Page 99 - The Digital Cloth Issue 6

The Little Kingfishers
Over many years I noticed that cotton
fabrics generally had better color coverage - By Gilian Gordon
than some pieces of silk. I suspected that it
was because of how fast silk binds to the dye Gillian made this little project
molecules, so that the color was captured in an online class with
quickly, and did not then migrate to fill in the Caroline Sharkey in

entire piece of fabric. At first, I thought that collaboration with Lesley
was a problem! To save the fabric, I decided Mays Patchwork and Craft
to simply over dye it with a dye solution. The in Mildura VIC. This was a
piece on the left is silk, and the same colors of complimentary extra project
dyes over cotton is on the right. included in the main online
workshop called Kingfisher

To over dye fabric, make the dye solutions, the Dreaming that Gillian also
formula is given above. When the urea is completed.

dissolved, and the water temperature is cooled For more information on this
a bit, mix in two tablespoons of the dye and other info please contact
powder. I put this into a bottle, seal and shake Lesley Mays Patchwork and
until I don’t see any remaining powder Craft
floating on the surface. This concentrated dye
solution will give you a darker shade but can
be diluted further if desired. Readers

Put your fabric back into the soda ash solution
for a few minutes to soak, and then squeeze
out excess soda ash solution and place the Art
fabric into a plastic container. Pour over as

much of the dye solution as desired, and you
can lightly squeeze to move the dye through.
Leave the dye on the fabric for several hours I love trees in their blazing Autumn colours. “Autumn
or overnight, then rinse and wash out excess Colours” is a quilt I started making in October 2018 at
dye with warm water with Synthrapol until a Caroline Sharkey workshop. This workshop was at the
the water runs clear. I usually hang my dyed Pacific International Quilt Festival held at the Santa Clara
fabric to dry and then iron, but you can use Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA. Caroline provides
Next the dye powder is sprinkled on the a commercial fabric dryer. I do not use my the best and most interesting workshops. She allowed me
ice, covered with a plastic bag, and left to washing machine to wash fabric, to avoid to create this lovely quilt by showing me her techniques for
melt overnight or for several hours. The having any dye stain the next load, and it may making original fabric backgrounds, lacy leaves, and free
fabric is rinsed, washed in Synthrapol, damage front loaders. motion machine sewing/quilting. I also learned how to do
dried and is ready to use. How much dye Color choice can vary for your over dyed bobbin work for embellishment. Thanks to Caroline, I now
do you add? I recommend about a ¼ tsp fabric! Pictured below is ice dyed and have some knowledge to create more exciting art quilts.

per color, with a maximum of 4 colors per overdyed silk. You can see I have tried I took a class from Caroline four years ago and loved it.
a ½ meter or ½ yard of fabric. The colors purples, turquoise, golds and red orange. When I learned she was returning to PIQF this past
I added below are from Dharma Trading Each piece is unique and beautiful, and it is October, I immediately signed up for both of her
here in the US, in the colors of Peach, sometimes a surprise what comes out. workshops. The second quilt I made, will be finished soon.
Palomino gold, and Marigold. Enjoy your lovely new fabric. It is my own design that I sketched out and
(image - top left) Caroline showed me how to make it come alive.
Sandra

Autumn Colours - By Sandy Juracich