Archive for the ‘Dyeing’ Category

Goats and art

December 6, 2011

My good friends have a herd of beautiful white newly shorn Angora goats AND big bags full of mohair. Looking at those silky curls, I immediately saw great nuno felting possibilities.

So this past weekend my friend Kris and I and my longtime Little Sister, Haley (through the Big Brothers Big Sisters program) and a young member of the goat owning family, Delaney, got together and dyed mohair. Lots of mohair.

dyepots and us

dyepots and us

The girls picked the colors, mixed the dyes and stirred in the locks to watch the magical tranformations in the dye pots.

The results were stunningly rich colors.

newly dyed mohair

newly dyed mohair

the results!

the results!

The mohair dried quickly next to my wood stove and maintained its brilliant color.
Next weekend: We teach the girls to make nuno felt!

Posted in Dyeing, Process | Leave a Comment »

Getting to Gray

November 15, 2011

No not my hair, it’s there already.

My new piece, tentatvely titled “You Are Here”, is predominently made of silk gauze dyed to various values of gray. There will be some saturated color at the end but right now my eyes are adjusting to sometimes very subtle variations in gray. I originally acid dyed a  batch but have found I need more of the darker variety. So I have been Mickey Mouse overdyeing for days using old containers of black Setacolor and fabric paints.

Dyed gray silk drying on a rack

Dyed gray silk drying on a rack

A messy business indoors. And it is HARD to come up with just the right nuance of gray!! It’s too greenish or purplish or bluish. Of course it all looks the same wet so I have to let it dry and then iron it to see the results. I tried drying still damp silk in the dryer…trust me, don’t do this.

After 5 overdye attempts, I think I finally hit on a batch that hopefully will work!

Gray silk gauze strips

Gray silk gauze strips

 

Posted in Artwork, Dyeing, Process | Leave a Comment »

You Are Here

November 6, 2011

I finally got my camera situation fixed so I can post about the newest piece I’m working on. I decided I wanted to explore more ways to  manipulate and layer dyed silk gauze. I love the subtle shifts in color and value when it’s folded or pleated and the wonderfully organic serendipitous edges that are created when ironing it down.

But I knew doing this on a larger scale was going to take me into Technical Difficulties. Which it has. But I’ve perservered. Here’s the working sketch for this piece:

"You Are Here" working sketch

"You Are Here" working sketch

I first acid dyed yards of silk gauze in gradations of gray and blue gray. I have since overdyed some of the fabric with setacolor to tone some of it down.
Here’s a peek at a detail of the work in progress:

You Are Here-in progress 1

You Are Here-in progress 1

I’ll post more soon about my inspiration behind this design.

Posted in Artwork, Dyeing, Process, sketching | Leave a Comment »

Newly dyed silk charmeuse

August 31, 2010
Dyed Charmeuse

Dyed Charmeuse

Spent a recent morning acid dyeing lots of half yard pieces of silk charmeuse. Luscious colors! I love charmeuse for the sheen and how it drinks up the color.

After I cherry pick a few spectacular pieces that I can’t part with, the rest will be up for sale during the Brattleboro WestArts Open Studio Tour September 25th-26th. There will also be some beautiful hand dyed cottons,  new small mounted work as well as large pieces.

Posted in Dyeing, Process | 2 Comments »

A pile of newly dyed silk!

June 13, 2010

I happily spent a good part of Friday at my friend/artist Kris Mcdermet‘s house acid dyeing eight yards of silk- both crepe de chine and charmeuse. We tend to have a lot to talk about when we’re together but have learned that we’re incapable of simultaneous communication and dyeing without disastrous results. So we schmooze first and then try to focus. Kris is a more careful dyer- following recipes that include exact measurements such as 1/64th of a teaspoon or “dip wet toothpick 2″ into dye powder”.

Newly dyed blues and purples

Not me. I usually try to start with a recipe but it quickly morphs into mixing dye colors with abandon. I got mostly very luscious results though! Our plan is to sell some of this beautiful fabric at our joint upcoming studio tour – a part of the September 25-26  Brattleboro West Arts Studio Tour.

Tags:, ,
Posted in Dyeing, Process | 4 Comments »

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.