Thursday 10 June 2010

Dyeing the Colour Wheel


Now then.....this is my kinda washing....a gorgeous line of colourful fabrics....the whole spectrum fluttering in the breeze. I dyed them on a course at Cottenham yesterday morning with Rikki Outis. Thank you Rikki!


The inner circle show the basic colour wheel....I did that first and then a further 6 colours were mixed to produce these glorious fabrics.

Method
for the basic colour wheel
Fabric was cut into 6x25cm squares (I used old white cotton sheeting as always!) and then it was soaked for 15 minutes in a soda ash solution to prepare it for dyeing

Meanwhile, we started by mixing 2 primary colours...each in 1 cup of cold water:
3 level teasp yellow (I used 4G)
2 level teasp blue (I used turquoise)
1 level teasp red (I used magenta)

To make the inner circle of colours (green orange and purple) we made three mixes as follows:
10ml red
+50ml yellow

40 ml yellow
+20ml blue

30 ml red+
30ml blue




Immerse each piece of fabric  in one of the 6 dye solutions for a minute, turning it over and make sure it is evenly dyed. Lightly squeeze and then place in a plastic bag. Now...BE PATIENT!
Leave for at least 2 hours but preferably 24-48 hours (Must admit there is NO WAY I could ever do that!!!!!)

I have not included the further mixes for the other 6 colours here


Rinse each of the colours out in plenty of cold water and then finally wack into the washing machine (I did NOT add the yellow!) Chuck in a couple of colour catchers and wash with mild detergent.Better still, use a speciality product such as Synthrapol.

Note to self: NO NEED to add quite so much Dreft another time! The poor washing machine spewed suds from every orifice!!!!! Happily, Tony was at work and I was able to clean up the evidence before he was home.


Oh....now that my energy is returning and BOY it has taken so long.....(still can't taste and smell) I rustled up 9 of these bags for our local hospital. They are for mastectomy patients for the drainage bags they have following sugery. They have a lovely long strap so it worn over the shoulder. This is my first batch. I have about 7 more half made because I cut out so many bags and didn't leave enough fabric to make the straps! Oh dear....I'm going to have to find a plain colour to use instead.

A couple of the members of our quilt group Cambridge Quilters have been patients there and now the group is very active in producing these, and the most delightful heart shaped cushions for under the arm of the affected side.


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4 comments:

LissaBee Creations said...

That's my kind of laundry too! :-) What a beautiful thing to creative those lovely purses to hold drainage bags. I am certain the recipients were very grateful.

Melissa

jacqueline said...

Oh wow i love love these dyeing colors!! Thank you so so much for sharing with us your method!! I would LOVE to give these a try some days! Oh and your bags are gorgeous!! Loving the flowers print fabric! Have a lovely merry happy day and love to you!

Marg said...

What beautiful bright colours. Thanks for sharing your "recipe". The bags are a great idea.

Rett said...

Love those beautiful colours, and all your dying projects! Reminds me when my children were smaller and I dyed playsilks for them in all the colours of the rainbow - made me so happy to see them hanging on the clothesline :)