shibori dyeing

Saturday was dye day at Elaine's farm. We're preparing for the Puyallup Spring Fair and so I wanted to do some shibori dyeing. We dyed 2 yard pieces in my everlasting indigo pot. This indigo was mixed up last October. When the Fiber Fun Day in October was over, we just cooled it down and stored it. To get it going again, it just needed some lye solution & spectralyte solution and to be heated up to the right temp.

To make this first one, I folded the fabric lengthwise back and forth about 6 inches wide. Then scrunched the length and tied it tightly with fabric ties in about 6 places. The ties act as the resist and keep the dye out of part of the fabric.

For this second one, I folded the fabric like a flag, then used the sewing machine to sew triangle shaped mazes (one for each end of the fabric).

And this third one was done by wrapping the fabric around a PVC drain pipe, then scrunching it up into a donut shape and then chaining a linen yarn in one inch or so spaces to hold the donut tight.

In between dying, Sofie had a chance to do a tiny bit of sheep herding (ok, she just barked at them through the fence...we're still rehabbing her leg from the cruciate surgery), chase a cat, and admire chickens and cows in the rare sunshine.