Notes from the dye pot

I've been busy with all sorts of explorations with beads and fabric!

Today I'm showing and telling about the shibori felt samples I recently did on a Lizzie Houghton dying day. I've been meaning to set myself up to dye and and make shibori for ages but haven't found the time (or the money) to get going. I booked myself into Lizzie's one day dying course because I knew it would give me a kick start.

I'm not claiming that these samples are anything special. It was more a matter of putting it in the dye pot and seeing what happens. But it is such delightful magic to see a white sample come out transformed by colour, pattern and texture.

Some of these I've done at home, with silk laminated felt (nuno), since the dying workshop. The samples I made in the workshop were made on a felted (needled) pre-felt. I hadn't used it before but took it along to speed up the process of felting plain white wool. I don't like it as much as felt made with tops. I think it is a bit characterless.

Here are some more made at home with silk laminated felt.

  

 

 Now I have to put them aside and get on with my current book. But I plan to do more dying this summer when I'm at my cabin in Canada. Roll on summer!

Today's Inspiration: On the theme of shibori dyed felting, Chad Alice Hagen has just opened an ETSY store. While at ETSY, visit Nina Bagley's beautiful angel necklace on her ETSY site.
Likes: Clothkits are back and better than ever! They have this wonderful Rob Ryan skirt kit, which is the most desirable item I have seen in a long time. I'll be making one up in cerise cord for the autumn. Maybe even with a little beading at the hem...

Comments

[Shelley Noble]

JUJU! Explorations of beads and textiles! Dyed Felting! Holy COW! Gorgeous! And that Rob Ryan skirt! Wow. I didn't even know what a skirt kit was and now I must make one! I'll be the coolest girl in my city!

[monica]

hey I've just made that skirt!!

I love it.

(and I love your shibory samples, what did you use for dying? we did some indigo ones at college and I was totally hooked. Like magic, eh?)

[jackie]

I just decided to visit a few new blogs and the first one I found was yours. Lovely felt, fabulous dyes, very inspiring, thankyou.

[angeljoy]

the last photo of your dyed fabric looks like a window with a lovely curtain on the right side!
those colors and textures are wonderful!

[s]

simply a feast for the eyes dear juju.
talk soon?
susan

[itil training]

Nice Blog;

Thanks