Dyeing Experiments!

I’ve got a craving for color that only dyeing fabric can satisfy! Here’s a few of my “before” shots. I’ll definitely update this post tomorrow after these have been rinsed out:

free motion quilting | Leah Day

free motion quilting | Leah Day

free motion quilting | Leah Day

UPDATE – Now it’s time to see the “after” shots:

free motion quilting | Leah Day
When dyeing fabric, I always find myself slightly disappointed when the dyes are washed out and the fabric is dried. This came out pretty good, but my red and purple piece really faded which let me know I didn’t have enough soda ash mixed in my pre-soak before dyeing.
I added a bit more soda ash and a cup of salt and all my later pieces finished brighter:
free motion quilting | Leah Day
For some reason this green fabric is really calling to me. I think I’ll die one more green fabric and quilt these as a 3 part series. I’ve already got the perfect Halloween themed name: Poison Study.
I’ve also been dyeing samples for Dream Goddess:
free motion quilting | Leah Day
By hanging up the fabric on the wall I can get a better idea if it’s actually going to work and be the right color. It think the green is good, but I need to keep working on the hair colors. I want to transition the colors from bright, fire red near her face to deep purple and then black. 
I’ve never made a quilt out of completely hand dyed fabrics, unless you count Duchess Reigns, which was a dyed wholecloth. I don’t count that quilt because I only used one color…and I haven’t finished it yet. I’m mostly just trying to forget it exists! 
For Dream Goddess, I’m using the entire rainbow and planning to applique the pieces together using No Sewing Until You Quilt It to create the top quickly. All around, it’s a fun challenge and I love the different fabrics I’m creating!

Let’s go dye!

Leah

LeahDay

Leah Day has been teaching online since 2009. She's the creator of the Free Motion Quilting Project, a blog filled with thousands of quilting tutorial videos. Leah has written several books including 365 Free Motion Quilting Designs, Explore Walking Foot Quilting with Leah Day, and Mally the Maker and the Queen in the Quilt.

4 Responses

  1. Looks like fun, I look forward to seeing how they end up!

  2. Melody Lutz says:

    I had a dye kit for years-it intimidated me just looking at the instructions. But once I started dyeing-it was as if "I" invented those luscious colors. Even my yuck color yellow….was dreamy. I just drooled looking at your pieces!

  3. Julie Beard says:

    Hi Leah,

    Wish I had the space for dying fabric but with a laundry, shower, toilet, combo it just doesn't work! But I love your fabric Leah. Do you sell any pieces of it. I would love a blue/teal/green and purple combo if it was the right price.

  4. Leah Day says:

    I know exactly what you mean Julie! I only managed to create my space after adding a stackable washer / dryer upstairs and the basement laundry room then became my dyeing area. As for selling the fabric…I don't think we have quite enough space or man power! Lol. I enjoy this for me, and will likely teach some dyeing techniques in the future, but I don't think I'll get into selling fabric.

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