"Fabric Dyers Handbook" by Linda Johansen

This is a cross post from my Book Blog because I thought it would be of interest to all of you fabric artists who enjoy dyeing your own fabrics.

This is a new book that arrived today from C&T Publishing. Despite the fact that the author, Linda Johansen, and I share a last name - I don't know her. Ratz!  This is a book that I really, really like. It is clearly and concisely written and is exceptionally well illustrated. The book is well laid out.

The basic are, of course, covered in the beginning of the book with detailed instructions for handling and mixing dyes- and the importance of record keeping- something that I was never very good at doing. I just always loved the kismet of the process - I liked never knowing what would happen. Linda compares clear, muted and black colors offered by both ProChem and Dharma Trading.

Instructions and measurements are provided for dyeing fat quarters, half yards and yards of fabric - cutting down on some of the guess work and, I think, causing less waste of materials in the long run. Rainbows are a favorite for us all and Ms. Johansen's instructions are easy to follow to create a rainbow in clear, muted or dark colors.

Linda Johansen has had 5 books, I think it is, published through C&T Publishing. I am so pleased to have this as an addition to my dyeing library. I think it's a book that will please anyone who has an interest in hand dyeing their own fabrics. Available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, your wonderful local book store or directly through C&T Publishing.

The back of the book includes some speciality  techniques such as: 

tie dyeing, rolling, patterning, pleating and dipping.

JOAN MORRIS: Workshop Day 2

This is an amazing piece of textile artistry!
Please remember that all of the photos may be double clicked for a more detailed view

The photo below shows Joan working on a piece of cloth that she is making for use in "The Lion King". It's a very large piece of fabric & there is a lot of hand stitching to be done. Joan's method of stitching & pulling the threads though the fabric to make the designs is very detailed (though not that difficult) - from her 30+ plus years of doing it she makes it all look so easy!

Next up is a demonstrating of pole wrapped Arashi Shibori. I remember doing this with Sarah some time around 2002. We did not really know what we were doing at the time since we were both "book taught" dyers. Although we made a good attempt -I think that being able to see a master at work on the pole really opened my eyes about proper technique. One again, this technique is deceptively simple - although many differing effects can be achieved simply by how you lay the fabric on the pole. Wrapping on the bias produces a beautiful 'wood-grain' effect. Who would 'a thunk?!

Situating the fabic on the pole - in this case on the bias for a 'wood grain' effect

Beginning to wrap the string around the pole

Demonstration of how to bunch the fabric up on the pole -
yes, there is a definite technique to get this correct!

We were fortunate to have a true indigo vat going. Joan used dyes from Earthhues for this class. Earthues offers two indigo's - a true fermentation vat and a chemically reduced vat.Becuae of out time limitations we used the chemically reduced vat - which still needs to be tended. I thought of how I 'feed' yeast for sour dough bread watching Joan 'feed' the vat. It was a fascinating process really and I should have perhaps done more with indigo when I had the opportunity to do so. I only made one small piece of indigo - pole wapped Arashi on sand-washed silk charmeuse. Simple lines resulted - I have a photo that I will post this week along with some work from some of the other 'students' who really should be teaching rather than taking classes !

Some of he indigo pieces hanging on the line. Each piece required a number of 'dips' - at timed intervals' - to achieve a depth of color. Four to six dips results in a deeper blue while less than that will result in a pale blue. One of the folks who should be teaching rather than learning is Peggy Hunt who wrapped the small piece in the photo above using those round metal pieces. Come to think of it I never did get to see what this looked like unwrapped and I wanted to ask her what those metal pieces are - I want to get some of them. If anyone knows the answer -please let me know !

Just look at this wealth of stitching and textural effects!

The photos below show one of my favorite pieces. This is Joan's work & is, in my opinion, drop dead gorgeous!! As you can see Joan's stitching is perfection (she would be an awesome quilter for sure!) She is working on adding the texture that will be in between these "petals". The "petals" were made by blocking, discharging, blocking again and then over-dyeing - there may well have been another round of blocking, discharging & over-dywing in that description! This piece is destined to be a gift for one very blessed recipient!

Next Joan showed us how to wrap 'spiders'. I think that this became, for many of us, a favorite techniques because it was, relatively speaking, fairly easy & quick to do. Depending on the fabric that you choose to work with the effect can be very different. Although it is one of the easier techniques to achieve - it is also one of my favorite in terms of effect. Note the 'high-tech' equipment that we used. I gather that there is an appropriately expensive 'professional' model of this C-clamp arrangement -but this works very well. Unfortunately, although I know I bought small c-clamps in the past I can't find them ! I am am still looking though and may just have to spring for some new ones! Hummmm --- I wonder how wrapping over springs might look?!

Here you can see the wrapped piece of fabric as well as the finished piece after repeated dips in indigo. You can also vary the shape from round to more square....
Below is a piece of Joan's that is another of my favorites - she used a beautiful, light weight silk & this 'spider' technique. Isn't it totally awesome? As you might guess this peice was tied, dyed, discharged and over-dyed several times to get these brillaint color effects.

