Adding a little black dye to the mix!

So, after dyeing with straight colors on Friday, I decided to tray-dye again but with some black dye added to the tray in different amounts as I saw fit (all a guess!) And this is the finished fabric.






I set up another table and laid these pleated-up pieces out straight so they would dry faster in the hot sun.

When I ran out of room I just used the containers again

The pile on the left is Friday's work with the straight colors....on the right with the black added. I may add even more black to the next ones...or dilute the colors for a lighter bunch. Let's see if the sun comes out today....for tomorrow is stormy.

More Dyeing

These lovelies were dyed in a tray that I used to use for marbling, made by my brother who was a sheet metal worker. Thanks John!

I put some sun yellow dye in the tray...

And then some fire red...you can swish it around, tip the tray to mix or just leave it alone. Then I lay a piece of fabric (this is a fat-quarter tray) over the dye and move it, pat it, whatever I need to do to totally soak the piece.

Then I accordion it up and twist it so it will fit in my containers....

They sit out in the sun for a few hours and then I throw them all into a cold wash with synthrapol and then 3 or 4 hot washes...till the water runs clear. The result is the fabric in the first picture.

I put at least a few colors in each time, so there is nice color-play in the finished pieces. Mushing it up accordion-style makes for nice striations with the colors.

This is the finished (maybe) piece of stamped fabric that I showed in the last post.

I screened gold metallic over the larger designs...what a difference! I love it like this but I'm thinking it needs at least one more touch. Hmmm.

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.

Quilted and Bound!

My Kaffe quilt is back from Eileen at Designing Quilts...once again she did a great job. I'm having a real love-fest with Kaffe Fasset's fabrics...the colors and patterns are so stunning....I'll be working with them for a long time.

I love the quilting pattern I chose....

These are all the hot pads I made for the holiday (picture taken before they were quilted)....I plan to make many more of these too! And this year I will start even earlier....the holidays creep up so fast. I'm taking the last of my decorations down today....I just love looking at them, but January 18th is a little late even for me....blame it on a busy schedule and procrastination!

High on Kaffe!

As I've been sorting and cataloging my Kaffe Fassett fabrics I had a desire to make a quick quilt, so I used a tumbler kit (fabric was all pre-cut...including cropped corners for easy matching to piece) I had from the Quilt Shop in Danbury CT . Their merchandising is so much fun and very tempting (obviously!) http://www.thequiltshoponline.com/products.html

I just LOVE Kaffe's fabrics...I cut 2" strips from every one I have while I was cataloging. I will make many items from these in the future.

Work from Jane's Class

Last month Nancy and I went to Pro Chem in Mass. for a class with Jane Dunnewold...and once again had a fabulous time and made alot of wonderful fabric.


The piece above is done on silk broadcloth. We were learning about resists using countless tools. I love this piece...and wonder if I will ever be able to cut into it.....may have to use it whole :)

These are three silk scarves....the resists were wax and blue school glue.

We worked on big tables and I put down a piece of cotton as a dropcloth and ended up surface designing a dozen pieces like this. They are some of my favorite work from the week.

Then I got an idea to layer a piece of silk organza over a piece of cotton as a dropcloth. As I went about doing my resists, the dyes would go through the organza and make a duplicate image on the cotton....it's quite cool and I'm very happy with the results.

Items for the auction

These are the items I made and donated for the chinese auction at our beach this Summer. We are making improvements to the playground and shed area of the beach, so we had a fair on Labor Day and raised some funds to help. There were over 100 baskets or items that could be won...it was a big success.


These hotpads are made from a pattern in Quilting Arts magazine...so easy and I love using these colors.

The bag above is a Lazy Girl pattern....it was a big hit.

This "market" bag is a beautiful way to carry home the groceries....I'll stick to my Wegman's bags for that use!

This journal cover is strip-pieced with some of my favorite fabrics...love this green. I also donated a large tote bag....don't know why I don't have a picture...it was the most popular....I could have sold 10 of them.

Summer Recap

This summer flew right by...but we had a blast. I got the new cottage in good shape and then the family came for our big party in late July. Just about everyone was there...we are about 48 strong at full count. The family cottage had about 3o+ sleeping over and we had 8 in ours. The rest didn't spend the night. The weather could have been better....but we had a great time...we always do.




Logan got his first taste of Lake Erie....but it wasn't great swim weather, so sitting on the shore was about all.

The cottage is wonderful....I had a new floor put in to replace the old rugs. I put some quilts up on the walls and it was home.

And, of course, a swing for the front porch.

When I had any time this summer I tried to sew some small items...made a couple quilts from scraps, and made a few items for an auction at the beach fundraiser. I'll post those later.

We also spent a few days in St John, USVI at the wedding of the son of dear friends. WOW! We had a fabulous time....included was snorkeling, the wedding on a gorgeous beach, incredible food, a catamaran ride to Jost Van Dyke (BVI) to swim and visit Foxy's restaurant and The Soggy Dollar Bar. Great time with great friends!