Fabric Dyeing Fun in Merced

This past Tuesday, I had the pleasure of hosting a Dye Party for the Gateway Quilters Guild in Merced, CA.  We were blessed to have a beautiful backdrop, gorgeous weather and a fabulous group of women who had a great sense of adventure and lots of creative energy!!  Many thanks to Louise for all her hard work in organizing the program and to Susan for hosting the party in her beautiful backyard.

Fabulous Dye Party Attendees

We warmed up with some dye basics (safety, supplies and process) before diving into the various fabric manipulations that are used to create exciting patterns and shapes.  Each participant received 3 yards of Pimatex PFD fabric that they then could rip into smaller pieces and fold, pleat, clamp or scrunch using any of the manipulations presented.  Smaller teams of 2-3 then helped me to mix up the Fiber Reactive Dyes using the three primary colors:  fuschia, lemon yellow and turquoise.  Now that all the dyes and fabrics were prepared, it was time to dye!!

Adding a Splash of Color

I loved watching the creative juices flow as attendees mixed the primary colors to create a beautiful array of colors and patterns!!  These women were fearless as they experiemented with the various techniques and colors.  In less than 4 hours, they took their little bundles of hand dyed fabrics home for the batching and rinsing process.  Luckily several of the attendees sent me pictures of their beautiful hand dyed treasures, that clearly reflect all their hard work and risk taking!!

Check out Louise K's absolutely amazing fabrics.  She incorporated a variety of techniques and created a beautiful collection of fabrics.  I especially loved her colorful mandala, chevron stripes, horizontal stripes as well as the celestial/magical vibe using a spiral cut out and purple dyes.    

Louise K's Lovely Hand Dyed Treasures

Next up is Susan H who gravitated towards the jewel tones of fuschia, purple and turquoise, but also branched out to incorporate some yellow and green.  She too created a exciting collection of fabrics that have such glorious pattern and design!  Each is truly a work of art!!

Susan H's Jewel Like Beauties

Last up is Barbara S's and her gorgeous collection of hand dyed fabrics.  What a lovely display of her hand dyed creations as they hang across a laundry line!!  She too had fun combining various colors and patterns, and even added a splash of color and pattern to her white apron!!

Barbara S's Beautiful Outdoor Gallery

If you enjoyed Barbara's outdoor gallery display, then you will want to be sure to check out the Gateway Quilters' Guild upcoming outdoor quilt show "Quilts on Forist Lane" on Saturday, September 16th from 10 AM to 4 PM in Merced.  You will be treated to a beautiful display of members' quilts that will be hung outdoors amongst trees and gardens, along with a country store of handmade treasures, vendors and light refreshments.  Admission is $10.  Be sure to visit the Gateway Quitler's Guild facebook page for more information.