Virtual Retreat Aug thru Dec 2015 Info on first post

[Nancy R.]

Thanks Luann for posting that! It really helps, especially since I just started dyeing my own fabric!!! I read Vickie's blog, but will read it a time or two, so I remember all the info :whistle: :lol:

Dorothy,
I just feel really bad about sending fabric out that could possibly ruin someone's project. If they never wash the piece they use it in, or only in cold water I doubt anything will happen. But, if for some reason they need to wash it with hot water,,, I will hope they have all read the information from Vicki!! I'm indebted to her for that information.

I just signed up for Candy Glendenning's 'Dyeing Silks' class. She's got a special running, that if you sign up while she's working on the last few sessions, you get it for $70 instead of $99. I haven't purchased any silk for the class, but I knew I wanted this information in my arsenal! In the second or third class she discusses the difference between cotton, silk, and wool. Very interesting. Oh and by the way,, she is using Procion MX dyes and soda ash for the silk, not anything different than what she uses for cottons. So there isn't anything new to purchase. That's a good thing. I'd hate to have to get some sort of steaming apparatus and acid dyes just to dye up some silks.
You may want to check out the possibility.
Luann

[Marianne G.]

Heather, congratulations on your new machine!
Hi to the new members - hope you'll share your work here.
Update to my August list: finished two silk tops - one made with reclaimed fabric ( used to be lining in a jacket) and the other with a remnant from a silk dress that shrank when it was dry cleaned :evil: I will wash these - never again will I dry clean silk!
Hope to take photos tomorrow
Luann et al; sorry to hear you're having trouble with your home dyed fabrics :sick:
Marianne

[Marianne G.]

It's been a bit of a pain, but I'm soooo glad I'm doing this 12 hour hot water soaking thing!! I have even gathered together the fabrics I've gotten from others, and I'm surprised at the volume of color Soaking out of them, as well!
Years back I got in the habit of washing every piece of batik that I brought into the house. And I was glad I did that, but now that I think of it,,, I didn't soak any of it for 12 hours in hot water. Oh, no, not another multi-day project with nothing of significance to look at!
Maybe, ignorance would have been bliss!? NAHHHH I am glad I caught it when I did, sooner would have been better, but, well, life goes on.
May God bless every one of you with fabrics that don't bleed,
Luann

[marianne h.]

Hello Marianne, we share the same name, what a coincidence, there are not many around...smile.

I think you are in uk, did you go to the NEC last week, it was wonderful as usual, its just such a long day, i think i will go for the weekend next time.

What needle and foot do you use when stitching silk, i would be happy to have any tips.

Ttfn, marianne

[wendy w.]

I'm dyeing silk next week with a U3A group I belong to. I hope to be able to transfer the skills to cotton. No sewing this week I've finished painting doors and it's on to scraping wallpaper yuk. Gives me time to plan another retreat project.

Luann what a mammoth task! Just look at all your fabric hmy:

[Marianne G.]

Hello Marianne, we share the same name, what a coincidence, there are not many around...smile. I think you are in uk, did you go to the NEC last week, it was wonderful as usual, its just such a long day, i think i will go for the weekend next time. What needle and foot do you use when stitching silk, i would be happy to have any tips.
Ttfn, marianne

Hi Marianne - no you're so right not many of us about :lol: Great fun to write it at the start of a message :cheer:
Anyways; yes I'm in the UK but never been to FoQ - hope to go next year which is what I say evey year :whistle:
Stitching silk: an embroidery needle #75 and an ordinary foot like for anything else although if I sew Habutai silk I prefer a walking foot. I also really, really like to use silk thread but have used cotton too.

Picture as promised. Pattern is Sorbetto from Colette (free)
Off to do some FMQ now
Marianne

[Marianne G.]

I'm dyeing silk next week with a U3A group I belong to. I hope to be able to transfer the skills to cotton. No sewing this week I've finished painting doors and it's on to scraping wallpaper yuk. Gives me time to plan another retreat project.
Luann what a mammoth task! Just look at all your fabric hmy:

Don't envy you the wall paper scraping - good luck (hope you don't get the plaster off along with the paper!)

