Watermelon Dress

 

I did some dyeing this weekend.  

I had watermelon on my mind ...  Quintessential Summer colors.

 Doesn't this say watermelon to you?

I used my Candied Fabrics periodic table of colors to choose just the right watermelon red and green for this project.    I mixed up all the primary dye stocks again, so I'd have a supply to play this summer when I can retreat to the cool basement on hot days.

 

Rough sketch of my dye plan.  I may still add some buttons to play the beads, but then 

-- most watermelons these days are seedless.

 

6-4-0 Forest Green from the Earth Triad set.

Unfortunately, the 7-0-3 Sky triad watermelon red didn't come out as planned.  I tested it on the paper before committing to the fabric.  Could be my dyes are a couple of years old again.  Could be I had lemon yellow from ProChem and not Dharma (Both their lemon yellows are quite different.)  As I was mixing the proposed watermelon red, it was coming out more like blood -- I added more boysenberry, and it only made it rustier.   Hmmmh -- Back to square one with color choices.

I wound up picking a straight Fuschia -- which has tamed itself (thankfully!) since it was new.  Usually fuschia is way too much for me--over the top and I avoid it.

I didn't actually use all that much dye, either.  Rayon is kinder than cotton that way.  Painted on with a foam brush applicator.

I used this basic technique from Dharma Trading Company on their oh-so-comfortable summer Swing Dress.