Operation Over-Dye

Well I've spent most of today over-dyeing my previously, and not too successfully, dyed fabric.  I'm hoping that I have created enough usable material, that I'm happy with, to make the quilt I have in mind.  At the moment I'm contemplating the purchase of some wooden printing blocks from the Colouricious website.  They have some wonderful designs that might just be perfect to use on the patchwork squares, to give it the unique quality I was hoping to achieve by hand dyeing. 

This project has taught me some important lessons in relation to dyeing fabric:

1. To get the tie-dye or shibori effect that I particularly like when I hand dye I need to use Procion MX cold water dyes;

2. Dylon hand dyes are great for using in a pot on the hob to dye things a uniform colour;

3. The effects I love look best on large pieces of fabric, so I need to learn how to design my own patchwork quilt patterns that can incorporate large pieces, and showcase them to their advantage.

I know I can achieve the results I want - it just might take longer than I'd anticipated.

New life for old sheets

The last time I met up with the lovely Jayne Hewison, textile designer, we had a really good rummage on the stalls at Tynemouth market.  I came away with, amongst other things, a pair of unused 1940s Utility bed sheets, still held together with their original ties.  I've decided to use them as the basis of the hand dyed quilt I have planned, and I have finally finished dying the first one.  The last pieces are in the washing machine as I type.  I'm delighted with some of the effects I've achieved, and less impressed with others.  Now it's time for a rest.  I'll wait 24 hours, then I'll lay out all the pieces, decide which ones are worth keeping as they are, and which ones need to be over dyed. That's the great thing about this kind of hand dyeing - I can continue to alter the colours until I'm happy with them.  I'll stick to using the Dylon dyes in the same palette until I'm satisfied with the results, but in future I'll buy procion cold water dyes as I find them easier to work with.  I can see me buying one or two colours in large packs per month until I've got a good range to work with.  I'm also thinking about putting together packs of hand dyed textiles and paper to sell, if anyone is interested.  Watch this space for photos.

Oodles of colour

One of my favourite textile based pastimes is dyeing fabric and lace.  I can happily spend hours folding up pieces of cloth into bundles, and dropping dye on to it, to create unique patterns.

That's what I spent Wednesday afternoon, and most of today, doing.  In the past I've shared photos of my dye day results here.  Those pieces were done with cold water procion dyes, which are fixed with soda ash to make them colour fast.  My latest experiments have been with Dylon hand dyes, which require heat.  I've been using an old microwave that I got free, via Freecycle, to provide the heat.  I have to say I think I prefer the procion dyes.  I do however have a batch of Dylons made up, and I'm not going to waste it!  

My current experiments with these are not just for fun.  I've decided that I want to make my cousin and his fiancée a patchwork quilt as a wedding gift, and being me I want to hand dye the fabric for it.  So I shall spend the next few days trying out different combinations, and hopefully I'll achieve the desired results.  If not I may have to resort to plan B, and buy the fabric ready printed.  Wish me luck.

Textile Stories Exhibition at Newbiggin

Here are some photographs from the exhibition where my work from the Lynemouth workshops was featured, along with that of 3 internationally renowned textile artists.  I didn't manage to photograph everything.  This is a selection of what was on display.

 

 

Time flies!

I can't believe that it's a week since I last posted anything.  Time certainly flies when I'm busy.  I'm under strict instructions from my son not to over do things today - it's his rewards evening at school tonight, and I have to be well enough to take him as his dad is working.  So I've been very careful not to do anything that might jeopardise my ability to attend this evening.  He has to go, otherwise he can't go to the prom, and since he is now the proud owner of a very smart suit he is not going to risk being banned!

Now to share some photos with you.  The photo below shows eco-printing on watercolour paper.  The very lovely and talented Marilyn Stephens has step-by-step instructions on her blog: http://marilyn-interlaced.blogspot.co.uk. Please pop along and look at her lovely work.

I'm going to post the pictures from the Textile Stories exhibition at Newbiggin Maritime Centre separately. 

It worked!

 

I got the eucalyptus leaves from Hardy's florist, and set to work.  The scarf had been soaking in a vinegar solution to mordant it in advance of starting the printing process.  I laid the felted scarf out on my longest studio bench, placed a line of leaves along it, folded it in half lengthwise so that the leaves were covered, and rolled it in a bundle around some plastic pipe.  I secured the rolled bundle with elastic bands and jute twine, then steamed it in (a non-food use) electric steamer for 1 hour.  I removed it, and left it to cool over night.  I unwrapped it today, and you can see the amazing colour that the eucalyptus gives on the wool.

Felt making project

This is a felt scarf I'm working on.  I bought the wool tops quite a long time ago at Woolfest, in Cumbria.  From memory it is Teeswater fleece, which has a lovely lustre.  I have no recollection what breed of sheep the curls for the ends came from.  I've wet felted it using Heartfelt Silks palm washboards.  These are great for anyone who can't manage the rolling normally required for wet felting.  You can buy them from their Etsy shop.  The felted piece is currently soaking in a vinegar solution because I want to try eco-printing onto it.  I'm off to see if the local florist has any eucalyptus leaves.  I hope to be back later in the week with the finished piece.