BLOG

Keep up with the latest art and adventures from Rene Shoemaker Art!

Shades of Blue

Boy, the autumn colors are beautiful right now. The leaves turning red and gold, the sunsets glimpsed through the silhouetted tree trunks and branches, the sunrises in the clear starry sky, and the infinite intense azure canopy above.

A new shipment of dyes arrived in the mail this week. I now have a sky blue, an ice blue, a blue grey, a periwinkle blue, and a turquoise blue, lapis, wedgewood, cobalt and teal blue. Do you think I went a little crazy with the blues? I cannot wait to start experimenting with them! I plan on dyeing silk charmeuse scarves in solid and shibori patterns. I’d like to layer the colors one over another.

 A few weeks ago, I promised a tutorial on tub dyeing. Included here is “Rene’s Quick and Dirty” tub dyeing instructions. If you want to try it, and have some questions about it, feel free to send me a message.

 Rene’s Instructions for Vat Dyeing 

 1) Wash and dry (natural fiber) fabric

 2) Dissolve un-iodized salt (1 container or 2.5 cups) into 2 qts hot tap water

 3) Dissolve dye: 1 tablespoon Procion dye to 1 tablespoon cold water.   Stir paste into the hot salt tap water

 4) Mix salt water & dye to dyepot to make 2.5 gallons dye bath - use a plastic or stainless steel tub

 5) Wet the cloth completely with regular water, squeeze excess out, then submerge in dye bath, using gloves and stirrer to protect your hands

 6) Mix 4 tablespoons soda ash or baking soda into 1 cup hot water. Dribble this into the dye bath slowly, and stir

 7) Stir occasionally for 15 minutes

 8) Rinse in warm water to remove excess dye 

 9) Wash with synthrapol in hot water, and rinse until the water is clear

10) Air dry – and enjoy!

                    

                                                                                        the autumn sky