Dyed Splendor

   

Here’s some of the end products from my clamping and folding dyeing class, washed, ironed and photographed against the rising sun!  I don’t remember what I did with the first piece, but the blue on blue was accordian folded in triangles.  For the third one I alternated stuffing the fabric in a quart jar a little at a time with squirting different dyes.  Sort of gives a tie-dyed effect!  Now I’m having a good time thinking of what to make from my new-made wealth of color – any suggestions?!

Dyeing 101

   

Yesterday was gray and dreary here in Richmond Town, with wet snow from noon on.  But I was inside, in the midst of color!  I took two dyeing classes at Quilting Adventures, our local quilting arts store.  The first session was basic intro to techniques: “Learn the basic procedures involved in dyeing cotton using fiber reactive dyes and leave class with 24 handdyed fat quarters. This technique is not especially messy or difficult, so it seems almost magical!”,  and my favorite part: All dyes and chemicals provided. 

The second class focused on folding and clamping.  We were able to see what we got with the afternoon efforts, but it will be later this morning before I wash out my color wheel of fat quarters.  That’s because we were using cold water and the dye takes longer to react. 

We used Procion Fiber Reactive dyes, which are permanent on natural fibers.  They actually react with the fiber, rather than merely coating the surface as would a Ritz dye.  The flip side of that is that Ritz will work on polyester, etc., while the reactive dye only does things like cotton, silk, rayon.

For the color wheel of fabrics, we used three primary dye powders and created the range of colors that you see in the first photo.  We mixed our dyes, measured the liquids into the pint jars in various ratios, then stuffed two fat quarters (18″x 22″) of fabric into each jar.  Oh, but before that, we had soaked the fabric in a solution of water and washing soda (different from baking soda).  The soda is essential to the chemical reaction of the dye. 

Then we closed up the jars and flipped them every hour or so for a couple hours.  Can’t wait to see how the fabrics come out!

In the second class, after clamping and folding, we squirted dye on the fabric, then put it in the soda and water.  After we’d finished all the pieces of material, we took the fabric out of the solution, removed any rubber bands, clothespins, etc. and shared our creations!