ch-ch-changes

Sometimes projects just don't turn out as planned.  Over dyeing was on my agenda when I planned out this month of indigo.  My daughter had made a success of it with a woven cotton shirt that had stains on it.  I have no before shots of the shirt with stains but I promise you I cannot find any sign of them after the dip into indigo.

 

I on the other hand still have a "not for public consumption" t-shirt after a dip in the indigo.    The stains were intensified in the indigo vat.  Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

Not giving up on changing things with a dip in the indigo.  I shibori stitched this scarf - which was in two different MX dye baths and still hadn't made the grade - and pulled it up very tightly.  Put it in the pot and forgot about it. 

Midnight after the workshop, I emailed the teacher that there was a stray item left in the vat and I'd pick it up later.  Connie was kind enough to fish it out, oxidize it and dip it a second time, rinse it and leave it to dry in the Guild House office.  I took one peak ... and ...

I was too excited to wait and unpicked all the shibori stitching immediately !

Wow.  Pleased with this changling.  It's quite a reincarnation.  There is some controversy over whether I should iron it or not.  I lean toward ironing but I'm asking opinions.

An Ann Johnston's Grand Finale

Judith again but for the last time.  Here are the surface designed fabric I made with Beth in February using Ann's suggestions for hoses, chains, and ropes.  Oh my!

 

 This first one was wrapped around a chain diagonally, scrunched up, placed in purple dye for 15 minutes, then soda ash was added to the dye.  Here is a picture of it batching.

 One yard length, salvage to salvage width, cotton fabric.

The purple dye was an overdye. The original dye was a soy wax pattern on a silk screen.  It was just too ugly!  But with the purple on top of it, I see koi under ripples of water.  What do you see?

  One yard length, salvage to salvage width, cotton fabric.

Okay, this one is still horrible but I think it can be added to and improved.  This was a rope wrap.  Notice that the texture is not as strong as the pattern made by the chain.  Just like the first piece, this is an overdye of a particularly ugly piece.  For some reason I thought scraping straight dye powder onto fabric would give a great affect.  Not so much.  The texture overdye did soften the strong splotches.  I think I need to stamp an equally strong pattern in an equally strong color to counteract the fushia.  But now I at least have a great background for all the foreground clutter I need to add.  I am open to suggestions.  Here is a wonderful detail short of the texture.

This last one is my most and least favorite. As a whole fabric piece, it does not work but the detail shots are wonderful.  I can either add something and make a better whole cloth design or I can cut it up and use it as is.   Do you have a preference or suggestion?

One yard length, salvage to salvage width, cotton fabric.

This is another overdyed piece.  The original had the soy wax circles with blue and orange dye paste spread on with a credit card.  You can see some of the lines from the applications.  I then wrapped it around a hose, scrunched, dyed, soda ashed, and batched. Ugh but here are the detail shots.

I hope that: 1) I have inspired you to try some of Ann's techniques and 2) don't throw away a "failure" but try, try again.  It may just need a second or third or fourth technique or overdye.

Have Fun!