Monday, September 23, 2013

Natural dyes and leaves

This morning, I did my usual household chores, getting them done as soon as I was done breakfast so I could forget about them and move on to fun stuff. I've never been a procrastinator.
I met friends for coffee, getting a drive due to the rainy weather we're having today. I'm lucky to live close and usually walk over.
In my bit of time left before lunch, I did a small clean up of my sewing space and cut a few 12 1/2" blocks of fabric for an upcoming sewing night we're having at our guild. We have pizza first and then we'll get down to sewing some stained glass blocks to be made into quilts for Victoria Quilts. This organization sends quilts upon request by friends or relatives to cancer patients.
I've put borders on my island piece. I love the colors and everything about it except that it has some rippling as you can clearly see in the photo. My dilemma is, now, do I finish it and hope that quilting when I add the batting will even it out? Past experience tells me maybe but perhaps not since there are a lot.
I have put a lot of time and thread into it so maybe I should carry on.

In the meantime I've researched a bit about white cotton fabric as I'm quite convinced that a tighter weave would have less rippling. I did back it with a stiff interfacing, by the way.
So, rather than make a decision today, I repaired a pair of pants that had been sitting most of the summer.
I also stitched on the leaves for my contribution block to our out going president.

It's been a finishing up kind of day. I finally washed my natural dyed pieces. No matter which room I photograph them in, the color comes out a little more brown than it is. The shade is actually kind of a mauve. The leaves printed pretty well on the T-shirt. I can't wait to cozy into this for bed tonight!
The scarves are quite pretty too, also a little more mauve than is showing.

There are subtle rings on both ends that I achieved by tying up pebbles. I know it looks like I got lazy on the ironing. I may have to take them to the dry cleaners for pressing as I steamed the heck out of them, even damp from the wash and it clearly didn't do much!

I think I'll be adding a bit of gold patterning with fabric paint before I call them done.

3 comments:

Exuberantcolor/Wanda S Hanson said...

I think the fullness will quilt out. I would finish it if I were you.

Kitchener Quilter said...

I think, too, that those ripples will quilt out. That area will even up with the quilting stitches. It's such a wonderful piece, that you should keep going. And as for ironing those very pretty scarves, try a hot dry iron, and spritz on cold water from a plant sprayer. Or iron it from a damp state, or use a wet pressing cloth over top, still with the dry iron. The sprayer is the best thing, though. It should take care of all those crinkles. Hope this helps.

Mystic Quilter said...

Oh I do like the colour of your silk scarf and hope you post again if you add the gold patterning.