Dyeing my own fabrics gives me a deeper connection to my work. I get to use recycled materials in a way that is meaningful to me, and to continue a quilting tradition of turning something old and worn into something new and beautiful. Many variables, including water temperature, prep of material, dye/water ratio and manipulation of the wet cloth, will all affect the outcome. I choose to be spontaneous rather than scientific - I'm looking for a one-of-a-kind fabrics that don't need to be duplicated - I think this is what gives life to my pieces.
Since the background fabric figures heavily in each piece, enhancing and not overpowering it is one of the challenges of my style. Custom templates allow me to maneuver design elements around on the background before making further color decisions. Each small piece is then cut, ironed and stitched into place.
When I started developing my style, I wanted to combine my love of color and design with the skills I'd learned from years of quilting. I set out to make smaller pieces that would showcase hand-dyed fabrics and free-motion quilting. Also called hand-guided quilting, this technique is done on a home sewing machine - the needle acts like a pencil as I "draw" my intricate patterns by moving the fabric in all directions. I prefer not to plan this stitching, but to be in the moment as I glide around and fill the space. I finish with a small, irregular zig-zag border that I use to anchor the raw edges in place.
