Dye Retreat 2011

My son graduated from high school at the beginning of June. 

We are very proud of him.

It's been a whirlwind ever since.

I attended my annual dye retreat in East Texas in the middle of the month. You can read about the history here. It was especially hot this year but the windy heat help dry the dyed fabric very quickly.

Ken added a loading dock to the back of his shop this year. 

It made our rinsing station super convenient.

 Linda watched a lecture on deconstructed silk screening so we had to try it.

Thickened dye is allowed to dry on a clean silk screen overnight.

Thickened water is put on the dry screen with dry fabric underneath.

As the thickened water is forced through the screen, 

the dry dye begins to get wet and transfer to the fabric below.

 You can move the screen and print again, mask parts with newspaper or found objects.

Each pass changes as the dry dye gets wetter.

 This one is another print done the next day.

I used thickened orange dye instead of water.

 My favorite dying method is to scrunch fabric into a wallpaper tray 

and pour dye onto the fabric in bands.

I made shirts for Berek.

This is half of a shower curtain for his college apartment.

 

I had fun doodling with a bleach pen on a discharged shirt.

Kathi did lots of direct painting on fabric and some 

onesies with matching receiving blankets.

Jill did several beautiful velvet kaleidoscope pieces.

We didn't have a dye-of-the-year that everyone wanted to use this year 

and we didn't have to have anything shipped overnight.

We've made our notes and have plans for next year.

I can't wait.