Shifting, Mixing and Splitting

The small piece that generated some interesting and informative larger pieces

The fun continues with Jane Dunnewold's online class, Dye Mastery: From White to Wow. I've learned and learned and learned. I am unaware of some of the lessons I've learned. And there is more.

Meanwhile, this sweet cactus is about to show off in my kitchen window.

The class end is near and I will miss it. So I will probably fix that longing by signing up for Jane's next class, whatever it is. This series has been time consuming, labor intensive, and deeply satisfying. I am so tickled when it's time to open the bundles and begin the arduous process of rinsing. And then when it dries, oh, my.

At the beginning - preparing undyed silk noil for dye bath 1

Here is my favorite at the moment:

Actually it's 3 pieces, all inspired by the smallish piece above. One is 1/2 yard; one is a full yard; one is 1.5 yard. Boy, did I learn something. In the future, I will limit the size of my pieces even when I hope to make a garment. That 1.5 yard piece just about did me in. And it is flawed, probably a reflection of the difficulty in handling a larger piece in this low-water immersion technique. However, there is enough to cut around the flaws, I think. 

In the picture above, you can see the flaws pretty clearly on the left hand side. Do you see the red speckles? It looks a bit like undisolved dye. I don't think that's what it really is. Rather I think it was a problem with my rinse out. 

Pieces being batched (bathed)

Lesson learned: the smaller the piece, the less likely I am to create flaws.

The 2 smaller pieces (1/2 yard, 1 yard) after Bath 1 - I used a cool yellow pure dye

DH says it does not look bad, just different. Hmmm...

The larger piece after Bath 1 - I used a warm yellow pure dye

Now I am day-dreaming about what I will make. Will it be a button up shirt, or a loose pull-over, or a jacket. Actually, I've eliminated the jacket idea.

The Hudson tunic from the Sewing Workshop is a real contender for these soft silk noil pieces.

First step in the rinse-out after Bath 2, all 3 pieces.

I have made and worn tops made from that very simple pattern many times. I do love the older Sewing Workshop patterns and reach for them time and time again.

I used the same combination of dyes for Bath 2, so they are beginning to look more similar.

Top piece is my inspiration

I definitely need to get all my samples organized into some kind of a notebook. I'm trying to determine the best way to store them. For now, I like having them out in the sewing room. 

After Bath 3, they seem to fit together though each is a bit different.

I am especially fond of the splitting that happens when pure dyes are mixed.

That is what I will be working on for a while, I think.

I am thinking maybe a loose-leaf binder with page-protectors to contain the dye recipes and small samples of my results.

The two smaller pieces. What can I make with a 1 yard piece and a 1/2 yard piece? Not much.

Perhaps these pieces need a 4th bath before becoming something...