Shibori dyeing with onion skins...

I decided to try the shibori technique using onion skins instead of the colorhue dyes. This was very successful and I know I will do more using this method. The silk picks up the onion skin color in less than an hour while simmering in the pot. I just put the onion skins in a stainless steel pot with water, brought it to a simmering point, threw in the stitched shibori and that was it.

The first pattern is the same as in the last post. Click on the pictures for a closer view.

rows of stitching, pulled tight and knotted

nice texture with just stitching removed

after ironing

Happy Results with Shibori

I'm very happy with these results. Thanks to Nat for her help. I'll just let the pictures tell the story. Click on the photo for a closer view.

stitched on the fold and on the raw edge

all tied up

out of the colorhue dye-- rose with a bit of black

wanted you to experience the first reveal

close-up of one motif

the whole piece measures about 8" x 17"

THERE IS STILL A CHANCE TO ENTER MY BLOG GIVEAWAY. ALL ARE WELCOME. GO TO THE MARCH 28TH POST AND LEAVE A COMMENT. WINNER TO BE ANNOUNCED ON FRIDAY, APRIL 1ST.

My First Blog Giveaway

I have reached my 200th post and am so grateful to all of you who visit and comment and give me so much encouragement. I wanted to give away something that most of you would find useful so I decided on this pin cushion that I made back in November. It measures 5" x 5" x 1".  You can read about it here. If you would like your chance at winning, please leave a comment on this post. I would like it if you told me what craft you would like to learn more about. Or if you had a chance to learn some new craft, what would it be. I will  put all the names in a hat and post the winner on Friday, April 1st. Wish I had one for each of you. Here are some photos. Click on the image for a closer view.

the pin cushion measures 5" x 5" x 1"

made with a light weight upholstery fabric

loom and silk ribbon used for center weaving

Good Luck Everyone.

Finishing up loose ends...

I made my sister a necklace many years ago that she says she wears all the time. Well, it fell apart and it has been sitting here for a long time waiting for repair and a bit of a new life. I added the black beads because the silver ones were all worn away and I added an updated clasp. Hope she will like it.

lots of little fetishes that were popular long ago

I've been experimenting with cotton cloth and the resists I've been using in shibori. The colorhue dyes will not work on cotton so I tried the Dynaflow paints which are very fluid. Well, it was not successful but look at what turned up---4 pairs of eyes to play with.

those little circles were made by folding the cotton and using 2 CDs as a resist. the resist did not prevent the paint from spreading so I now have 4 pairs of eyes to play with.

Also hoping to be able to finish this little bobbin lace piece, that I've been working on for too long, before class on Tuesday. It's taken me a long time to feel comfortable with this craft but persistence is paying off. I'm starting to understand more and more with each piece.

11 pairs of bobbins with linen thread and lots of patience

And this is my 200th post, so tomorrow is the giveaway. Come back.

Shibori overdyeing and an experiment with cotton...

I over dyed some silk pieces or parts of some silk pieces that did not turn out well. I also did some experimenting with a stencil that didn't work the way intended but a butterfly appeared that i know i will use somewhere. The colorhue dyes that I am using do not work on cotton so I tried using some Dynaflow paint with the resist technique. The paint went all the way through and I'm not sure if it's because I removed the resist before the cotton dried or for some other reason. Will have to repeat that experiment to be sure. Here are some pics. Click on the pic for a closer view.

some stitched over dyes--hoping for a blue moon

tried putting a CD behind the leaf stencil since I didn't have 2 stencils. the white is the cotton.

the white cotton was dipped in a plastic bag with the blue dynaflow paint but resist did not work.

the silk over dyes. the stencil experiment didn't work as intended but i like the results.

One more post and then the giveaway.

I won, I won...

 I was so excited last week when I was notified by Heike of Gerdiary that I was the winner of her blog giveaway. I've entered several blog giveaways in the past 2 years and this is my first win. The best part is that I won something that I absolutely love. Heike does some beautiful work with paper, fabric and stitch. She calls this a bunting which I guess we would refer to as a banner. Some of you asked that I post close ups of my bunting so here are some pics. Click on the photo for a closer view.

even the wrapping is unique

bunting from Heike

wish I could read the print that is in German

Hope you will all take a look at Heike's blog Gerdiary. She also has a shop where she sells some delightful items and some beautiful hand dyed fabric.

