i dye every day

Today I mixed up a really nice greeeeeen. I used

2T avocado,

1t golden yellow and

1T turquoise

I used a lot of dye because a lot will wash out with the alginate.

all mixed up in 1/2 cup room temp water. I poured about 1/2 cup of my alginate paste into a clean cup and mixed in about 2 T of the dye water. I took some scarves, fabric-both cotton and linen out to the artbarn and set up the vine screen. Right before printing I mixed in about 1/2 t of soda ash into the dye paste because the fabric was not soda soaked. I didn’t use urea-I forgot. so we will see if my vines are all in vain.

I lay down a layer of plastic (clear garbage bag), then fabric then print then plastic and rolled it up. After doing two like this I realized I could just keep piling on and printing without removing the print-just layer the plastic then another scarf or fabric. Of course at this point I am grabbing whatever i can to print. The dye will only last so long with the soda ash -maybe 15 minutes? Then it will begin to fade. I don’t want any to go to waste.

Here they are rolled up

Now to steam them I put them in the car. Since it is a very hot day I’m hoping the inside of the car will generate enough heat. It feels like about 90 degrees outside but I am parked in the shade. Damn!