Tuesday, August 30, 2011

vibrance

I know that a lot of artists who dye their own cloth are experimenting with the natural dyeing process these days but my magpie brain still craves to be gobsmacked by color when I go to the trouble of cooking up my own.

This recent batch delights me on so many levels. Aside from wonderful, rich color there's an array of glorious texture here too.





This is a piece of a woven tablecloth that I picked up for a smile at a yardsale. There was a burned hole on the corner. You can't see it in this photo but the raised cords were colored thread that bled during the dye process.  It shows better in the paler pieces but this cloth loves the dye.
A quick Google  yields a tantalizing clue as to the origin of the owners of these hand towels. There are also several damask napkins with VE embroidered on the corner. 


Do you think they ever imagined what could become of such prosy things?




Even the 79 cent towels I picked up at IKEA the other day didn't disappoint. I wasn't even sure they were cotton.


it's Dutch for "towel" ..it too has the trixie little hanging loop like the one above.

No small wonder that the majority of these treasures came from grace.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yes, I'm with you on that one. I like Procion because you can do so much with it - deep and intense or pale and interesting, or both on the same cloth at times. I haven't investigated eco-dyeing yet, and to be honest, haven't really the inclination. I love dyeing old cloth, especially old tea towels.

Els said...

Love your dye results !
(and I'm not going to be mixed up between the "pro's and the contra's" : love colour and have little to no experience so ....)
I'm curious where you got your "lot" from. "Handdoek" is Dutch and the name "van Everdingen" is too ....?!?

Deb Lacativa said...

no mixing it up for me either! All I know is thrift shop, New Mexico...they were a gift.

Jeannie said...

Marrying into a Dutch family, I love the hand towel. I am with you on the MX. I played around with some "eco" dye this summer. Ho hum. I want color. Maybe it is the lack of color here in the winter when I do most of my stitching. Nothing makes my heart sing than pulling out some sunshine fabric on a cold winter day. Wishing you a wonderful (and color filled) week.

Diana Angus said...

Am addicted to Procion MX myself. I do become extremely mesmerized by an indigo vat or three every summer. Watching that yellow green color turn into blue just fires off the right receptors in the brain.

There is no cure.

Judy Sall Fiber Art said...

I have tried rust dyeing and dirt dyeing... they have their place, but for sheer joy, procion mx dyes are it for me! I love all the textures in the first picture too... what a combo!

grace Forrest~Maestas said...

they are just so FINE!!!!....
and did i SCORE yesterday...will
be a secret till you get it. into
the mail tomorrow.
one of the thrift shop women commented on my strange shopping
mode. they "display" things in
plastic milk crates under the big
shelves that hold mostly cotton
blend sheets, coverlets etc. almost more than my eyes, my hand
wanders around, feeling for cotton
or linen, d a m a s k
so about Tues i'm thinking..........xoxo

Anonymous said...

Love the way the cloth drinks up the colour. Fabulous...

Lorie McCown said...

Yes, I love the blast of color too. I admire those who can be monochromatic, maybe in the future. I like what ever is effective for the piece at hand, natural or synthetic dyes, paints etc..not biased one way or the other. That stack of color you've got is uplifting!