Category Archives: Fabric Dyeing

Adventures in dyeing

Black, white and “red”all over

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Finished a great black, white and red quilt for Esther. Putting the binding on and making an embroidered label for her. It’s a great quilt! Working on a show quilt that’s really looking good. surprise later.

It reminded me of an old argument I have had with myself and others. Black and white…all colors?, no color? Sew….decided to study up on that for my color exercise today.

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20130706-162200.jpg. Guess what? Still no definitive answer. Seems like it depends on whether you ask an artist or a scientist. In art, black is all colors and white is the absence of color. In physics it depends upon the reflection of light. White is the reflection of all colors and black reflects no colors! Now, not sure I have a great answer yet but I am starting to get it!

Bee happy…Karen

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Texas is definitely Red and orange!

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It’s July, it’s HOT, it’s red, orange and all shades thereof! Been reading a lot about color lately. I know I learned some of this in my “very younger” years but my senior moments are more like hours and days now.

There are some really terrific color wheels out now but the simplest was from a painter, Johannes Iffel of Germany, living in the early 1900’s. it’s so simple that it even resonates with me. Apparently he was the first to assign “feelings” to colors. Interesting trivia!

20130702-154720.jpg. The colors in the center are the PRIMARY colors. They are clear and true and can not be mixed from any other colors. The colors surrounding the center are Secondary colors, mixed from combing two of the primary colors. (Yellow plus blue equals green). The colors on the outside ring illustrate “hyphenated” colors (yellow-green) or, more scientifically Tertiary colors in between the primary and secondary colors Ok…got that! Back to reading and learning about color.

Just finished a neat, fun quilt with some freehand playing. Quilt belongs to Debbie and I think she will like it. It was very Spring/Summery and I wanted it to be light hearted! I like the casual outcome!

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Bee happy…Karen

Color and quilting

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Yes, I know what colors I like, I know how they make me feel, but…I don’t know the WHY behind color usage. I have to admit that I have read many articles about color and its use but, alas, none have ever stuck. So, I have drawn a big red line in my studio, am in the process of eliminating areas that have become disappointments and time wasters in my life, and am heading down a new road of discovery. My first plan is to really learn the basics of color. I hope you will join me on my journey. Packing my bags now and the trip will start soon!

Meanwhile a quilt I just finished is one of the things that made me think about color. I wish the colors in this pic were more accurate. This is a bright, happy quilt with shades of yellow, purple, fushia and even some green. I rarely use variegated thread but this quilt really called for it. Keeley did a marvelous job of piecing this quilt! Here is a close up, hope you like it as much as I do.

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Bee happy, Karen

Landscape Quilt – what a blast!!!

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Landscape 1Well, I really had a great time yesterday playing with my first landscape quilt.  I’ve been wrestling with something to do for a fabric challenge and hated my first project, sew…here is the beginning of my second try.  I have been collecting landscape fabrics for quite some time so now have a big pile to fold and put away again.  The roof of the old house is the challenge fabric.  Lots to do yet, it is only glued together so far.  Trees need foliage (thinking Angelina or snippets), thread painting, quilting, and embellishment.  It has turned out to be a fun project!

I love red and white quilts.  This one belongs to Paula and I just quilted a lovely edge to edge design onto it.  It was a pleasure to quilt, nice and crisp and square!

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Hope to get more accomplished on my landscape later today, although I have “the worlds biggest quilt (at least that’s what it feels like) on my table and quilting it.  Sure glad it wasn’t an inch bigger.  Actually it is a bedspread with extra fabric and is about 120” across and five yards – yes 5 – long….sigh!  Pictures later.

BE HAPPY…..Karen

ICE DYED FABRIC EXPERIMENT EXCITING!

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Well, I finally managed to get the five pieces of fabric out, rinsed, washed and ironed.  They are really very cool – I wish the colors showed as well in the picture as they do in person.  Take a look….    It is definitely a do-again, although not as much control for color the results are fantastic!  Here are the pictures, straight out of the dryer.  I am anxious to use them in a design class with David Taylor next month…of course, though, I’ll have to try some more before that!

Easy Street Top is finished, borders and all.  I’ll post a picture of that tomorrow.  Until then…BE HAPPY!