Work started on new QU class-Painting with Dyes

Yesterday I started work on the next Quilt University class that involves using Sodium Alginate as a thickening agent.

Thank you to everyone who responded in classes and on this blog. There has been a resounding "yes!" throughout the land so let the good times roll. This class should be ready early in 2010. Yes, it takes a long time to write and edit and then test and retest the information.



Mixing Procion MX dyes with the standard chemicals and the sea weed extract, we can turn the often fickle and stubborn dyes into paints. The colors remain brilliant and bold and best of all- they do not bleed or run (much).

If you have ever taken any of my classes you know that often we start out by making a sampler. For these classes, we will make two so that we can see what happens when we add more dye to a stable base and then more base to the stable amount of dye powder.



Look at all those yumm-o colors. Three primaries and black are all we will use.

These samplers have not been rinsed yet and are still damp but the cool thing about painting with thickeners is that when rinsed the color is very close to what it looks like wet. None of this "three shades lighter" stuff.

Here is a tablecloth I am making with the left over dye paints. I just made up a random design and painted the stuff as I made up the colors....way fun to do.

Close up. This piece is 43"x 47".

By the way, the shower curtain is heaped in the corner and pouting. Maybe Monday. Maybe. Don't you just hate it when something that should be so simple becomes this monster that runs after you with teeth barred?