At the time when tassels, and half dolls were the latest craft craze, I became obsessed with this new fashion.
Above, are just some of the half dolls I made into tassels. I dyed the fringing, flowers, crocheted doilies. guipure and flowers.
The dyes I used were just powdered dyes from the local craft shop. Sometimes I made them up with hot and sometimes cold water...I had never heard of "mordants" or any of the other "rules" about dying, but just followed the instructions on the packets. I poured the mix into glass jars, and then I became the mad professor and proceeded to experiment by mixing various amounts of the colours together. If I dyed something that I did not like I dipped the article into a beige/cream/fawn solution and wallah I then had a lovely antique looking colour.
The dyes I used were just powdered dyes from the local craft shop. Sometimes I made them up with hot and sometimes cold water...I had never heard of "mordants" or any of the other "rules" about dying, but just followed the instructions on the packets. I poured the mix into glass jars, and then I became the mad professor and proceeded to experiment by mixing various amounts of the colours together. If I dyed something that I did not like I dipped the article into a beige/cream/fawn solution and wallah I then had a lovely antique looking colour.
Not being one to just try one aspect of a craze I then decided I wanted to make more tassels only with the wooden tops so DH went to his lathe and I soon had a good supply of various shapes and sizes.
These are just a three of the many that I came up with but you can see the strange colours that eventuated from my mixes. Unfortunately I did not keep notes everything was just random. At the time I was able to remember some of the things I did. If I pulled something out of the dye that was too bright it went under the tap, and got rinsed away and wallah another magic moment. At the time I did not have a digital camera, so a lot of the things that I made are lost forever, although sometimes I may walk into one of the families' homes and spy one of my creations.
These are just a three of the many that I came up with but you can see the strange colours that eventuated from my mixes. Unfortunately I did not keep notes everything was just random. At the time I was able to remember some of the things I did. If I pulled something out of the dye that was too bright it went under the tap, and got rinsed away and wallah another magic moment. At the time I did not have a digital camera, so a lot of the things that I made are lost forever, although sometimes I may walk into one of the families' homes and spy one of my creations.
