March Snow Dye

It's really amazing that we didn't get to do any snow dyeing this year until March - it's been a snowless winter until this past week, and even the couple of inches we got was less than predicted.  Just a few weeks ago we were hitting temperatures in the 70's, so this abrupt change back to freezing temps was not particularly welcome, especially for the cherry blossoms and other spring flowers popping up.  But when life gives you lemons, you make lemonade; when nature gives us snow, we snow dye!  Sue soaked her fabric in soda ash Monday evening so it would be ready for the snow on Tuesday.  She decided she could fit 3 pans in the basement shower stall, so planned on a yard of fabric on top of each pan, with a half yard in the bottom.

The top photo shows the pans with the fabric arranged on screening above the pans (one has snow mounded on it).  The bottom photo shows the snow added and dye solution poured over each. 

She had mixed 3 colors - purple, teal and turkey red - and decided to use 2 colors on each pan.  The one on the left had purple as the base color with red added.  The top right had a teal base with purple added. The bottom right had a red base with teal added.  After batching for 24 hours, the fabric was first rinsed in cold water, then soaked in hot water over night.  After a hot water wash in the washing machine with synthropol, they were dried and ironed.  The results are below.

The above 1 yard piece is the purple base with red added.

Next is this 1 yard piece which has the red base with teal added.

Third is the teal with purple added.  The photo makes it appear more purple but the teal shows more in reality.  The other 3 pieces where half yards that were folded and accordion pleated in the bottom of the pans to catch the melting snow and dye. 

These have some interesting textures and might work well in landscapes if turned horizontally.  So those are Sue's results.  Stay tuned to see how Elizabeth's pieces turned out.