Maybe everything happens for a reason. That week that I laid in bed and read dye painting books really soaked in (my brain, not the bed). So I got out the dye powders I had ordered last year, and weird tools I don’t remember ordering, and started to fool around. This was done with a sponge brush and syringe.
I have an old chipped glass table top that I got cheap at some auction, and it worked really well when I started to try out monoprinting with dyes as per Melanie Testa‘s inspiring article in this month’s Quilting Arts Magazine.
Actually this one is part monoprinting, and part mistake with a lopsided sponge roller, but a happy mistake.
Once I got a feel for working with the dyes and the right music (jazz is best), it became really fun. My biggest mistake was not letting some of these cure long enough, and when I washed them too soon, some of the intensity was lost. Oh well… live, learn, and happiness through chemicals!
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Just popped by (thanks for visiting, BTW!) and these first things I saw made me wonder…have you ever worked with encaustic? They have a translucent layered lightness I’ve seen in a lot of recent encaustic work.
Anyway, I really do like this!
Thanks Lori, and no, I haven’t done any encaustics. I’m hoping to start using these dyed pieces of fabric in my quilts, so I’ll probably stick to dyes right now. I do love the translucent effects though!
Yippee! I love that you’ve put the impulse into action and this is yummy color. It’s easier in warmer weather to get the dyes to fully react faster — keeping the colors. I batch mine in a big stacked club sandwich of plastic and cloth. Susie
I know I should be waiting for warmer weather, but just couldn’t — have spring fever early. I hope to do more when it gets warmer. Thanks for the tips!
Hip hip hooray! Pamdora is doing surface design. Wonder what she will be up to next. These are gorgeous.
Oh my goodness, now you will be buying white fabrics instead of all those colors! A whole new world has opened up to you!
Welcome to the bite of the dye bug!
that article really spoke to me too
your colors are great!
xo
Yep, these are tooooo yummy!
I very much like the yellow/brown one, probably because I’m attracted to monotones. This one has interesting lines and shapes. Good job!
I love them all…now I have the bug to try it.
is there a pamdora does dyeing quilt in your future?
I’m not sure where this is going. My intention was to create fabrics to use in quilts, but these are so interesting by themselves. Probably when I get enough, I’ll try cutting them up to see how it works.
My personal favorite is the orange one at the top of the post. I’d *buy* that fabric if it were available!