Studio clutter = Brain clutter..

For the past week, I have been feeling really, really uninspired with my project. However, this photograph of my studio space shows the cause of my problem! 

Studio clutter = Brain clutter.. Haha!!

Lots of lovely little, pretty samples...

I've spent the past week or so experimenting with a variety of print and resist dye techniques that I have recently been learning, inspired by my final projects theme: Skies and the skyline. 

As part of the project, I wanted to create delicate, feminine fabrics with the idea of eventually translating them into a fashion context. The concept of layers is something that really interests me and I feel as if these particular dye and print samples really reflect this idea. 

Spoons: The easy way to create a colour palette!

Manutex paste and Procion dye prints

I'm really super happy with these samples so far, combining resist tye-dye with printed textile techniques such as discharge, pigment ink screen printing and also foiling.

One Tuesday morning..

There is no better way to spend a cold morning, other than being creative in the dye and print room!

From my initial experimental dye samples, I have begun to build on the successes and improve the less so. My first improvement was to include other colours into my fabric samples, other than pale blues and neutral beiges. Yellow acid dye combined with these colours really helps bring added interest to my fabrics, as well as the addition of a much deeper navy blue mix. In particular i'm really pleased with the dip dye and resist techniques that i've created using combination of acid dye and fixative. However, I feel as if further exploration of materials will help with my experimental dying process as a heavier weight silk, or silk twill, will take the dye better.  

Not only have I continued to experiment with dying materials, but I have initially began to dip dye yarns which will later be translated through into stitched detail within my fabric samples.

This 'happy accident' happened when the dyed yarns were left to dry on news print paper. Am going to use this as part of my design process, and possibly make into a screen design for foiling or discharge printing.