dyed fabrics batching on the deck
Last week I dyed half the fabric I’ll be working with for an installation in Bellevue, Washington. I don’t have a date or location for the installation yet so I’m working on faith here, like always I suppose. This Summer is a good time to get the dyeing done and ready to go. Plus, knowing the way these things work, I may end up with only a week or two’s notice before the install date.
doing the laundry
picking out the stitches
Although the technique I’m working with is simple, there’s a lot of time involved. First I sew each 18-inch-by-12-foot-long strip into a tube. I then scrunch the tubes onto PVC pipes and apply the dyes. After the dye sets I wash and dry them, remove all the stitching, and iron them out. Even though I do them in batches, it takes well over an hour for each strip. When you multiply that by 26 strips, it adds up. None of it is brain surgery, it just takes time.
Luckily, this Summer I have time. I don’t really have any deadlines. I’m in shows but it’s all existing work so I’m just packing it up, delivering it, or picking it up. I’m enjoying these sunny days and the long evening hours with my friends and family.
Change and hard work are on the horizon. For now, I’m content to be picking out stitches, ironing, gardening, relaxing, and soaking up all the Vitamin D I can before the pace picks up again this Fall.
before and after ironing
The fabric looks great. Silk is wonderful to work with. You mentioned dye, but no activator – do you pour soda ash on after the dye, or soak in vinegar?
I’m looking forward to seeing photos of the installation – you will need lots of Do Not Touch the artwork signs! I’d love to feel all this silk 🙂
Hi Jeanne–Nice to hear from you! I added a Fix Mix (one part soda ash and 4 parts baking soda) to the dye here. I get really good color using this method–I just have to use the dye within about 4 hours. Sometimes I presoak the fabric in a soda soak solution but it seemed too messy for this large-scale application.