Shibori Bubbles & Lace Dyeing

So it's 10:21 on a Sunday evening.

I am determined to start getting up earlier (than I have been) in order to make better use of the day. 

we'll see how it goes. 

But for tonight, I've been prepping for my Monday dye day. 

I need to come up with a fancier name than

Monday Dye Day though. But that's what I do on Mondays.
Dye

This May (it will be here before we know it) 

I'll be teaching a 4th class in my series of 

Natural Dyeing Collaborations

here in

Portland.

Last week I picked up the piece of lovely silk fabric from Mary 

at 

Z Fabrics.
where the 2nd part of Natural Dyeing for sewers will be held. 

Tonight I'm prepping the cloth so that it can soak over night. 

I used linen string but you could use any strong, yarn or rubber bands.
I also used button but I usually use rocks from the road.
I love the organic shapes they make.

I thought a bit about what design to do on the scarf for the class sample. 

I thought about doing something fun with a needle and thread to create binding and wavy lines.

But you know, again I went for the bubbles. 

I LOVE creating round bubble like shapes with shibori

and in my watercolors. 

There is just something about circles, bubbles, and the general roundness of objects that I am drawn to. 

Maybe it's because I've got some of that going on myself. General roundness here and there. 

It's ok, I like my roundness and I'm proud of it.

I also opted to use up an old cochineal/ acetate dye bath
that was occupying my shelf since July.

I kind of couldn't get over how red it still was.
I had about a gallon and a quarter in various containers.
Acetate is a mordant recommended to use with plant based fibers.
But I didn't hesitate to use in on the silk.
I wanted to use up what I had and I wanted to see what would happen.

 (the reflection here in the pot is funny- not something I noticed until just now)

This was just after 5 minutes of being in the bath.

I cooked it very slowly and for a few hours with temp reaching
about 160-180 over the course of a few hours.

I let it sit in the pot over night and
in the morning, I hung it up over the sink so
all it could drip back into the pot.
When it was dryer, I tried soaking it in the sink
but so much dye was coming out.
After a few rinses
I changed course and brought the fabric down to the washer.
That's right, I thew it in the wash with a little
sprinkle of my home made laundry soup.
Which I love.

I was little started with how much it lightened up,
but, it's still beautiful.

Having still more dye left in the pot, 

I added this shirt I thrifted.

I have a thing with lace. 

If you haven't noticed. 

Again, it's lighter then I imagined but 

it's still lovely.

Just a few shades pink.

It will headed to my etsy shop next month:) 

I went ahead and added fiber to a 3rd bath (really a 4th if we count the 1st one in July.

What I've got here:

white Maine Finn wool

yak/silk roving

soy silk

silk hankie

irish texel wool i dyed with indigo

I also threw in some skeins of brown wool.

They are sill hanging out in the dye pot.
I'll up date how the turned out
here.

I love using up dyes but it's often I always underestimate
how much I will be dyeing.
I never quite know how far a dye bath will go until I get through the first one.

That's one of my favorite things about natural dye baths
is stretching it further and further.
Especially when they are plants that I find
unlike this pot which was cochineal extract.

A Series of Natural Dye Collaborations; with Portland Textile Businesses

Something I'm super excited about:

My new Natural Dye Collaboration Series with Portland Small Businesses. 

Starting in February I'll be starting a series of natural dye collaborations with 

Portfiber

Z Fabrics

and

Knitwit

Each class will be a two parter starting with learning how to use natural dyes for a particular textile form at Portfiber. The second day will be using those dyed fibers to create a unique project at one of the three shops. 

First up:

Natural Dyeing for Weavers

March 15th and 22nd 

Portfiber

Day 1: at Portfiber, we'll learn dye techniques for yarn and dip dye methods taught by me

Day 2 and (maybe) Day 3 also at Portfiber, weave your project-  taught by Dana Fadel

this was a really fun class. Here are the yarns just after dyeing:

I can't wait to get started on my tiny loom. But right now, my husband is in the middle of his first weaving project- so that's a good thing. I'll let him take his time:) 

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Natural Dyeing for Knitters

April 19th and 26th

Portfiber and Knitwit

Day 1: at Portfiber, using quince yarns, we'll learn fun color mixing techniques to create just the bright colors we want using just 3 plant dyes (plus black walnut for the back ground color). 

Day2: Judy over at Knitwit will guide you through a fun fingerless mitt project using all your beautiful color samples. 

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Natural Dyeing for Sewers

Date TBA Late May- early June.

Portfiber and Z Fabrics

Day 1: at Portfiber using lovely silk fabric from Z Fabrics, we'll set up bundles to dye and play with Shibori techniques.

Day 2: over at Z Fabrics with Anne Riggs, you'll create beautiful edgings with a hem stitch and whatever else you'd like on your fabric.

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Natural Dyeing for Needle Felters

June 14th & June 21st (we've been rescheduling this a few times in order to get enough signups) 

Portfiber

Day1: we'll learn techniques for hand carding and dyeing rologs 

Day 2: needle felt your favorite song bird and learn how to create tiny details

Both workshops will be taught by me. Follow the link above to sign up.

As we all work together to tie up the details, I'll continue to update this post. 

If you have any questions, send me an email or leave a comment below. I'd love to hear from you. 

ox! R