Feast your eyes on color!
This month's featured artisan is Myfanwy from SassaLynne, a wonderful dye artist. Myfanwy bathes fibers and fabrics in marvelous rich hues.
You will see the title Serendipity in many of her works, which means 'the result of a happy accident', and these items from random dye pots are so very special and individual.
Enjoy your journey through her work, and be sure to check out her Etsy shop, website, and blog links at the end of this article.
|
 |
| Bronze Passion Jumbo Perle |
|
|
 |
| Chiffon Scarf Pack Magenta Fuchsia |
|
|
 |
| Texture Pack Mixed Media |
|
|
 |
| Serendipity Hand Dyed Scarf |
|
|
|
Myfanwy says:
I've had a passion for textiles all my life. I was very blessed to have 2 grandmothers that stitched, knitted, crocheted etc, and my mother did too. Although she lived a long way away my Welsh grandmother made wedding dresses and ball gowns from all sorts of precious fabrics. She would save me the scraps and I began by making little purses and clothes for my dolls. My other grandmother taught me how to embroider patterns onto them. My mother still has a couple that I made, purses, that is!
|
 |
| Artmixter and Myfanwy at Festival of Quilts |
|
|
I knitted and embroidered throught my adulthood but eventually I was able to do a textiles course. This was in 1990, and early during the course I was introduced to dyeing. I loved it. I dabbled for a while, but eventually my dabbling became more serious and now it occupies many hours a week.
|
I don't have a dedicated workroom as such. I have a small table in a bedroom on which I can fit a machine, but the dyeing can't be done there!
When we moved to this house we had a very large old bath. It is absolutely ideal for containing all mess! Therefore I dye in the bath. My husband takes great delight in saying to customers 'I'm sorry, she can't come to the 'phone, she's dyeing in the bath!' He has encountered many a sharp intake of breath!
Anyway, that's what the picture is all about. I've arranged some bottles on the side just to emphasise that. Without them it wasn't so obvious. NO WE DON'T BATH IN IT!. We have a shower!
|
 |
| Viscose Chenille Knitting Yarn |
|
|
 |
| Set up for dying in the Bath |
|
|
 |
| Dye Pot |
|
|
 |
| Needlefelt Challenge |
|
|
My inspiration for colour doesn't come from a specific source. I get an idea and I work on it. For instance, this week I have been dyeing chocolate and teal. One dye pot is not enough! I have dyed several variations and each one will have a different place in the range, maybe even on Etsy.
|
 |
| Chiffon Scarf Pack |
|
|
A while ago now I discovered the Embellisher machine. I first saw it advertised in a magazine from the US. It wasn't available in the UK, but I knew I needed one! I had to wait nearly two years to see one, but as soon as they were here I bought one. It was actually the first one sold over here! I was able to introduce it to a number of tutors over here, and wrote the first book on the subject. I aimed the book at beginners as so many customers said that they had bought a machine but never taken it out of the box. Once they begin to use it they have no trouble moving on.... I now travel around the country teaching various techniques on the machine including a technique called Nuvo Felt which is a fabric I invented. Instructions for this are also in the book. I also teach creative machine stitching, and my first love - hand embroidery!
|
To learn more about Myfanwy,
see more of her creations,
and purchase some of her wonderful work for yourself,
follow the links below:
SassaLynne Etsy Shop
|
 |
| Serendipity Jumbo Perle |
|
|
 |
| Silkpods |
|
|
 |
| Bramble Parfait Thread Pack |
|
|
|