Another piece of Joan's - I think this one was still considered "a work in progress". Each piece that she shared was inspiring, brilliant & occasioned many oooohhhhh's & ahhhhh's !

This photo does not, in any way, do this red piece of cloth justice. It is tied all across the surface in thousands of tiny wraps that create the 'puckered' surface. There are thousands of over-dyed black dots. I just could not get a photo that did justice to the texture, color and work that was involved to create this amazing textile.

Seen from another angle - the black becomes more apparent

Have I mentioned how much I enjoyed this class? Stay tuned for day 3 !

Results From The Dye Painting Class

It's amazing how this simple combination of color just makes me sigh -
like being outdoors on a sunny day!

As you can see from these photos. I had a wonderful, fun play time in Ann Johnston's Dye Painting class . I had somewhat forgotten what a "high" it can be to do this sort of work. Now, at least, I know that I will be doing more of it! I have 4 pieces that I will be working on some more today and I also have 5 pairs of socks curing in colors that I could not find and needed: warm brown, moss green,gray,deep red & one that will be a surprise. I can't wait to share the other pieces - of course they may look great or they may look bad -- that's what I love about this technique. You can make add as much serendipity as you wish to the process! I wish I had taken more photos of people's work - but the lighting really left a lot to be desired. Hopefully, Robin will post some photos of her work on her blog. Her fabrics were magical - even as a "dye virgin" as she called herself!

In other news, I need some feedback from those of you who have been stopping by for awhile. I am considering, for a variety of reasons, switching to TypePad for my blog. I am wondering if making the change would bother you - or would you follow the blog in the new location? I have twelve more days to decide - so I would appreciate comments and feed back about this. Thanks!!!! in advance!

Violet and gold -
One of my favorite color combinations !

A touch of lime green & yellow with some red & black.
I like this funky little piece!

Another limey green and dark violet combination.
I was experimenting with shadow shapes

Two new pairs of socks that are richer in color than this shows.
They were thrown into whatever colors I had left at the end of the day

This is one of my favorite pieces - crazy wild I think!

Navy blue, red and green. Not sure what I think of this...but there it is!

Some good old low water immersion (LWI) dyeing. Love this piece!
The combination of violet & golds or rusts seems to be a
thread that ran through my work during this workshop.

This is my "end of day" cloth. I sopped up the left over colors with this "rag".
The 'rags' are always quite interesting! Sometimes all muddy - sometimes usable!

IDye From Jacquard

Not long ago I ordered a few colors worth of Jacquard's new IDye. I had nothing in mind to use it for but thought it was an interesting concept & I wondered if it might be a mini alternative to hauling out all of the supplies needed for normal Procion dyeing. Yesterday, in the midst of making a cake I had a color fit! I wanted to play with some color. Ta Da !! I though I might sprint between two rooms and try some of the little dye packets that were languishing on the shelf. IDye is comes in small packets that are dissolvable (ask me how I know this!). I put about 1/3 of the packet into a bowl....actually into two bowls since I decided to try two colors : chartreuse & lilac. This dye is most definitely made to vat dye in the washing machine. I have used Rit dye in the past to spot dye things and to quickly make a pair of dyed socks or something - and it always worked well. I would rate the IDye in much the same the same way that I rate Rit Dye.

Below you will see two pairs of socks. One dyed in Chartreuse & one pair that I tried to paint with Chartreuse & Lilac and then, not liking the results, I over-dyed with the rest of the Lilac. I "cooked" these in a glass container in the microwave for 6 minutes on high heat. I think that I am going to order some more of this product- it will be great for freshening up some black shirts & slacks, though I think Rit might work as well. I wish there was an indication about the ingredients on the IDye packet - my initial feeling is that this dye cannot be kept for too long in a liquid state - unlike dye concentrates that you would make for dye painting. I want to experiment some more with IDye. All in all at this point I think that straight Procion dyes work best if you are doing anything other than all over color. That being said, I think I can see some other possibilities for IDye - I just need more time& product to play with. I am wearing my Chartreuse socks today and, I have to say, they rock!

The Most Excellent Tee Shirt

Vicki is one of the most creative gals I 'know' (in a cyber kind of way). I always admire her work . Recently she has been perfecting her Tie Dye techniques & I fell in love with the tee shirts she's been making. Guess what I got in the mail?! Yep - Vicki sent me this absolutely awesome shirt. I love the design. I love the colors. I even wore it to work one Friday ( and I DO work in the Court House!!) Vicki is using Fruit Of The Loom shirts and I really do like the weight of this tee. It's perfect for summer wear & is not as heavy as some of the other brands I have tried in the past myself. It's just perfect in every way. I am - so often - reminded of the wonderful friendships that have been forged thanks to the internet & to the wonderful world of blogs & bloggers. Thank you Vicki - this shirt always makes me happy when I look at it !