SUPPLY LIST (Please label your own supplies)
• PLEASE NOTE that constructing quilt tops will be optional: for some it is more useful to design and record with camera than it is to spend the time sewing. SO, you may choose to bring a machine and do piecing during the workshop, and that is fine. OR, if you are arriving by car it would be useful to have a small sewing machine to speed up several of the dyeing techniques. Thus...
• Sewing machine optional
• Digital camera a good idea
• ALSO PLEASE NOTE that we will be dyeing COTTON fabric with Procion (fiber reactive) dyes. While it is true that the techniques for patterning that we will be learning can also be applied to dyeing silk, we will NOT be putting silk into any of our dye baths in class.
• If it is at all handy for you to bring a good steam iron, please do so. A couple of “table-type” boards would be helpful. Extension cord if bringing iron and/or machine.
• If you have already collected dyeing supplies, and you are arriving by car, bring as many 5-gallon buckets as is convenient.
• Rubber gloves and wear old clothes. Obtain Playtex-type household gloves that come at least 4-5” beyond your wrist. (Surgical-type short gloves are NOT OK.)
• 6-8 lengths of plastic PVC (plumbing) pipe. This can be any diameter up to 3” diameter. DO NOT BRING LENGTHS LONGER THAN 24”. DO NOT BRING DIAMETER GREATER THAN 3”. Bring a variety of diameters. Bring more if you have them and have the space when traveling.
• Small assortment of foam paint brushes
• Needle and hand-quilting thread for hand-sewing possibilities
• Straight pins for organizing swatches
• Small scissors and seam ripper
• Rotary cutter, straight edge and mat (this does not need to be large).
• Rubber bands, assorted; heavy ones are best
• Roll of masking tape; 1” wide
• Cord and/or string; at least 1000 yards total. This could be crochet cotton, cotton weaving warp, string, various sizes good, even preferred.
• An INDELIBLE black fine point marker (Sharpie) for marking your fabric tags.
• One large Tyvek mailing envelope for making fabric tags (can be a used one - they are also free at the post office)
• Stapler: loaded with staples + extras
• 4 or more small plastic yogurt (or similar) containers
• 4 plastic dry cleaner bags or other clear thin plastic.
• An old bath towel
• Paper and pencil for note-taking; straight pins for organizing swatches.
• Optional: a large piece of white flannel or batting to hang on your design wall space.
• FABRIC:
Bring 12-20 yards of COTTON PFD (Prepared For Dyeing) fabric. I cannot stress enough that this MUST be PFD fabric. There are several possibilities: unbleached muslin (cheapest), bleached muslin, print cloth, Kona cotton, pima cotton. If you Google “PFD Fabrics” you will come up with many sources. Testfabrics...Dharma...ProChemical... all sell PFD.
It is essential that you pre-scour the fabric that you will be dyeing (EVEN IF it is PFD). I generally cut 2-yard lengths of fabric for pre-washing, and do about 10 yards at a time in a large wash load. Use the hottest water possible, longest cycle, and 1 T. Synthrapol detergent + 2 T. dissolved soda ash/dye activator. Blue Dawn can be used in place of Synthrapol. DO NOT USE FABRIC SOFTENER IN THE WASH, OR IN THE DRYER. IT IS BEST IF YOU CAN HANG THE FABRIC TO DRY. DO NOT IRON IT.
MATERIALS FEE PROVIDES:
Dyes, salt, soda ash and detergent
Questions? > Email Jan