More Fabric Dyeing & December Challenge

I've been dyeing fabric again. A fun challenge since I now have to work indoors. In order for the dyes to set, it needs to be at least 65F degrees - hit or miss this time of year. I decided to try my first "color runs" - which means that for each piece you dilute the dye 50%, and you get a run of the same color, from dark to light. I used 3 colors (Jacquard, if anyone's interested) - Deep Purple, Turquoise, and Teal. Here are my results:


I also tossed a piece of cheesecloth into the 1st, 3rd, and 6th containers:

With the dye leftover, I mixed two different combinations of turquoise and teal - they aren't really all that different, but the one on the left has a little more blue:

I mixed the last little bit of turquoise and teal, and threw in some of the deep purple for good measure, and the piece on the right was my result. It is absolutely my favorite and I'm going to make some more of it. Luckily I wrote down the proportions! The colors combined nicely, but you can still see bits of each here and there. The photo doesn't do it justice. The piece on the left is straight up Deep Purple - it's not really as pink as it looks here. I've been having trouble getting my colors accurate on the computer. I guess everyone's computers are different so it really doesn't matter.

Finally, here is what I do with my leftover dye. When I rinse my fabric, I squeeze the excess dye back into the containers. Since it has already been mixed with chemicals, it is no longer reactive and cannot be used to dye anything again, so instead, I paint paper towels! I slop and slosh the dye onto the towels, then place another piece of towel on top to catch the excess. Once dry, I can peel them apart and use them in art projects, like those frames I made. These are still drying, but I'll be sure to post a photo once they're done.

And now for that December challenge. I've been wishing I would blog more, so I've sort of devised this personal challenge to post once a day in December. Now, this may not be the smartest thing I've ever done - December being what it is with the holidays and all, but I'll give it a shot. I have promised myself that if I miss a day here or there, the world won't stop spinning. I will not resort to the tactics of my pre-teen years when I felt I needed to write in my diary every day, but my life was so uneventful that I couldn't think of what to write, so most of the time my diary read "DD, NNN, ME" - Translation - Dear Diary, No New News, Love, Me. I never have been a patient person!!! So anyway, to go along with my December Blog-A-Thon, I am going to have some give aways. Why? Because I think it's cool when people give stuff away on their blogs! ;o) So, the first giveaway I will announce officially tomorrow - but if you are still reading this - here's a sneak peek... I will draw a name on January 1st from everyone who posts a comment on my blog in December and send the winner something I've made. One entry per person and make sure I can contact you (or be sure to check back). I will have other giveaways as well, as the mood strikes me.

One promise - not all posts will be this wordy!!!!!