Dyeing at last!
Hurray! Finally I got some dyeing done today. I had to go shopping in the morning, despite the pouring rain, because the fridge was looking very bare. I hate juggling my shopping trolley and golfing umbella. I think I must look quite eccentric with my bright red wool coat (which I wear for its length and its waterproof qualities), a purple, green and blue golfing umbrella and my shopping trolley, which actually co-ordinates quite well with the umbrella in colours, though not in ease of use when shopping. When you’ve got goods in one hand and umbrella in the other, when you bend over to get your purse out you’re quite likely to whack someone with the umbrella 
or should that be 
Anyway, to get back to the dyeing: I had been very organised. I had put the fabric in the cat litter trays and pre-soaked it in soda ash already so I only had to mix the dyes and chuck them on. Only??? It still took me until it was time to collect Zachary from school.
Here they are all lined up. I’m being very restrained and leaving them overnight to fizzle away. Or whatever they do.
Here’s a closer look. Yum. I love the look of all these colours. This is what makes it addictive. The anticipation of what the fabric will look like. The gorgeous bright colours. We need colour this time of year. Grey and pouring down with rain.
I also prepared my screenprinting screen with this thickened dye with stuff pressed into it, according to Leslie Morgan and Claire Benn’s instructions in Breakdown Printing. This book is brilliant. Loads of gorgeous photos. I now have to wait for this to dry before printing with it. Can’t wait! It’s ages since I did any dyeing and I’ve really loved it, despite being completely whacked now. I must get more organised.
Well done Liz. reading your blog has made me feel like dyeing and screen printing as well. That method of screen printing looks really interesting. I can see I will just have to buy another book!
I have a strong urge to dye of late also, but will prolly wait until early May to make a run…I want to do lots and lots and lots…so I’m trying to wait until its warmer and I can take a few weekend retreats to do it.
I’ll patiently wait to see your results especially of the last one pictured.
I’m really looking forward to seeing the results from printing with your screen. It looks like a work of art just as it is!
Liz—thanks so much for the pics! Could you add some details about Breakdown Printing? I checked for it on the US Amazon site, but the title didn’t bring anything up in the search box. Author, publisher, full title maybe? If need be I can try to order from Art Van Go (I have no problems at all about ordering from all over the world LOL!) if it’s not available here in the US. I have a couple of sources I can check though once I have an author…
THANKS!
Cheers, Sarah
Liz,
This is is very intriguing. I can’t find that book on Amazon. I guess it was printed only in England. You Cities and Guilds Gals with your tolleys and umbrellas are so clever!
I just posted some goals that include learning more about surface design and dyeing! I WANT THIS BOOK.
Hi Liz
Look forward to seeing your results with the breakdown printing. I did a class with Leslie and Claire last year and we covered this technique it works really well on silk which is I believe the picture on the front of the book. I don’t have the book but just a suggestion you might when you think the screen is dry want to remove the bubble wrap in particular and leave it a further 24 hours in our weather to dry as it it needs to be dry to create the effects. Also pin your fabric well to your print table as it has a tendency to really stick to the cloth and when you pull up the whole piece of cloth comes with it! Anyway good luck with it I love it. Heather
[...] screens with thickened dye paste and whatever else I’m using to make a screen using the ‘breakdown printing’ method. Leave this overnight to [...]