Category Archives: fabric

Dyeing in the Basement

Dyeing in the Basement

This is my first experiment in over dyeing white on white fabric.

I saw Joanne Sharpe demonstrate the technique on episode 1813 of Quilting Arts. She used dye paints and water-soluble crayons. I’ve  been dyeing satin cords for Kumihimo, so I used some leftover Rit dyes from that.  I gathered up newspaper and whatever clean paint brushes I could find. I did mix up a fresh little batch of Petal Pink and started with that and a broad sponge brush. I started painting circles on my prewashed, printed cotton fat quarter of fabric. I decided the pink was so pale, I’d just paint the whole piece. Ricë Freeman Zachery always gets fantastic results combining hot pinks and bright orange, so I popped a container of leftover Tangarine dye in the microwave. I loosened the lid and heated it on high until it started to bubble, about 4 minutes. I used a 1 inch trim brush and added alternating dabs of the dye. I had mixed some red-violet #532 dye using Judy Coates Perez’s formula:

1 cup boiling water, 1 tsp Purple, 1/2 tsp Wine Rit liquid dye. I add 1/4 cup of vinegar to the dye bath.

Judy’s formulas can be found at The RIT Studio.

I heated and added diagonal dabs of red-violet using a different kind of trim brush.Next, I heated and and added Fuchsia to the remaining light spaces. This time, I used another 1 inch trim brush.  I gave it another all over coat of Petal Pink. The fabric was drenched in dye at this point and smelled like a pickle factory! I flipped it over to see how the back looked and realized it was the front!Afraid that the dye hadn’t saturated the front of the fabric, I wadded it up in a ball, wrapped it in plastic wrap, and squished it around to ditribute the dye. I popped it in the microwave and gave it 5 minutes on high.When the fabric was cool enough to handle, I carefully removed the plastic wrap and spread it out. This is it, and I’ll have to say I’m pretty proud!When it dries, I plan to iron it, rinse it, and iron it again to further heat set the dye. How I’ll use it, I do not know, but I sure like looking at it! I am a happy crafter!

Door Prize!

Door Prize!

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On my way home from babysitting in Charlotte, NC, I stopped by the Charlotte Quilter’s Guild Quilt Show. One thing I love about the Charlotte Quilters is they give you a prize, just for coming in the door! (As it should be, right?) A table near the door was laden with goodies like spools of thread, buttons and fat quarters. You choose your own!

I chose this fat quarter (a quarter yard of fabric cut 18″ x 22″ so it’s “fat” enough to use in many applications instead of being one long quarter yard strip. (I guess those are called skinny quarters, but I don’t really know!)

It’s green and has leaves. ‘Could be very useful!

A New Craftbook!

A New Craftbook!
A New Craftbook!

I’m starting to get like a woman who loves cookbooks but never cooks, (No, I’m that woman, too!) Anyway, Crafter’s Choice was having a deal. I ordered 3 books for $33.00 plus free shipping! (Actually, I ordered 4 for $44.00, but one of them was no longer available.) This is the first one I’ve sat down and had a good look through, and I absolutely love it! Now, I’m going to have to go online and hunt for something called ExtravOrganza!

A Red and Gold Audition

A Red and Gold Audition
A Red and Gold Audition

I’d like to make a book cover for a paperback novel. I drafted my pattern and put out these fabrics and trims to choose from.

Then, I removed the trims and any fabrics that didn’t seem to fit. (The gold paisley fabric at the bottom is from Evening Star Designs)

Next, I added back the trims that matched best. A search for charms and bobbles and I’m ready to cut and sew!

I Love this Fabric!

I Love this Fabric!
I Love this Fabric!

It came from Evening Star Designs in Raleigh, NC. They sell fabric and embellishments for crazy quilting. (They are also now carrying quality quilter’s cottons.) This is a patterned velvet. I used a scrap of it in Mama’s Bible cover. I photographed it so I can contact Evening Star and request more.

What I love about their website/store is that you can buy sample packs of fancy fabrics VERY reasonably. You can even request packs of colors you choose! Here’s the link: http://www.eveningstardesigns.citymax.com/

Organization idea for my fabric stash

Organization idea for my fabric stash
Organization idea for my fabric stash

I’m turning my grown daughter’s room into a sewing/guest room. I was wishing for a way to organize my fabric stash so that it could be both seen and protected. This is what I came up with. I ordered two clear “flip-flop organizers” for my smaller scraps. I sorted the scraps by color and placed them in gallon zip-top storage bags. I stuffed the bags in the holders for the flip flops and hung them in the closet. For larger pieces of fabric, I ordered a “gift bag organizer.” It has small pockets in the top that I plan to use for notions and/or patterns. I plan to wrap fabric yardage around pasteboard and stow it in the the larger pouches toward the bottom.

All three items came from Target by way of amazon.com. So far, I’m pretty pleased with my new system!