Thursday 8 July 2010

Pole dyeing with CQ R7



Yesterday some members of CQ in Region 7 met together for a tutorial on Pole Dyeing from Anne Beech out at Mentmore. The eight of us had interpreted our instructions a little differently so there was variety in the way our fabrics had been prepared. Anne brought the pipes, dye baths and the procian dyes. Great fun. We prepared 2 different fabrics; one by gathering it up like smocking and tying it tightly round a pipe and the other folded into lengths that were multiples on the pipe circumference, stitched into a tube and then fitted over the pipe and squashed down as far as it would go. The fabric was so springy that it needed tying down!
The dye bath was then prepared to Anne's recipe and the poles put into the dye. Some fat quarters of other fabrics went in as well to create toning fabrics to use together. We were able to buy the pipes so the fabric came home to be washed and now I have the means to do the technique at home - brilliant.
I used yellow and black dyes in the same vat and have ended up with a deep greeny blue which is darker than I thought it would be but very usable. The textured patterns that have been created on the fabric are interesting and having a range of toning fabrics makes it a greater starter for a project. The photos make the fabric look very grey, in reality they are a deep greeny colour!!!

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