Sunday, June 21, 2009

Hooray! Back online at last.
PC was playing up all week, constantly crashing and sometimes wouldn’t even turn on so have spent most of the weekend moving all my folders on to a spare hard drive then formatting the computer. But the bit that takes the time is then reloading all the software and hardware, configuring it all and sorting out the conflicts.
And you know why? Because this one is now just over a year old and of course, I didn’t take out extra cover. This always seems to happen to me, washing machine, tumble dryer and even the toaster. A Kitchen Aid one, two year warranty, one week after the warranty runs out and it just won’t work anymore.
Its vacuum cleaners I get through the most though. Have lost count of the number I have had in the years I have been married. With my mum it’s kettles, with my daughter its irons. Are we just a weird family or do others have certain appliances that they seem to need to replace more often than is necessary?
Anyway, waffling on a bit here as per. Didn’t seem to achieve a lot this weekend. Weather started out quite nice so I thought I would have a go at the Caustic Soda Dyeing with my ‘mystery’ fabric.
Unfortunately the weather changed as the pieces were drying so all had to be moved into the garage. I have found that the best results are obtained when the weather is really hot and sunny, tends to dry the fabric out quicker allowing the immediate colours to remain rather than turn a rusty brown all over.
I did get a few good results though as I put some of the dryer ones into the tumble dryer – not to be recommended though, it needed scrubbing out afterwards. Possibly one of the reasons why appliances don’t seem to last me for long. :)I made a bit of a change to the original ‘recipe’. I kept the teabags separate from the Caustic Soda and I also put table salt in the mix. I left the fabric to soak in this, probably for about twenty minutes before dipping in the other two mixtures.
Started to work with some of the pieces and this is a close up and several closer still photos of the piece in its early stages i.e. unfinished!And I just had to show you this photo. Thought I would do some embossing but run out of clear so added some Pirates Gold to the melting pot. This is how it looked when I was mixing it once it had melted - photo taken looking down into the pot.Would have looked good if it came out like that on the pieces I embossed, but of course, it didn’t.

14 comments:

Heather said...

Your dye samples are wonderful and the textures in the closeups are fantastic. What a great effect with the melting pot. I am still debating whether to get one or not. Can't decide if I would make enough use of it and manage with a metal ladle. Glad your PC is back on track. I always think I've done something stupid when mine goes dead on me, so it's quite encouraging to hear that other people have problems with theirs.

Linda and Michelle said...

Those pieces look like old maps - really cool!

Julie said...

Fascinating textures Lynda. Glad you got the computer sorted. Apart from backing up I wouldn't have a clue!

Ruth said...

We had to replace the compressor in our refrigerator 3 times in the space of two weeks. It's only 7 years old and the first replacement worked for less than one day. So you're not the only one. Great stuff again.

Judy Alexander said...

Really beautiful and interesting.

Doreen G said...

I know what you mean Lynda--we got a new Gas wall heater and it played up and the techs came back 5 times and then decided to replace the fan in it.
3 months later they were back again and replaced the whole heater 2 months later the fan was replaced.
We eventually had 2 heaters and 4 fans but luckily it is all ok now.
I love your samples--as I usually do.

CAROLYN SAXBY said...

Wonderful colours and textures, shall add it to the list of things to try one day .....

Carolyn
LOVE STITCHING RED

Val said...

Your pieces are wonderful Lynda - I'm so inspired I'm off to have a go at a fresh batch of rust dyeing.....! I'll have to look up the recipe though, as I can't remember what I need!

Sandy said...

More nice work. Great photos to see them too.

Maggie Grey said...

I have to say that with me it is Hoovers. Clive blames all the threads that I can never be bothered to pick up but, of course, that is nonsense. The worst case was when some black elastic got trapped round the roller and melted - left marks all over the carpets.

Took me a long time to live that one down.

Unknown said...

Great samples! I recognize myself in the computer problems:-)

Carol said...

Lovely samples Missus, love how they turned out, chin up m'dear!

neki desu said...

the fabric has such michelangelo colors and nuances.

neki desu

Becky Mairi Farrell said...

I seem to get through an inordinate number of hoovers too, especially as I'm not exactly a heavy user LOL! Maybe they cease up due to lack of use!