Concentric Indigo
I’m having fun with my current Indigo project!
To begin I created eight concentric circles on white fabric using a different Shibori stitch or wrap technique for each circle. From the center out:
Straight stitch then bound
Whip stitch
Straight stitch
Double pleated with straight stitch
Beads with rubber bands
Triple straight stitch
Singled pleated with straight stitch
Wrapped stitch
Then it was time for dyeing!
When the fabric came out of the indigo dye vat, it was green. For the next 15 minutes it turned darker green, then blue as the dye interacted with the oxygen. Indigo dye layers with each dip into the indigo vat, creating ever deeper blues. I dipped this piece about 7 times before opening and washing it.
Once it was washed and dried, I draped the fabric in a prominent place, where I could look at it as I walked by or sat working. I was waiting for it to tell me what it wanted next.
Eventually, it told me that it wanted different embroidery stitches to compliment the different Shibori stitches. During “Creative Time with Brenda” I placed various colors of pearl cotton on the fabric, auditioning them. Eventually, all the brightest colors collectively insisted that they ALL want to be included in this project and they wanted a few more bright color friends to join them. So off I went shopping for more colorful pearl cotton.
While at the store searching for the missing colors, I discovered even brighter pearl cotton thread with a nice sheen. Of course….I bought a rainbow of colors.
Currently, I am using a different embroidery stitch as I add a wobbly concentric circle of each color. After auditioning bead and sequin embellishments, the quilt has let me know what it wants next.
Embroidery is very meditative for me as was the initial Shibori stitching so this is the project I work on when I need to calm my mind and let my subconscious have some quiet processing time.