In a few days, I will reach my 200th post and there will be a giveaway. So please come back.

New Blanket for a newborn...

A new baby boy came into the world this week. His mom is one of the nurses who gives me my allergy shots each week. A new blanket was made for baby Curtis and a little dolly blanket for his 3 year old sister. Welcome to the world baby Curtis. I know you will make it a better place.

blue and white fleece with a crocheted edge

a dolly blanket for babies 3 year old sister

A Shibori Leaf on Linen

I had my doubts about this one. Lots and lots of stitching and after dyeing I had a hard time taking the stitches out. The color of the upholstery thread I used and the cloth were pretty much the same color so it was hard to know if I was clipping the linen or the stitches. I pre-dyed the linen a light blue before stitching to make sure it would take the dye. I was pretty sure it was linen but it could have been cotton and colorhue dyes will not dye cotton. Anyway, here's the process. Click on the photos for a closer view.

leaf drawn on linen with fade away marking pen

completely stitched

all threads pulled and knotted--that was tricky

in the dye bath about half an hour

and the leaf...this picture shows the true color

 When I went to take this out of the dryer, I thought to myself that this looks like ideal light conditions to take a picture given the cloudy day here. It is an enclosed space with a light behind it and it worked.

Prayers for Japan

People all over the world are hanging prayer flags, banners, etc. to send hope and love to Japan. The pictures and videos coming out of Japan are heart wrenching. I'm hoping all will donate what they can and send love and good thoughts their way.

sending energy, peace, love, happiness and some green for new growth to Japan

How many addictions can one person have.....

This shibori technique is so addicting that my nails might permanently be colored with dye. I hate using gloves. These 3 flowers that I did today took lots of stitching but I think it was worth it. I'm going to try and be more disciplined and stitch up a whole bunch before I mix up more dye. I need to start using a finer needle because I'm seeing the needle holes in the silk. Here are some more pics. I also tried the resist technique using a couple of keys.

fabric is folded and stitched on fold

as tight as I could get it

ready for the big reveal

what a surprise

hard to get clean edges all the way through. lots of stitching possibilities.

More Shibori...

Lesson 2 involves stitching before dyeing. Some pictures of the process below and one more from Lesson 1. Click on the pics for a closer view.

using a kokopelli resist

stitching with upholstery thread

pulling up the stitches and knotting

dipped in colorhue dye and stitches removed

Old Garden Journals

Reading woman with wings blog post on garden journals brought back memories. I remembered that when I first moved into my house I kept garden journals. I scoured my bookcases and found 3 old journals. Loved looking through them and reading what I had written back in the late 1980s and 1990s. Thought I'd share some pictures. I even found a note I had received from my Aunt Jean that she wrote in 1985 when she sent me some seeds for the silver dollar plant. Thanks woman with wings for the memories. Click on the pics for a closer view.

journal from 1988

note that came with silver dollar seeds from Aunt Jean in 1985

picture journal from 1997

pictures and articles in this journal

More Shibori dyeing experiments...

Used up the leftover dyes by over dyeing some pieces from yesterday with some new wooden templates I bought at Michaels this morning. I also dropped some used color catcher sheets into the dye. It takes the dye real well. Tried to tone down the colors some. I prefer muted colors but it will take me a while to learn how to achieve that. I also took that last piece I posted yesterday, cut it into strips and wove it with one of the pieces that turned out quite light. I love the way this weaving turned out. Seems like saturation of the lighter silks create the most beautiful designs. I have a hard time getting the dye to penetrate through the heavier silk.

moons on a color-catcher sheet, wooden hands, wooden hearts

weaving using 2 shibori dyed pieces

Shibori Dyeing Silk

My nails are green and blue from dyeing all morning with the Colorhue Dyes. Glennis has posted our first lesson and I'm already addicted. I'm thinking I'd better stop until the next lesson because I don't want to run out of dye before the class ends. On my last 2 pieces, I took to using the dye straight from the bottle. Click on the images for a closer view.

my templates

my messy table