By Rebecca, on August 5th, 2011
While I had a wonderful time last winter discovering snow dyeing and creating beautiful fabrics, I also got very tired of being cold. I wished to be warm. I wished for Spring. When it came, it was cold and wet. Hardly what I had wished for. I remembered wonderful Spring seasons of the past when the days were sunny and beginning to get warm and the flowers would begin to bloom, gradually easing into the warmth of Summer. That is what I wished for. This Spring was cold and wet. I wished to be warm.
My wish was granted. I am now warm. I have been warm for two months now. Whatever Spring we had jumped right to Summer with high humidity and high temperatures. I am now too warm and wishing for it to be cool again. I will not wish for it to be cold. I’m afraid it will happen all too soon. For now, cooler temps will be most welcome, and I will be careful what I wish for.
By Rebecca, on February 17th, 2011
Ah – just when I find a use for the white stuff, it gets up to 70 degrees and melts! I never would have thought I would hate to see the snow go away by mid February, but I am. That said, I hear we’ll have more this weekend. Still. It serves a purpose for me now, rather than just being beautiful.
I’ve searched the internet, though, on how to “snow dye” without snow. I can put it in the freezer, I can use crushed ice, or ice cubes. I’m not sure I want to go quite that far. I don’t have that much freezer space and I’m not sure I want to put chemically treated fabric in with my food even if it is in a plastic bag. I’m just funny that way. I don’t think my ice maker could keep up with what I need to dye fabric. So for me, it will be a seasonal thing.
While I am enjoying this beautiful day immensely, I’m not ready to let go of snow yet. I will be looking forward to seeing the white stuff on Sunday and dyeing more fabric.
In the mean time, I have learned another new process to get color on fabric. Deconstructed screen printing. Look for results in the next blog post.
By Rebecca, on February 1st, 2011
Snow makes beautiful patterns in fabric. Below is a tutorial on how I use snow to dye fabric.
 First, place at least one yard of prepared for dyeing fabric (PFD) in a dishpan or other type of tub. Fold it or scrunch it for more interesting patterns. Next pour one cup per yard, of prepared dye activated water to moisten the cloth. (To make dye activator add 1/2 c salt and 1/3 cup soda ash to 1 gallon of warm water.) You must use safety precautions when mixing powders, by wearing a dust mask or respirator.
 Pack the pan with snow. I fill it up and pack it down.
 Pour or squirt dye concentrate onto the snow. This time I put the dye concentrate into a squirt bottle (not spray bottle) and squirted different colors on the snow. I use Procion MX Dye powders. (When mixing the dye concentrate, always use safety precautions by wearing a dust mask. Nothing is worth risking your health.)
 As the snow melts, the dye hits the fabric at different levels and at different concentrations.
 Once the snow has melted, you can rinse the fabric in warm water until the water runs clear. Then wash your fabric in the washing machine with hot water and 1 tsp synthrapol.
 Each yard is unique and beautiful. For more intense color, use more dye, although the fabric does have a point where it reaches saturation and will accept no more color.
Have fun. Let me know how yours turns out!
By Rebecca, on January 17th, 2011
What do I want to accomplish in the next year? In the next five years? Where do I want to see myself and my art in that time frame? What do I need to do to get there? Set some goals.
I usually start with some short term ones – like finish what I’ve started at the end of last year so I can get it out of my studio. OR if it’s something that really isn’t worth finishing, but was a good experimental and learning piece – then either put it with the other “raw” materials, or throw it out. These are decisions that need to be made with cold artistic critique.
So where do I want to be in the next year, and how will this year be a stepping stone to my long term goals of where I want to be in five years?
This next year, I want to focus on working in a series while learning some new techniques. I would like to be able to complete at least six pieces in this series by the end of the year. The new techniques with this series are screen printing, and layering of colors, images and fabrics themselves and learning to control dye color and pattern more. By spending this year learning, I hope that within the next several years, I will be able to have work that will be worthy of entering, and hopefully accepted, into shows.
I have some other goals for this year as well . . . income, teaching, other work and especially time management and organization. My studio seems to be in a constant state of “cyclone having gone through.” It’s all a work in process.
By Rebecca, on December 31st, 2010
I’ve been dyeing my own fabric for a couple of years now, but I haven’t tried layering color before. It’s a process I’m beginning to play with using an immersion dye bath for the first layer, then some screen printing. What I’m trying to accomplish, is a background color with a tone-on-tone, pattern on top. What I do for the third, fourth and possibly more layers, I haven’t really decided yet.
So I’ve been playing with the first two layers. Above is a piece of fabric that’s been manipulated before the dye is applied by folding, then applying the dye with a squeeze bottle and letting it sit. This has been my usual way of working with dye. The pattern is unpredictable which is part of its allure for me. But if I’m going to do more layering of color, I need to gain more control over the outcome. Screen printing sounded like fun, with an overall pattern.
I decided to try my pattern with acrylic paint first, just to see how screen printing actually works. Blue and white paint on hand dyed gray fabric makes an interesting effect, but it does leave the fabric rather stiff. What if I want it to be more subtle? And what will thickened dye do on the fabric? I mixed my thickening agent, then added my dye. Below is what it looks like when it’s wet.
I had printed the entire yard of fabric when I realized I had not added a key ingredient to the dye mix. The dye activator – soda ash! Oh no! All that work and it will probably just all wash out. I gave up for the day and let it dry. When I rinsed it out, however, I was surprised. A small amount stayed in the fabric.
It’s extremely subtle, and less than what I had intended, but I was amazed that any remained at all. Perhaps it’s because our water is softened with salt and I had just used tap water in my mixing. I wouldn’t have thought there would be enough salt in that one cup of water, though, so I’m not sure. Further experimentation needs to be done. Those who are more experienced with this process, may have some words of wisdom for me, which I would welcome. In the meantime, I’m loving playing around and seeing what effects I can get with the different mediums.
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