THREE DAYS OF DYEING

Not three FULL days of dyeing. Just a simple dye job every day for three days. Three days of dyeing.

I finally set up my studio. It's a converted woodshed with a great sink area and large work space. Just spending about 20 minutes in the studio for a wee tiny bit of dyeing felt great! Three days of dyeing. Here's how they went:

Day #1

On all of the three days, I was overdyeing. I began with rather uninteresting pieces from days past. I mixed up one cup of "new black". On Day #1, the original pieces were pastels. I soaked them in soda ash, formed folds into them as they set on a large try (establishing hills and valleys), and poured black in the tray to soak up into the folds. The orangey piece on the right was wound around a wine bottle, then squeezed down and placed into the black dye.

Day#2

I just dyed one piece on Day #2.  This is part of a larger piece (20"x30'). The full piece looks like a storm at sea. A real storm at sea, NOT the quilt block. I promise to show it in its entirety on another blog. It's very nice, but the section I am showing above is my favorite part of it. It started out as a blue/gray ice-dye.

Below are three results from Day #3. Each piece was folded and clamped in multiple spots, then dipped into the black dye.
I am happy with all my new pieces!

Day#3

CROSSING OVER

I crossed over the Straits to get to Canada and have crossed over the civilization line as I returned to Refuge Cove...my little haven of nature. I've been here exactly one month, and that's been one busy month of transitioning a summer home, a garden and big yard that had knee high grass when we arrived. The sewing machine area has been up and running for a week. Just yesterday I began dyeing fabric again in my outdoor studio (once a woodshed!).

I escaped Refuge and its full-bore responsibilities last weekend with my friend Corrine. We boated over to Cortes for their annual "Studio and Garden Tour". Among the dozen places to visit, there were some interesting fibre (I'm writing from Canada!) art scenes.

Brig has a wild, productive garden that she inherited from a friend who passed away a few years ago. On this property is her natural dye shop for wool. Such a body of knowledge she must have. She's also a mushroom expert and I'm sure she uses some in the dye process, along with lichens, barks, roots and flowers.

Lee memorialized her mother's passing with a show of her fantastic knitting collection (many wild Kaffe Fasset sweaters). The pews in the tiny Anglican Church in Whaletown were laden with these many colorful and beautiful crafted items.

 I tried one on...it was huge, and so cozy! (Wish I had that picture!)
Across from the church lives my friend Jan Boas, a quilter who does amazing work with batiks! And we were treated to delicious chocolate chip cookies! (No picture here either...)
I was inspired and enthused to get back to my little slice of heaven at Refuge Cove!