Dyeing done

but more importantly so is the ironing  and folding of these 52 yards of cloth.

I much prefer the process of dyeing  to the chore of ironing the dyed cloth.  However I must say that ironing this batch wasn't so bad  A couple of hours last night and  a couple this morning and it was all done. Instead of depending on the iron to produce enough steam to soften the wrinkles, I resorted to an old technique my Mom used in the old day.  Sprinkle the cloth, put in a plastic bag to set for a spell.   Much credit also goes to finally finding an iron that gets hot enough to press cotton cloth.    I won't say this iron made it easy, just more like easier than the other irons three irons I have and tried to use for this task. Two I brought recently after my Rowenta  stopped heating and one I've  had for a couple of years and brought because it  makes steam like a locomotive which I love using to block  my finished pieces but dislike using to press my clothes.  Since I live in jeans, from shorts to ankle length and t-shirts there isn't a lot of clothes pressing required as far as my wardrobe is concerned but  I do have a few shirts that need touching up when they come out of the dryer for those occasions when a t-shirt is too casual.

 

While a load of the dyed fabric was washing yesterday I sat down at the sewing machine and tried my hand at finishing the edge of one of the five pieces pictured in the previous post.  This corded edge is  a new to me finishing technique.  My finish of choice for many years has been a facing.  I  decided that this edge treatment  it is not for me.  I won't redo this one.  I have decided to let it be and it will become  my class sample rather than a piece to sell. 

With the dyeing done, I will spend the next day or so putting facings, sleeves and labels on the others.

 

LAURA
To answer your question... I use watercolor pigments to paint my images on silk that is first soaked in soy milk then air dried.  I also use soy milk to dilute the watercolors instead of water.