Cabin Fever crafting- snow dyeing fabrics

Heat Miser and Freeze Miser battled it out in Southtown this week giving Birmingham and much of the South a snow and ice event. The Boys, as Mother Nature calls them, forgot to inform those in charge of the weather forecasting in the Birmingham area. Those boys always did have a tendency to pull pranks. (Image on the left is the snow just getting started)

So, with two to three inches of snow blanketing the area, and being very, very fortunate not to have spent the night in the car in sub-freezing temps as so many did in Birmingham, I decided this was my rare chance to snow dye fabrics, instead of my usual ice dyeing- with ice from the freezer.

The day started out with an understanding of a dusting in central Alabama, so we all proceeded to work and school as usual. And when the snow started, it was pretty and the assumed dusting was underway. Then we were a city of hills disabled by tiny snow pellets that regular tires cannot grip. I just made it into the melee before the majority of the battlers got in the fight to get home- or to get to children. Two miles and an hour and a half was getting of light.

Image on the right was taken from my car after sitting in "traffic", which really means cars on a major interstate going 1-2 mph for about an hour. Note that I had three bars of gas and three bars of energy in the batteries, I drive a prius. That school bus had been blocking the lanes and attempting to get up the hill for 20-30 minutes. I didn't know at the time that there was school kids on it headed home from a field trip until I posted the pic on facebook and a mom of one of the kids on board commented. However, my 3-4 miles in just over an hour was fast compared to most people.

Once I got home and calmed down from a most harrowing experience, I looked at all the snow and the art show looming in two weeks. Then, I got to work! Soaking the silk and rayon in the soda ash liquid arranging it into the dye boxes and heading out to the back yard with a big spoon to scoop up snow.

box of fabric covered in snow                                  sprinkling the dye                              boxes read for time to do its work.

first image shows too much white fabric, at least for me. So, image two, I added tiny ice cubes to add more water and draw more dye into the fabric. Third image shows the completed dye process with no white fabric.

Snow + fiber reactive dyes + plant based fibers = love color!

I did four boxes of scarves for my art show next weekend, above are some of the silk scarves.

Now off to finish my knitting, I need to make a "zombie apocalypse" kit, as my friend calls it,  in preparation for the next weather event and in case I have to walk miles to get home, as so many has to this weekend. New water repellent cowl and mittens to cover my gloves. Hopefully, I will never need them.

Ice Dying class- the results

So, last night was my second ice-dying class at Do It Yourself Crafts in Homewood. Great class with lovely results. You can call them to sign-up for the next class (205-868-4346) or you can schedule a class for group for friends or a bridal party!

I have just come back from rinsing them, so they are wet in the photos, the wrinkles will fall out and these with be soft and go with everything! The first infinity scarf is soft orange and navy and the second is hot pink, turquoise and ultravoilet.

The last two photo's are the same infinity scarf, just in different areas of the scarf. It is the same infinity scarf as on the left. It is made up of hot black, mink brown, emerald green, soft orange, and palomino gold. I love that this scarf that looks like a combo of a Rorschach test and a Missoni print.

These were all made using a pleating method and used quite successfully! All the colors listed are from Dharma trading and is their color names for the fiber reactive dyes.

Ice dying- time for a class project

Fabric dying, for me, is as magical as Raku pottery to me and I can do in at home...

I am excited to announce a new venture with Do-It-Yourself Crafts in Homewood where I will be teaching classes in dying and felting! They will be super fun, perfect for making holiday gifts, and centrally located with many options for classes and class times!

My first class will be following the hot trend of infinity scarves combined with ice dying. This fast paced class will take you from a plain rayon jersey infinity scarf to one full of your favorite color!  Take the class to try it out, them com back for an "open" session where you can do multiples.

Here's my photos of  the ice-dying project you will be making. Of course you can pick your own color palette.

once the ice melts the dying is done and the waiting begins!

what I love about the process is the unexpected nature of it. This scarf is made using purple, turquoise and lime green. Due to the variations in the dye components, other unexpected and lovely colors can erupt! The golden yellow is unexpected, but lovely, nonetheless! 

The info on signing up for one of my classes... or all of them!

The Schedule: 

Monday September 16 10 a.m. Beginning Ice Dying - Circular Scarf $45

Wednesday September 18 10 a.m. Basic Nuno Felting - long silk scarf $54

Monday September 23 6:30 p.m. Beginning Ice Dying - Circular Scarf $45

Wednesday September 25 6:30 p.m. Basic Nuno Felting - long silk scarf $54

Saturday September 28 10 a.m. Felted Soap Creations - for KIDS aged 10 and older! $12 first bar, $10 each additional bar

Monday September 30 6:30 p.m. Advanced Ice Dying - several choices of items (will be explained at beginning class)

Wednesday October 2 6:00 Free Form Felting - $72 

Wednesday October 9 4 p.m. OPEN STUDIO FELTING AND DYING Price will vary by garment, some beginning class will need to have been taken!

Friday October 11 10 a.m. Nuno Felting and Dying $70

The classes will  be held at Do-It-Yourself Craft

1909 Oxmoor Road
Homewood, Alabama 35209

Phone: 205-868-4346
Hours: Monday thru Saturday 10am-6pm

Sunday 12-5pm