ICE DYEING

There was an interesting article in the latest issue of QUILTING ARTS Magazine about Ice Dyeing.  That's the August/September 2011, Issue 52.

I have a large tray that I used for wetting paper for printing, but I had a hard time finding some kind of screen to put on top of it.  We ended up taking apart an unused baby-gate and I used on side of it over the tray.  It worked okay, it's major downfall being that the ice can fall through the large holes.  I would suggest a window screen or a shelving rack with smaller holes.


So, first you soak your fabric in a soda ash solution.

Then the art here is in how you fold the fabrics.  I tried several different ways, even just bunching it up.  Then I put them all on the screen close together.

Then pile on ice cubes.

 

Then sprinkle on the dry dye pigments.  I used three different colors.

 

 

Isn't that beautiful!

I found myself sitting there staring at the beautiful colors as the dyes ate into the ice and started to melt onto the fabrics.

Then I realized I was sitting there watching ice melt and I got up and went to do something productive.

The next morning, the ice is melted.  I rinsed out the fabrics and hung them up to dry.

Depending on how you fold them, you get some interesting results. 

Great fun!

RE-DO!!

Okay, if you read the previous post, you know I messed up.

So, here's the re-do after actually reading the directions.

Much better, and the fabrics on the left are more what I had in mind, next to the mistakes on the right:

And here are the fabrics shown with the quilt top in the background.   

Now I just have to make the back.

FABRIC FOR BACK OF DENVER QUILT

I got this great new book  a while back-

 So, when I decided I was going to dye some fabrics for the back of the Denver quilt I've been working on, I pulled it out and looked through it for the colors I wanted and set out to dye them.

I tore up some half yard pieces, got the dyes and other stuff out and started measuring.  It seemed like a lot of dye, but hey, its been a long time since I dyed any fabric.

When I put the fabric into the bags it looked really dark....hmmm. 

Maybe I should look at the book a little closer and actually READ it.

Oops, I did do it wrong.  Don't get me wrong - it's a great book.  I just didn't actually read all that I should have before I dove in.

I did use waaaay toooooo much dye.  I tried diluting it, but it was too late, the dye was already into the fabric. Oh, well.

But, it turned out beautiful, but it's darker than I wanted.