Hello Friends! This is celebratory post number 350! Wow! And amazingly, I have 362 followers (so far) that take an interest in what I do. I am very happy that I have kept track of my achievements, be they large or small. I started blogging in October 2007, but it wasn’t until 2012 that I started focusing more on my creative endeavors, especially sewing. Blogging is a great way to record your makes and mistakes, your trials and errors, and share those with like minded people from all over the world. Thank you for letting me be a part of your world. What a great sewing community I have been able to enjoy through so many interesting and creative sewing blogs.
For Blog # 350, I have something new to share. I’m taking a class at the local community college on Fabric Printing and Dying. I couldn’t wait to get started so at home this weekend, I dug right in. The top you see in the pictures was hand dyed by me, I used one of the Japanese Shibori techniques of stitches gathered tight to form a resist. I’ll explain the process that I used. Now, I’ve only taken one class so far, so I assume that I’ll learn how to do everything ten times better.
I used a cotton jersey knit that had been washed and dried. After the stitching, I presoaked the 1/2 lb of fabric in warm water and soda ash. I went by Dhrama Trading Company directions for how-to’s and ingredients.
Next, I made up the dye bath: hot water (bath temp), salt, soda ash, and the Porcion Dye. I dipped the fabric in, and agitated it frequently for about an hour. This pretty color is called Coral Pink. I left in about an hour.
I had to be very careful with the water that I used for rinsing because we are in a severe drought and water use is restricted. I was a good girl and used the rinse water on my rose bushes. The dye adhered to the fabric so well that very little rinsing was needed. I then washed it by hand with a little soapy hot water and set it out to dry.
Removing all the stitching from the top half of the blouse to be, was very surprising. It wasn’t exactly how I imagined, but I was very pleased!
I cut one back and one front out of the solid and used the Shibori dyed piece for the bodice front, back and sleeves. You may recognize this pattern from previous posts. I’ve made several, one for Christmas out of sparkly fabric and two more for my granddaughters . It’s Lekala Blouson With Decorative Back Sewing Pattern #4284. It’s so darn cute!
After I found the right color of thread, I sewed it together using my serger and the stretch stitch on my regular sewing machine. I actually preferred sewing all the seams with the regular machine and just did the finishing with the serger.
Thanks for visiting and happy sewing!
Seam Queen 
Such a cute top on you and the colour is perfect.
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Thanks, I love the color so much, that I kept the dye bath. I don’t know if it is still good though. I’ll ask my professor.
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its so pretty!!!! i love the colour!!! 🙂
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Thanks, I am in love with that color.
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Amazing result! Great top! I like this surprising back detail.
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Thank you. Isn’t that a cool element? I haven’t seen that in RTW.
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Very cute! Thanks for sharing your dying details – very cute top!
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Thank you for the compliment and you’re welcome. I’ll post more dying processes and results as the semester goes on.
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I think this looks great!
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Conrgratulations on your 350th post – that’s a LOT of blogging!
Very cute top too! I enjoyed reading about the technique 🙂
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Thanks, so much. I am a big fan of your blog. I love your style.
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Thank you for sharing this cute dye project. Love the shirt.
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Thank you kindly!
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Congrats on 350!! How fun to take the class and make such a cute top!
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It is really fun! Thank you.
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Your top is excellent especially the back.
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I’m in love with that surprise back design. Thank you for commenting.
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Cute top! I love the back and I love the fabric dye you used.
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It’s a porcion dye that comes in a little jar. You can get really fantastic colors at the Dharma Trading Co.
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Your top looks great! Thank you for explaining the dying technique – such a cool way to get a matching solid and print.
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Love this top! I’d love to take a class on dying sometime. Congrats on your blogging milestone too!
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Oh, this is gorgeous! Love the colour, and very impressed with your dying! (Also, that pattern is so cute with the knot at the back!)
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Wow, I am really impressed with how beautiful your dye job came out – I’ve always wanted to try dyeing fabric (and I love Shibori) but have been hesitant. Thank you for the great photos and congratulations on 350 posts xx
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Congratulations on 350!
I love the techniques. I’ve been considering trying it. I just need to finish my current pipleine. You have inspired me to put it on my list.
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Wow 350 posts – now that is inspiring. I love the contrast created with the differential dying but most of all I love the wee bow on the back, so unexpected. A great t-shirt.
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