Sewist’s Name: Laura Davidson from Sharpsburg, MD
Type of Project: Tunic/Jacket
Pattern: Sandra Betzina for Vogue 1621
Featured Date: 1-26-23
Hi, I’m Laura Davidson. I am a retired sewing educator and current surface design and dye enthusiast! I have been a proud member of The American Sewing Guild for 35+ years!
What do you do when you buy the rest of the bolt of lovely purple cotton denim while on vacation, only to get home and find a fade mark down the fold on every yard? Discharge print it with leaves and do discharge shibori to reveal lovely blue undertones! I also free-motion quilted it.
Discharge printing was done with fresh leaves painted with Palmolive Eco Dishwasher gel (it has right amount of bleach and viscosity. Softscrub with bleach and Clorox Bleach Pens give similar results. Test first and never use full strength liquid bleach.) Leaves are hand pressed onto fabric with a padded surface underneath to allow for good contact printing. A piece of fabric or tissue paper is on top of leaf to absorb leakage.
A fabric tube was sewn and placed on the outside of a large garbage can. Fabric is scrunched down to form folds and Eco gel is brushed on folds to get Shibori effect. All discharged bleaching has to be neutralized with a bleach stop product (Anti-Chlor from dye suppliers is good.) to prevent further deterioration of fibers. Rinsing or washing is not enough!
-Laura
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