In Dyeing 104: Multicolor Silk I will teach you how to dye truly beautiful multicolor silk fabric and scarves, using exactly the same chemicals & dyes that I use dyeing cotton (Fiber Reactive dyes and Soda Ash). We will cover both exploring color theory to create new multicolor palettes and I will share the “secret recipes” for 22 of my most favorite multicolor palettes that I’ve used to dye and sell literally 1000s of scarves!
I’ve spent over 18 years perfecting my low water immersion dyeing techniques to create stunning pieces of multicolor fabric…and although each piece is truly one-of-a-kind, my methods allow me to mix the same colors over and over again, and I can manipulate the fabric in a certain manner and predict what it’s going to look like with accuracy. Now, I am anxious to share these methods with you so you too can create glorious, multicolor silk with intention!
This class is packed with details! There are over 12 hours of video and 184 pages of downloadable PDF’s, along with a 11 helpful excel spreadsheets. Because access to my classes never expire, you are welcome to register for the class now and take your time exploring color relationships while dyeing lots of beautiful silk.
Course Content
Session 1: Supplies & Tools
We begin by covering what you’ll need to complete everything in this course. The few specialized supplies needed are easily available to order online and the bulk of what you will use are easily purchased locally, or better yet, scavenged from your recycling bin (and perhaps those of your friends as well!). We will also cover how to find a place to do your dyeing safely and how to set up your workspace.
Session 2: Techniques and Tints
This chapter teaches you the basics of how to prepare all your reagents and fabric for dyeing. Then, I explain the concepts of “OWG” (also known as “DOS”) while showing you how to create tints of a single hue.
Session 3: The Color Wheel
Dyeing a color wheel allows you to expand your knowledge of color theory, and stretch your understanding of color influence. I take you through this process and supply you with the measurements to make color wheels with both my preferred sets of primary colors. Those of you familiar with dyeing cotton will be surprised to learn that even though we use the same dyes and auxilliary chemicals in my method of silk dyeing, the mixed colors will sometimes turn out differently!
Session 4: Multicolor Techniques
I teach you 5 completely different LWI techniques that span the gamut of control over the outcome; from lots of control over
Session 5: Monochromatic Palettes
We’ll start our palette creation by focussing on a single hue at a time. Then, to make things more interesting, we’ll add black to the mix and see where that takes us!
Session 6: Analagous Palettes
Analagous colors allow us to celebrate the characteristics of a hue by bringing in its neighbors.
Session 7: Complementary Palettes
Now, we add some contrast by combining complementary colors.
Session 8: Split Complementary Palettes
Have you always wondered what these were? Well, here’s your chance to find out! In this session I also show you how to dye many different pieces of silk the same color palette at the same time.
Session 9: Triadic Palettes
In this session we’ll learn how to pick 3 colors around the color wheel and make them work. Also, I show you how I snow dye – without any snow!
Session 10: Rainbow Palettes
Using all the colors around the wheel can be intimidating…let me help you narrow your focus and create some truly stunning fabric.
Session 11: Conclusion
Finally, I’ll cover how to dye really large pieces of fabric and clothing, we’ll wrap up all we’ve learned, and figure out where to go next in our explorations!
Course Time Commitment
This is a self-paced course, meaning you can work through it as quickly or slowly as you need to. Once this class is complete I estimate that a motivated student could complete each session in two 8 hour days (so, every weekend for about 10 weeks) or if you wanted to, you could devote an entire 2-3 weeks to following this through, beginning to end (what a creative vacation that could be!) However, most of us have lots of other things to do, so at every step along the way I will point out time sensitive steps and discuss how the work could be distributed to fit your needs. (I started dyeing soon after I became a mom, and 18 years later, all I know is how to dye around 4 busy schedules! I hear that at some point my oldest son being able to drive will make my life less frazzled – I’ll get back you y’all on that one! nope, Liam driving does NOT make my life less frazzled 😉 !)
Course Access Limit
There is none! You will always be able to return to re-view a video, see if there are questions that other students have asked that are interesting, re-download a sheet that you’ve lost on your computer.
Course Format
Take this class if…
- You love hand dyed fabrics.
- You’ve seen gorgeous multicolor silk fabrics or scarves and wished you knew how to make them.
- You end each dyeing session hoping that the fabrics will have the colors that you wanted/needed.
- You love dyeing cotton and would love to stretch your wings and dye another type of fiber.
Please don’t take this class if…
- You would like to learn to use acid dyes on silk. All the dyeing done in this class is done using Procion MX Fiber Reactive dyes and soda ash, the exact same chemicals you can use to dye cotton.
- The idea of keeping track of your dye experiments makes you sweat.
- You want to just add dye to fabric and “see what happens”.
- You’re not sure if an online class format will work for you; everything you paid for is immediately available to you, there’s no way to issue refunds if you find this format isn’t for you. Make sure to look at the Dyeing 104 Tools & Supplies Checklist v4 and my sample online class session before committing to this class. Also, I have a much smaller, simpler online class as an introduction to hand dyed fabrics you may want to look into.
Can you take this class without having taken any of your other classes?
Yes! Although the techniques we use are covered in my other classes, those all deal with dyeing cotton, while this class we’re dyeing silk! Folks who have taken my other classes may find it easier to jump in and get started, but this class is designed to cover everything you need to know to dye silk as gorgeous as the fabrics pictured on this page!
Is this class really that different from Dyeing 103: Multicolor Cotton?
Although the format of both classes is very similar, and we use pretty much the same reagents, dyeing silk with soda ash and Procion MX fiber reactive dyes is completely different. Because the silk is a protein and cotton is a carbohydrate, the dyes react very differently, so we need to use a completely different set of ratios when mixing our pure dyes to get the same colors on these 2 fibers.
Why learn from me?
By day, I teach biology to students at the University of Redlands who are non-science majors. I am very comfortable engaging my students and putting complex ideas into terms they understand. I’ve spent 16 years learning how to dye fabric, and developed this way of dyeing to accommodate my busy schedule and not waste my limited resources. I have 20 “how to” articles published in various Interweave publications (see list here), I have been a guest on eight episodes of Quilting Arts TV, and I have also published 2 Quilting Arts Workshop DVDs: A video clip from my first workshop “Dyeing to Stitch” can be found here, and is a great introduction to my teaching style.
When does it start?
This is a self-paced course with no expiration date, so you can fit the dyeing in when it’s convenient for you! The class is complete, there are over 12 hours of video and 184 pages of downloadable PDF’s waiting for you to access them whenever you want!
What do I need?
Dyeing does require a fair amount of supplies, but the vast majority of them are easily and cheaply obtainable, and can be satisfied a number of different ways. If you’ve ever dyed cotton fabric with Procion MX Fiber Reactive dyes and soda ash you’ve already got the important stuff! In the class I explain why and how to obtain these supplies, and suggest options where appropriate and point out when substitutions would not work. Here is a simple checklist for you to download and print off that contains everything you need for this class, along with online source locations for you to purchase specialty items:
Please feel free to email me (Candy@CandiedFabrics.com) if you have any particular questions about any of these.
My name is Candy Glendening, and I’m addicted to color. I’ve been dyeing fabrics to use in my art for over 15 years. You may have seen me on Quilting Arts TV or in an Interweave publication, I write up patterns for them often. I share my love of color by teaching online classes that teach people how to dye using Procion MX fiber reactive dyes.