Fabric Dyeing

I haven't posted anything since QuiltCon in February.  It's not because I haven't been doing anything, it's because Ive been dyeing.

I got into Malka Dubrawski's batik dyeing workshop.  I was on the waiting list and got the call just a week before the convention saying a place had opened up.  YEA!

 

I was so sick that day and arrived late, but it was great seeing the process she uses.  I had bought her book last year, so I already had all the instructions.  It was great to work through it all with her there and although we waxed the fabric for most of the day, we did get it all in dye baths and picked it up the next day.  Since we didn't have time to dye it and get it dry so we could add more wax and dye it again, we all ended up with white and one colour on each piece of fabric.

When I got home from QuiltCon, I went to Maiwa on Granville Island and bought Procion MX dye, soda ash and brushes.  I got some Pima Cotton from Maiwa and some Kona PFD from Spool of Thread.  I added wax and more die to the 6 pieces from the workshop and waxed and dyed lots more.  From each piece I cut some off and made a Shoo Fly block.  I've seen it listed as Monkey Wrench too.  Here's the quilt top from my first month's dying frenzy.

 

Here's what I started for the back of the quilt.  Paula and Arita took a Hexie workshop at QuiltCon and shared the technique at the last guild meeting.

Most of the fabric is waxed using potato mashers for stamps.  I found 9 different mashers with great patterns and have been using them all the time.  I also made some cardboard stamps and have used the bottoms of candle holders as well.