What not to do when dyeing
When dyeing the aprons I played "what if" with two of them. Picasso had his "blue period" and I am going through my "what if" period. 
Charleen had asked what the fabric looked like. The first photo shows the piece a bit brighter than it really is. It is very flat and boring. It is dull and uninspiring.
The second and third photos are of the same apron. I had stamped the apron using black Jacquard Textile Color prior to dyeing. I had not planned on dyeing or painting this apron, however it was very boring. The stamps are little chefs and chef hats. Very cute, but without color, an otherwise boring composition. I followed the directions on the bottle and allowed the paint to dry for 24 hours followed by ironing the apron on both sides. I called Dharma and said "what if" I paint the apron over the stamping. Answer: dunno! After all, the paint had been allowed to cure and was set using heat. The stuff is suppose
to be washable and dryable. What happens is the print blurs and in some cases almost vanishes. I imagine it's the soda ash interacting with the textile paint. You can see in the third photo that there is enough left to see, kind of, but didn't disappear enough to simply restamp.
Look to the left, near the curved area and you'll see a partial chef hat. Click to enlarge.
I think I'll retie, resoak and dye a dark color. The other apron, which is one of those small fold over half apron I may stamp. It's not an apron that will get much use because it doesn't have an upper part. And if you're going to wear an apron, damnit! wear a "whole" apron!
These have been fun. I am fascinated with what many of the quilters are doing with surface design, layering colors and designs, and I can't really figure out their process. They seem to do a lot of painting, steaming, stamping, overdyeing and they don't lose their color or stamping. I'd buy "a" book to get started, but I am particular about what books I buy. I've already been through the "must have every book on the subject" phase and now only want books that just give me the facts, mam, only the facts. Cutesy I don't need. I've googled and asked Jeeves, Licos, and all the search engines, but I'm unable to find the information I'm really looking for. But then it's hard to ask a question when you don't really know the subject! I bought some sodium alginate, asked for directions to be sent with it....it says to add water until the thickness desired is reached. Okay, makes sense if you know what thickness you want. I'll have to just play. My friend Trisha bought some water soluble gutta and was able to "play" with it yesterday. She called me and said, "it's blobbing"! She had watered it down, but like me, doesn't have a clue at what point you stop adding water (ok, we all know when we've gone TOO flippin' far). Now this is a person with her BFA, a "real" artist, and has done some of this back in her college days, but like me, has a problem with remembering yesterday. There are no books in our library to borrow on the subject, can't even find any books through inter-library loan. It would help to have someone guide us in the right direction. Nothing like living in the arm pit of Fiber Void. Anyone know of a Surface Design 101 book? Basics, just the basics.
Charleen had asked what the fabric looked like. The first photo shows the piece a bit brighter than it really is. It is very flat and boring. It is dull and uninspiring.
The second and third photos are of the same apron. I had stamped the apron using black Jacquard Textile Color prior to dyeing. I had not planned on dyeing or painting this apron, however it was very boring. The stamps are little chefs and chef hats. Very cute, but without color, an otherwise boring composition. I followed the directions on the bottle and allowed the paint to dry for 24 hours followed by ironing the apron on both sides. I called Dharma and said "what if" I paint the apron over the stamping. Answer: dunno! After all, the paint had been allowed to cure and was set using heat. The stuff is suppose
to be washable and dryable. What happens is the print blurs and in some cases almost vanishes. I imagine it's the soda ash interacting with the textile paint. You can see in the third photo that there is enough left to see, kind of, but didn't disappear enough to simply restamp.Look to the left, near the curved area and you'll see a partial chef hat. Click to enlarge.
I think I'll retie, resoak and dye a dark color. The other apron, which is one of those small fold over half apron I may stamp. It's not an apron that will get much use because it doesn't have an upper part. And if you're going to wear an apron, damnit! wear a "whole" apron!
These have been fun. I am fascinated with what many of the quilters are doing with surface design, layering colors and designs, and I can't really figure out their process. They seem to do a lot of painting, steaming, stamping, overdyeing and they don't lose their color or stamping. I'd buy "a" book to get started, but I am particular about what books I buy. I've already been through the "must have every book on the subject" phase and now only want books that just give me the facts, mam, only the facts. Cutesy I don't need. I've googled and asked Jeeves, Licos, and all the search engines, but I'm unable to find the information I'm really looking for. But then it's hard to ask a question when you don't really know the subject! I bought some sodium alginate, asked for directions to be sent with it....it says to add water until the thickness desired is reached. Okay, makes sense if you know what thickness you want. I'll have to just play. My friend Trisha bought some water soluble gutta and was able to "play" with it yesterday. She called me and said, "it's blobbing"! She had watered it down, but like me, doesn't have a clue at what point you stop adding water (ok, we all know when we've gone TOO flippin' far). Now this is a person with her BFA, a "real" artist, and has done some of this back in her college days, but like me, has a problem with remembering yesterday. There are no books in our library to borrow on the subject, can't even find any books through inter-library loan. It would help to have someone guide us in the right direction. Nothing like living in the arm pit of Fiber Void. Anyone know of a Surface Design 101 book? Basics, just the basics.
posted by Marie | 7:43 AM
3 Comments:
Jane Dunnewold's book Complex Cloth is my fav. Try her website www.artclothstudios.com She's a fabulous teacher, too and a really nice person! Holly Brackman has a new book: The Surface Designer's Handbook, which I have not really looked through yet, but hear is very good too. Try the library, Jane's book is many years old, like over 10.
Thanks for dropping by my blog, Marie. I recommend Ann Johnston's 2 books - Color by Accident, which is mainly Procion dyeing, and Color by Design, which goes into using dye thickener, resists, discharge, stamping and so on. They're reasonably priced, spiral bound (so easy to have open while you work) and I use them as the basis for the dyeing classes I teach.
Good readding your post
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