Congrats my friend!

     I was so excited to get this postcard in the mail this week!  My friend Gail Baar is having a show at the Raue Center for the Arts and it opens this weekend April 28th. I met Gail a few years ago at  a Nancy Crow workshop-she was the quiet one sitting next to me. I remember looking up at her work wall on the second or third day and knowing she would be going far. I felt as if she had her own style two years ago. We have kept in contact and she has been working very hard the past two years. How many pieces have you finished in the past year, Gail? Hard work and talent have paid off for her. Congrats and someday I will be able to come and see your pieces in a show.

  
 Well, yesterday was my fabric dyeing day. I took your advice and worked on tans and browns. Some good results with the lighter colors. The pile that is ironed is the keepers. The pile behind it turned out grainy-as if the dye wasn't mixed enough. Bummer because it was an eight step gradation. It will be overdyed today. Need greens yet. So much for getting it done in one day. The thing about dyeing is that you have this big quantity of mixed dye left that you are compelled to use up. Which in turn means you buy more fabric...

   I tried one thing yesterday that seemed to work. I soda soaked the fabric first. Then, I squeezed the dye on in another container, mushed it around and then dumped the excess out. Then I laid the fabric flat in the grass to dry. Popped it into the washer-presoak and extra rinse( no rinsing prior to) and dryer and I had fabric with good results without batching it overnight . I followed the directions in this Frieda Anderson's new book, Fabric To Dye For. This is what I did for the lighter fabrics-you must wait until it's fully dry and then she says it processed. I'll keep trying it and let you know if I get consistent results.

     Might be taking a break for the next week as I need to drop my machine off for service. Plus with my foot I am very slow and far behind in general stuff....Yikes! I'll let you know.

Happy sewing my friends!