What we’ll do:
Experiment and play with the different ways ice, when it melts, carries and blends dye powders through your fabric. Please, don’t expect your results to be anything close to precise. Like the Geoffrey Rush character says in Shakespeare in Love, “It’s a MYSTERY!”
You’ll be shown (and do) different folds and ties on your fabrics. You’ll then apply the dyes directly on fabric, over the ice and a combo of the two.
I’ve devised a way to take your ‘experiment’ home with you, as your fabric has to “batch” after the ice has melted. Don’t worry, I’ll demonstrate on how to wash and finish the fabric.
What to bring:
Mask (necessary when handling dye powders)
Apron (remember? Dye?)
A plastic/metal bowl for transporting the ice to your table.
FABRIC:
3 pieces, each 1yard long (or 2pcs and 1 smallish garment, like a shirt)
The fabric must be fiber reactive friendly; cotton, linen, ramie, cupro, tencel, bamboo, rayon, etc. These can be different thicknesses, weaves and blends.
MOST IMPORTANT! Your fabrics must be pre-washed & pre-soaked with soda ash water and DAMP! I will not have a big Soda Ash bucket for this procedure.
My suggestion, no more than 2 days ahead of the workshop, SA soak fabric, squeeze out excess, put fabric in washing machine on Spin ONLY cycle (NO RINSE cycle), fold and store in plastic bags. Try not to keep the bag anyplace warm..in your garage, car, outside. Maybe keep it in your supplies bag by the front door?
Also, be aware, the month of May will start to get warm(er. -ish?), dress very lightly. We will have to turn the AC off when handling the powdered dyes... approximately 30-45 minutes.
Your play monitor for the day:
The interest and love of fiber and fabrics seems to have been in my life forever. Both parents were artists, my Mom having more of an interest in Fine Crafts. So I’d say that she’s the definite influence in my pursuits as an adult. I did get a BFA degree, only in Dance. Walked around campus knitting leg warmers. While living in California, I worked part-time doing machine knits for designers. And, yes, I still have the machines…lonely and sitting on a shelf at the moment. Then I began to take art classes and workshops in various mediums. For my birthday every year, Mom would get me a subscription to FiberArts magazine. Yep. That’s how old I am.
The cost will be $65.00 including the Beach Art Center Fee
