Dyeing and Stamping!

Today I was determined to do some dyeing. It's still not warm enough to do my outside over-the-rack dyeing, so I chose to do a 12-step gradation with some different colors....mustard, black and boysenberry. I set up my buckets, which have the measurements and directions written on them, since I can never find my directions easily :)


Below are buckets #1, 2 & 3 with the mustard and black mixtures at different strengths of each.



These are boysenberry/black mixes.

After they were washed out.

I don't love the colors on their own...but I have plans for them....stay tuned.

Don't you love stacks of fabric!!!!

Then I switched to stamping. I had this nice piece of silk broadcloth that I had dyed last year. And I knew stamping it would make it even better.

So I chose this rubber stamp that I had carved in a Jane Dunnewold class and I did some sample paint colors to see which would be best...I went with the rust.

I have to turn the stamp each time to get this pattern...it's fairly easy to do....but I do have to pay attention!

I had made a thermofax screen from the same stamp design, but blown up to a larger size. So I decided to insert a few of these on the piece.

I love the fabric now!!!! I only finished half so far...will complete it tomorrow. Then I need to set the paint by ironing it on the reverse.

The picture below is just to show the difference the stamping makes in the fabric. Now I'm searching through all my fabric to see what else I can stamp!

Small Stuff

I finished a couple journal covers last night while watching DWTS. I enjoyed free-motion quilting on the lighter one....I need lots more practice at it....but I like the results.

Sewing Again!!!

I had a headache yesterday but I couldn't stop sewing....it made me feel better :) I wanted to try this pattern from Quilts Illustrated (Weekender Tote)....I made a couple changes, but all-in-all it's a great pattern.


First I "made" some patchwork fabric by sewing strips together, cutting them up and sewing back together again. Then I quilted the body of the bag...that was the fun part.

There are lots of pockets inside so it would also make a great diaper bag. This one will be in the auction to support our beach playground in September.