverly

4 weeks

Granby
Connecticut
August 18, 2023

It has continued to be quite rainy. I dug the book up two days later than scheduled and was surprised by how many holes it now has- most seem to be in the area where I sewed the sea shell, even many pages away. I also noticed a spot on the blue fabric where the color is now gone.

Tina

8 weeks

Palmyra
Pennsylvania
August 17, 2023

This is all that is left. In the subsequent 2 unearthings, the book structure had fallen apart, so I attempted to rebundle and bury.

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