Fun with Dyes

One of the swaps I participated in had the theme of unfitted clothing. Wrapping, draping, and loose fits can look really pretty, and there was the added advantage of not having to tailor perfectly for a doll you didn't have exact measurements for.

For me, it meant a chance to play with dyes, which I hadn't done for a while. Wool and silk dye nicely with food coloring and vinegar, which is great in terms of price and safety. I had some natural colored silk on hand, so I set out to make a sari....

...Unfortunately, the sari had ample amounts of pink, a color my partner was quite clear about not wanting. Attempts to overdye it into dark red turned it into an unappealing shade of brown red. I contacted the swap organizer explaining that I had a mishap and I needed an extension, and looked over my material. It still had a lot of usable parts, and my partner said that she would also like Japanese clothing as long as it wasn't a kimono or obi. I ended up making a sodenashi, a type of vest.

It's not the prettiest cut, but my partner adored the colors and work I put into it, so all is well.