My Challenge Project - Step One: Dyeing

My supplies:
Pearl-Ex Powdered - dry powdered mica-based pigments; Lumiere-metallic fabric paint; Jacquard Textile Colors; and Setacolor Fabric Paint By Pebeo.
All the products above were purchased on-line at Dharma Trading Company. They also sell Prepared for Dyeing (PFD) fabrics. I use Kona Cotton PFD in either the 45" or the 60" width.


I also use natural sponges, brushes and a spray bottle in my dyeing. I spray the fabric to be dyed with water prior to adding any dye. It makes the dye spread more quickly, although it can also tone down the color if too much water is used.

The fabric in this sample has previously been rust-dyed, using old rusty items, white vinegar with some water added and the PDF fabric scrunched inside a zip-lock bag - not tightly closed, but somewhat sealed. The fabric set for a few days in my hot garage and the fabric absorbed the beautiful rust color.
Below is the beginning process of over-dyeing the rust-dyed fabric.

Here's the finished fabric.

Below is another rust-dyed piece that has been over-dyed with burnt sienna and dark red.

Since Setacolor paints must be set in the sunshine, I always wait for a warm sunny day (not too windy) so I can lay my fabric out to dry on the lawn in the sun. Here's our puppy, Spunky checking them out...




Here are the pieces I dyed specifically for the artquilt challenge: blue-violet and yellow-orange.

The orange did not show up nearly as well as I had hoped, but I've worked out a different solution for the oranges/yellows.


So here are the 2 potential base fabrics for my challenge quilt.

The piece below was dyed a few years ago using salt to create the tiny crystaline forms on the fabric.

This last piece is also above shown wet and rumpled. Because it was rumpled, the dye fell down into the crevaces and set on the high points of the fabric creating the unusual piece below.

I believe this will be the base fabric for my challenge quilt.