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Serendipity and the Art of the Quilt

Serendipity and the Art of the Quilt

Creating with Brenda Gael Smith

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Mise en place?

25 January 2009 Filed Under: Technique:Dyeing

In professional kitchens, and those ubiquitous TV cooking shows, the concept of “mise en place” (everything in place) is paramount. In deference to invading the Laundry King’s orderly workshop, I try to apply the same approach when I am dyeing. I pre-cut and number the fabric pieces before soaking them in soda ash solution; I then wring them out and scrunch them into numbered plastic containers; and I have my selected primary dye powders and mixing implements ready to go. Generally I keep mess to a minimum. Alas yesterday, I doubled the amount of yardage but didn’t double the amount of dye powder used so the resulting fabrics are more gelato-toned than these photos would suggest.



Today I went back and tried for some more saturated colours. Did the new blender work with combating red-speckitis? Well that’s another story…

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Helen Conway says

    27 January 2009 at 9:40 AM

    I tried that numbering be organised stuff. Still I managed to dye the fabric AND the front path!

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