Awhile back I walked into Jo-Ann fabric store, armed with coupons and very dangerous.  I walked out with a Rit dye kit.  Well, I paid for it...then I walked out.  Can’t remember now if there was a plan for the dye, or if it was purchased just so the coupon didn’t go to waste.  Anyway, the dye kit sat on a shelf in my studio, unopened for months.  I thought about it once in a while, but usually after I was already elbows-deep into another project. 

Last week with a clean slate, I started working on a submission for a reader challenge offered by Cloth Paper Scissors magazine, and out came the dye kit.  I played around with different color combinations, adding a pinch of color here, a bit more water there.  I tore strips from different kinds of fabric and varied the dipping time.  No plan, just tearing and dipping.  Tearing and dipping.  I left the strips to dry overnight - and couldn't wait to check on them the next morning.

I'm really pleased with the vibrant colors and varied textures that resulted after the strips dried.  I've been working on the piece that I'll be submitting to the contest.  And just for fun, I also made this!

Hand-dyed vintage fabric adhered to an 8X8" canvas with vintage tacks,
free-form machine stitching and rubber stamp.

I've just about used up all the dyed fabric strips from my first batch.  Now that I sort of know what to expect, there are a few things I want to mess around with on my next batch.  Maybe try some patterned fabric, longer dipping times, variegated hues, maybe a jewel tone color palette...

I really need to get some different rubber gloves before I attempt this again.  I used my awkward heavy-duty cleaning gloves and couldn't feel a thing, making it hard to wring out the thin little strips.  I ended up using just my bare fingers.  Which stained my fingernails so bad I had to cut them super short.  Yeah, better gloves will be good.  Then I'll Be Happy.