Getting into the Blues

No, this is not supposed to be a promo for the next Roy G Biv search (though it is blue this month)!

I've started work on my Crossroads piece. I've been painting blue fabrics..some are more blue-gray or turquoise, but I wanted a full range. I've been using some resist techniques to give them more interest.

I've been cutting the fabrics up into small squares.

Top sample: Two layers of cloth with raw edge appliqued crosses which also act as quilting. A small patch of reverse applique. Bottom sample: Stuffed patch with raw edge applique.

I've been experimenting with two possible ways to go. The interesting thing is that both of these sample ideas have many of the same elements but the required hand and machine sewing come at different points in the process.

I've been considering doing two pieces, each using one of the techniques.

Now I believe that the stuffed squares will be in blues but the flatter squares with overlapping crosses and reverse applique will be in more neutral colors. I have some coffee dyed fabric I made a couple of weeks ago...that will be my starting point.

I also realized while working with the blues that I need even more contrast in the shades and tints. I'll be painting some darker blues today.

A good start.

B&W

Yesterday I spent the whole day in the studio.

The focus for the day was Black & White (and a bit of Black & Tan with the coffee dyed fabric).

These are fat quarters that I'm planning to sell in my gallery, Potomac Fiber Arts Gallery.

Most of you know that I'm really a color girl. Black and white harkens back to my college printmaking days.

Loving the contrast!

It was a productive day.

Studio Colors

A very Roy G Biv set of fabrics.

I have several projects in the works at the moment. Quite colorful, I must say.
Work has already begun on the Indigo Challenge fabric for the October installment of the Searching for Roy G Biv Challenge. What a tough color. I pulled out some indigo ikats for a look.

I went online to see what Indigo looks like. Seems the spectrum color and what we think of as indigo dye are a bit different. This Challenge fabric may actually turn into a real challenge!

I'm also working on another set of  Peace Flags. An artists' trade is in the works. I'm quite excited, as the artist, Mary Jane Dodd, the initiator of the Flags for Peace Project, creates amazing, thoughtful works of jewelry...or really small sculptures to wear (in my opinion).

Other projects include samples for the book proposal...a set of place mats using my kitchen fabrics and black and white and black and tan fat quarters for my gallery, Potomac Fiber Arts Gallery. The next show at the Gallery is called, Black and White. This is the first time I will be entering some of my printed fabrics. I'm curious to see how the fabrics will sell. I'm planning to submit three packages of fabric with four fat quarters each  and am trying to figure out pricing. Ersi will be happy to know that the black and tan fabrics will be dyed in coffee before being printed.

It seems that I have lost a couple of your comments. Rather than being sent to my gmail account, they have been hiding out in some secret corner of my blog. So I am sorry if you haven't seen your comment posted and will try to be more diligent about checking. One comment in particular I was sorry to miss from Susan who posted a great selection of blues at her blog: http://swightr.blogspot.com/

Also, just a reminder that I have a gift offer celebrating my 200th post. Be sure to check it out!

Coffee Anyone?

Very early this morning, I was laying in bed but my brain was up and about. Perhaps you've had this happen to you...your body says, Just go back to sleep for a couple of hours! But your brain is starting to think about the next project...How many products in the kitchen could change the color of fabric? Wouldn't that make a great chapter in the book? You could call it Kitchen Kolor (okay, well maybe that's a bit much!).

Well, it just so happens that today was an unusually warm day for the end of September. The hot coffee I offered to my Doll Bee just wasn't selling. So this evening I thought, okay, here is an opportunity to throw a few pieces of fabric into the coffee to see what kinds of browns I can get. One bowl has just the coffee. The other the grounds with a bit of water.

I'm sure there are some of you out there who have much more experience with this. So here are a couple of questions...How long have you left fabric in coffee to dye it a nice brown? Also, how permanent is a coffee dyed piece of fabric? Would love to hear from those of you with a bit more experience in this department.

Tomorrow will be my 200th blog post. I'm going to offer up a little free gift. More about that tomorrow.