Fabric dyeing for new projects

This last week I have been busy dyeing fabrics for some new projects and I started off with a range of vibrant golden yellows, oranges and purples rather than the greens and blues which I use so frequently. I don't like to use the dye colours straight out of the pot so I will generally mix them up before adding to my fabrics to create more variety. Also I mix the colours once I've made up the dye solution rather than trying to measure tiny amounts of dye to make up colours beforehand. I have tried that method but it didn't suit my way of working.

Low water immersion dyeing my fabrics for lots of texture and vibrant colours.

I used a mixture of golden yellow,warm red and warm blue to create rich sunset colors and squishing my fabrics into small containers gives lots of texture to the finished material. Generally I presoak my fabrics in soda ash before adding the dye so that the dyes set almost straight away.

I use green a lot as most of my work is inspired by nature and the rain forest where I live so after I'd done my bright colours I did a few more greens.

My green fabrics and the rain forest photos that inspire me.

It is often difficult to get good, rich greens so over the years I have found a formula that works for me, although I don't always stick to this method of working. To achieve these rich, deep greens I first dye the fabric a base colour, usually this is a bright spring green, then I dye again using a dark green or straight blue, and often a combination of both of these.

My jungle greens

By doing it this way, I avoid having any white patches which I don't want and if I want texture as in these fabrics I dye them in a small container.

Some of my photos which I use for inspiration when dyeing greens.