Dyeing clothes

[gius]

I bet those napkins will be worth keeping;

 

[softgrey]

so- the sheets have been put on the back burner because i have realized that the shade of blue is not compatible with the current blues i am using - it's not going to look good, so, never mind...

*i learned that too much vigorous stirring and disturbing the vat of indigo causes oxidation to the liquid and the dye will no longer work! my vat was useless at the end of the first day...
the liquid turned from green to blue and just didn't absorb into anything anymore...


live and learn...
...

 

[softgrey]

tied...

 

[softgrey]

shibori...

dyed...

 

[gius]

I reread the early posts -I didn't realise you are using real indigo! Beautiful <3
I remember when I used that in school -there were sorts of tricks to take care of it.. I remember our pails giving off heat. And smell-

Gorgeous shade of blue -all the photos you took are pretty ^,^
And imo looks very nice against the furniture
I see where you did the itajime with coins
That's something Id like to really do. I even watched a clip of it on a Martha Stewart show
But..all projects are on hold for now..^^;;
I have to wait to buy new paint...

 

[runner]

I see now you are a dyer sensei.
what I'd like to do is this mud dyeing. you might get to come across newts along the way.

tannin from this plant's fermented trunk × iron from the amami (the name of the island) mud

120 times of this process
and you'd get this particular black

sort of more complex in comparison with usual black dye (left)

all images from nhk

 

[softgrey]

Thanks gius and runner...
...

that mud dying is amazing...
the rust brown first layer of dye must effect the eventual final color of the cloth...
i did over dye a dries top that was olive green/grey---
the end result is a much more greenish blue than any of the white cloth...

this first round was only dipped three times...
there are pieces i will definitely continue to dip...
and i will be doing more dips for the next round of items because i want a much darker blue...
i am thinking 10-20 dips...depending on what time allows...
*120 times makes my head spin...
......

to be honest...
i am interested in painting with the dye...
basically applying it directly with a brush or sponge...
or maybe some sort of stamp/woodblock...

because i am not dying yards of cloth, but readymade garments- i am basically deciding what to do for each piece individually...
this is the most time consuming part of the process...
the design part...
...

also- i really only have one chance to get it right for each garment...
(pressure~!)
...

that first round was things i was willing to destroy if necessary in order to learn...
the next is a bit more complex...
i was thinking of doing a CDG tricot ivory muslin coat...
and a dries ivory linen skirt...
but- i want to control it more...
which is why i am thinking of applying the dye, rather than doing shibori...
or maybe a combo...

i'm gathering ideas now...
but i keep getting interrupted...
argh!

 

[gius]

Enjoy
I spend a long time designing i sometimes enjoy just that. without making anything in particular in the end,
Just art I guess

As an assignment the natural dye my friend and i chose in class was turmeric
I was not much of a dyer back then
I don't remember how our hand painting went...
I have found I will be getting real dye
My paints aren't working the way id like..

 

[softgrey]

so- the weather and my schedule finally cooperated...
tried painting with the black dye...
turns out not so good...
probably better to just use paint for fabric...

.........

 

[softgrey]

i keep having an issue with the indigo vat...
it is supposed to keep working for several days...
but both times i have tried it, the vat liquid turned blue and stopped working after a few hours...

even though i tried my best to keep air out of the vat...
seems like it must have something to do with being exposed to too much air...
i would like to dip things many more times, but the vat is not cooperating...

...

 

[softgrey]

all the rain this summer has made shibori impossible...