When Black is Blue!

Achieving a really great deep dark black remains a challenge for me! Since I don't seem to be able to get the results I want I decided to explore the differences in the black dyes from my stash. I pulled out 2 different blacks; silk black and new black by ProChemical. The best way to understand the properties of a dye recipe is to use the Confetti Technique. This method calls for the dye to be placed in a strainer and sprinkled across the surface of the fabric. Because the dye is not immersed in water the color particles that make up a dye separate and I can see what colors dominate the recipe.

My most common result is a blue black. 

I expected to see blue particles and was surprised to see yellow and red! 

Next I folded the damp fabric (soaked in soda ash and water for 30 minutes). This time I used the "silk" black.

The silk black definitely has reds/browns in the recipe.

Switching back to the "new" black I discovered it reads a deeper black but still feels a little "blue".

I have a couple more blacks to experiment with and it's interesting to see the subtle nuances between the recipes. I've always thought of black as an "easy" color because it's so... black... kinda simple. I know better now and have a new respect for the color! I will continue to work and explore to find the "perfect" black.

Ice Dyeing Vintage Textiles

I'm of an age where my folks and their generation are clearing the clutter so to speak. They've started to give away items collected over a lifetime to simplify their lives. Recently my mom was helping her dear sweet friend Ethel consolidate her space when they came across some doilies and crocheted table runners made long ago. About the same time my mother in law gave me a pile of forgotten fabrics she'd discovered tucked away under the eves. 

It was fun poking through my treasures and I couldn't resist tossing a few into the ice dye. Some of you may feel the vintage integrity is lost by dyeing but my perspective is that I'm adding a new chapter to their story!

The doily absorbed the dye well and I think the soft colors keep the vintage look intact. I have to wonder though... what would super bright modern colors do for the look and would it resonate more to the 20-something generation?!  

My treasure from my mother in law's pile was a loosely woven fabric. I think it's 100% cotton - it feels super soft and light weight. The fabric is only a yard and I wish there was more! 

This photo has black behind the fabric to show the weave detail.

This photo has tan behind it to bring out more of the overall colors.

Sun Printing - Yippee!

After cycling on a lovely refurbished railroad bed last weekend I had a strong urge to sunprint! The canopy of leaves was that nice dappled mixture of greens and yellows with some blue peeking through. Some day I'm going to paint my bedroom ceiling those colors - so peaceful! I created a couple of pieces using those colors but then veered off track to use other colors and  further off track to a more typical approach to painting fabric. 

I used peony leaves that were ready to cut down for the season. I tend to wait to trim plants that have gone by until I'm ready for a sunprinting session. 

For this piece I crinkled damp fabric and took my 3" brush and shook and flicked the paint around until the surface was covered. I gave it one more misting of water to ensure the paint meandered into the folds of the fabric.

I was painting in front of a group of day lily's and used all the colors within my view!

My final painted piece of the day was a more typical approach using a broad strokes application with some fabric scrunching and salt. 

I hope you get a chance to get outside for some outdoor creativity! It's inspiring to be outside experiencing the view, sights and sounds of your community! For me it's a natural scene but others might be enjoying an urban vibe. Maybe I should challenge myself (and you!) to create fabric art in settings that are outside your typical environment?! Game on?

Dyed Artist Canvas!

My latest passion is dyeing artist canvas! I wash the fabric as soon as I get it which removes the sizing and leaves the fabric soft and pliable... just delicious to use! The prewash shrinks the fabric quite a bit which at first was a surprise but now that I know all is well! 

I've ice dyed as well as painted and sun printed the canvas and been happy with the results. I love cotton but the soft canvas has such a nice texture that I think it provides a cool uniqueness to a finished piece. 

 "Flowers at Play" is painted and appliqued. I mounted on canvas stretchers which is easy to do and a quick way to hang. 

Check out my Artist Canvas Fabric page for more finished fabrics!

The Printed Fabric Bee Give Away Time!

Yippee! Another Printed Fabric Bee give away is here! This month Susan Mark Purney requested an industrial theme. For a chance to win a 6" X 6" collection of this custom fabric please leave a comment on Susan's blog or hop over to The Printed Fabric Bee's blog and comment there. Susan will pick a winner on July 10th! 

Wow - an industrial design required some thought and a different perspective on colors, shape and texture for me. I had a few false starts but once I got warmed up I was off and running!

I started with a piece of fabric that I had earlier dyed with indigo and then over dyed with a rust/orange. Freezer paper was my method of choice this month! I cut out circles and adhered the paper to the fabric. I used the stencil design inside the circles with fabric paint. Once it was dry I pulled the paper off and voila - a crisp circle! 

Next I used slices of freezer paper and fabric paint to create grid-like lines.

I continued to add layers of circles until the design felt right. At the last minute I included some little rectangles shapes from a thermofax screen.

Here is Susan's finished piece! Now get on over to her blog for a chance to win the custom fabric pack - it's a truly unique collection with the artists outdoing themselves with this challenge!

Please take a moment to become familiar with all the artists in the Fabric Bee! I'm in awe to be working with this talented group! The Printed Fabric Bee will take the month of July off and back in August with a brand new collection!

Lynn Krawczyk: http://smudgedtextilesstudio.com

Julie B. Booth: http://www.threadbornblog.com

Gerrie Congdon: http://www.gericondesigns.com

Leslie Riley: http://www.lesleyriley.com

Carol R. Eaton: http://carolreatondesigns.blogspot.com

Jackie Lams: http://www.studiolams.com

Lisa Chin: http://somethingcleveraboutnothing.blogspot.com

Susan Purney Mark: http://susanpm.com

Lynda Heines: http://www.bloombakecreate.com

Leslie Tucker Jenison: http://leslietuckerjenison.blogspot.com

More Explorations with Stamping!

I had another delightful session with my stamps from Art Foamies! This time I used the Seed Pod design. The stamp is a thick foam making it easy to create a sharp crisp print. 

I used Jacquard Textile paint that needed to be thinned just a bit with water. 

I printed on a piece of ice dyed fabric. I wanted to create a meandering design with sections of tightly grouped seed pods that thinned out as it crossed the surface of the fabric.

I took a coffee break while the paint dried.
The fabric was then heat set and ready for a project!