GRADATION, TWIST & POLE/TUBE DYEING - PART ONE

I finally got around to finishing up my 6 step gradation dyeing for all the different colour dyes I have.  These three colour were all recommended by Linda Johnson in her book, Fabric Dyers Dictionary.  Interestingly, it is easy to see how the two different blacks I used, have quite a different outcome.

Dharma's New Black, Black & Kelly Green

I mixed the Kelly Green and one of the black dyes to get a richer green.  That great yellow-green on top was my 'left overs' piece, which started with a lot of yellow.

Anyway, the fun of the week was finally trying pole (Tube) dyeing (I said dyeing NOT dancing!).  I only used a small piece of fabric and used elastic bands to secure it to the pole, then scrunched it down.  I managed to fit it all in a small measuring beaker.

I used Dharma's Chocolate Brown and Deep Orange.  I love the result.  It looks like distant hills and a lake, seen through a weeping willow.  Stop laughing, it's called artistic licence! 

I misjudged the amount of liquid in the beaker and the whole thing spilled over the edges (duh, I thought I had measured it correctly, but clearly hadn't!).  Luckily I had already prepared a twisted rope of fabric for another project.  I dipped this into the overflow and then sucked up the rest with a syringe and squirted it onto the rope.  I also sucked out some of the dye from the beaker (so dye wasn't lapping the edges), which I also squirted on the fabric.  

You can see from the picture above that the rope didn't sit in the dye, yet look how well the rope dyed, I hadn't even pre-wet it with water or soaked it in soda ash! It is much lighter in colour but has such a great pattern.  Serendipity at play I think.

All I have to do now is think of something to do with all this fabric.  Maybe I could open a shop!