Deceptive Color

Top pic is unwashed, with my mystery color (turquoise and magenta), with mixed mystery and turquoise. I know what happens, so I'm not shocked with the resulting color. Turquoise goes down dark when wet; my favorite purple is that mystery blend. I like what I have, and I'll plan to do it again. 
 

Color Instead

I can't think it would look as lively if the cake(s) were all in white. I learned about gel colors for decorating cakes and they work just like any other pigment. I used various shades of blue and green, and those brassy marigolds helped. Now I'm ready to cut loose and do some wild cakes. Hmmm.
 

Dye Pots

Visiting daughter has a handful of linen dresses she wanted to over dye. So, being the kind mom, I did. Then I realized what a pain it is to slosh around in the dye pots. Give me thickened dye anyday and I'd be happy. (And, I'll be wearing long pants to cover the splashes from said pots.)
 

Soda Ash Spooky

Before washout the cloudy white residue is the soda ash migrating to the surface of the print. I knew all would be well, so here's the washout. Printing with thickened dyes is a mind game, sometimes. It looks darker wet, the white tint is soda ash, some dyes are wimps. Voices in my head!
 

Color Check

I had an unwashed test of all the colors I used teaching at PNWAS in Coupeville. I added the 4 week-old dye paste I saved in the fridge and tested them (upper colors) against the colors I used in the class (bottom swiped colors).  Seems just the magenta and turquoise weakened. Good to go! 
 

Down the Garden Path

 A walk in Maplewood Park tonight led me down the rose garden path. All I could think about was the printing class I had today. And trying to imagine how to translate this beautiful color, coral let's say, from light to dark. How could we do without color?

Mixing Dyes for Printing

Getting ready to print this week. So here's how I very unscientifically set up my dyes. My typical pallet is two reds, two yellows, two blues, black and chartreuse. That'll do just about all the range I need. For Virtual Print, the class makes up the dyes; I get to relax.

First Rule of Dye

...is that fabric colors always look deeper and darker when wet. As one of the Yard in the Yard series,  they are taken in from outside, and rewashed. Wet, they are vibrant and wonderful. This, friends, is the difference between paint (true wet/dry) and dye (not true to color till processed).

Inspired to Dye

Last Friday I detoured to Niagara Falls (at night!) and the American side which is tremendously close to the water. I'm back dyeing fabric for a day; this melange is a tip to what is on my print table.