Luann - that is a huge undertaking :S
Marianne

[Judith A.]

Luann,
Thank you for sharing what you know about dyeing fabric.
After dyeing fabric, is it 2 cold rinses in the washing machine, followed by 2 hot 12-hour soaks? Have I got that right?
Do you use 140* hot water for your hot soaks?
I am surprised to see the different colored fabrics soaking together. I would be afraid to do that for fear they would stain each other - like a direct dye.
When you have time, could you maybe summarize the dye/soak process you recommend now for avoiding bleeds/backstaining?

I bought some clear Dawn Ultra-Pure. I read somewhere that the blue dye in the blue Dawn can tint yellow fabrics. I found the clear Dawn Ultra-Pure at the new Walmart Market in my area. The regular Walmart didn't have it.

Stay cool,
Judy

[Judith A.]

Judy,
I will be doing 2 cold water soaks each anywhere from 2-3 hours. That is if, I see no dye coming off as I give the cloth a quick rinse under running water. Then I would proceed to the first 12 hour hot water, with Dawn pure, soak. If the water is turning quite colored during this twelve hours, I will drain that and refill the tub with clean hot water. I would add more Dawn if I don't see any suds. It's the Dawn that keeps the dye from back staining. At the end of that first 12 hours of hot water soaking time, I will rinse and depending on how many times I changed the soaking waster, and how much the water is colored would be the determining factor for whether or not another 12 hour soak would be needed. By the time I'm ready to do the final washing and rinsing there shouldn't be any dye particles left to contend with. However, I will be washing them with Dawn just to keep things safe.
Had I never ran those sheets thru the wash that day on hot water, I wouldn't have had any color loss, or it would have been so insignificant that I'd never known. I doubt that many people will ever wash a hand dyed piece with hot water, but I will make these changes to be proactive. I also will leave my dyeing fabric in very warm areas, with plenty of moisture to process for a minimum of 48 hours from now on. That will be harder for me than all of this soaking and washing and ironing!
Vicki Welsh's article goes into great detail and it's really worth the reading time. I put the link up on my blog the other day if you need it.
Hope your dyeing days are pleasant,
Luann

[Dawn S.]

I've been trying to catch up, and am impressed with how busy many of you have been!

Pamela, I absolutely love the corded, looped binding! I have done that on the outer edge of a quilt, but had not thought of putting it on the inside of the binding. Very creative!

Good to see all of you at the UK quilt show! Thanks for the pictures! I especially liked the picture of the hand next to Rosemary's quilt. It put the size into better perspective for me.

I've been working on my first major machine embroidery, with my new Brother. I am impressed with the detail of the embroidery. The geisha took me around 4 hours, with close to 50 thread changes, and quick snack and potty breaks. This is my iPad cover. It will be entered into our county fair this next week.



Here's the inside;

And here's the flap. It says "Dream."



Have a great day!
Dawn

[Judith A.]

Luann,
I had read Vickie's article when you first posted the link, but got confused... maybe because I am 70 and am taking meds that definitely make it harder for me to think.
Thanks for taking the time out of your busy schedule to explain your process!

Judy

[Judith A.]

Dawn,
Your iPad cover is stunning! 50 thread changers...Wow! You must have a lot of patience.

Judy

[wendy w.]

Love it Dawn :cheer:

[wendy w.]

Luann,
I had read Vickie's article when you first posted the link, but got confused... maybe because I am 70 and am taking meds that definitely make it harder for me to think.
Thanks for taking the time out of your busy schedule to explain your process!

Judy

Judy,
Sometimes when there is so much information it does get confusing for me too. This was such a big deal to me that I just kept reading it over and over to be sure I was understanding her approach, and why she did what she did. I never mind taking the time to help someone else understand what I'm doing. I just hope I make myself clear and don't confuse anyone further.
I'm glad we can share with each other on this thread. Everyone is so helpful and very kind hearted.
If you have any further questions, ask away. I will be glad to answer, to the best of my knowledge!
Luann
PS. I'm about half way thru the ironing of all that fabric that I soaked and washed!! I'm getting tired of it, but I do find ironing to be relaxing.

[Nancy R.]

Beautiful case, Dawn!!