Well a week later and I have all the shirts and scarves ironed, and about half the fabric done.  It's snowing again today, so I think I will mix up some more dyes...different colors this time.  If you have not heard about snow dyeing, it is like making snow cones with fabric.  You take a piece of fabric that has been soaked in soda ash and lie it on a screen or rack with slots.  Place the screen inside of a container, off the bottom.  Put 2-3 inches of snow on top of the fabric, then pour your dye on the snow.  Pour probably isn't the right verb... more like sprinkle.  I use syringes or pipettes.  Then it is a waiting game while the snow melts distributing the dye over the smushed fabric.  Your only control in the experience is color select.  Sometimes the colors blend, sometimes they don't; sometimes they migrated, sometimes they don't.  I once did a piece that looked like a sunset on a lake on the snow.  Afterwards, it ended up looking like a Monet's version of flowers in a vase.  Here a couple pictures of what I did last week...

Cool, huh!?! Now, your thinking beautiful but what can you do with them.  Well, the ones that look like marble I can see as a background fabric.  Behind a nice appliqued design, the snow dyed fabric would add a nice subtle movement in the background.  The more colorful pieces could be "fussy cut" for applique or used in a pieced block.  Think how the snow dye would "pop" next to a solid colored piece of fabric.  The cloth that started out as a sunset and ended up as a flower vase, I am planning on doing a whole cloth piece with, free motion embroidery the flowers to add more definition.

Time to mix up dyes... piece and happiness

As a member of the program committee for West Michigan Quilt Guild, I get to meet a lot of quilt teachers.  Monday night and yesterday, I spent with Frieda Anderson.  From a previous show, I knew I was going to enjoy the classes and lecture.  Frieda is so willing to share her knowledge and is so down to earth, she is a pleasure to be around.  It was interesting to see her students go through the classes.  I think many came in thinking they were going to copy pattern pieces and fuse them down onto a background ( a single piece).  When they realized that they need to design their own backgrounds (not a single piece!), make choices, and cut their own shapes, some were a little hesistant.  Frieda guides them through the process, and the students walk away with a piece they created (their interpretation of Frieda's design) and some confidence.  Even the most hesitant, walked away happy with their piece.  It is nice to see teachers and pattern makers starting to push/allow/encourage quilters to take that next step to make their own design choices.  I think it helps elevate quiltmaking as an art form.  A hundred years from now,  what will the quilt appraisers/collectors think?

Next up: I have spent a week snow dyeing fabrics, shirts and scarves.  I hope to post some pictures soon.

Sue