Custom Dye Job for Child’s Rocker, Part 1
one of Carla's sculptures alongside hand dyed reed
CUSTOM DYEING REED WITH CARLA FILIPELLI PART 1
I had the good fortune to hang out with Carla and Greg Filipelli at their studio Cranberry Creek and try my hand at dyeing my own reed for weaving colorful seats. They have been making baskets and sculptures for over 25 years and are part of Handmade in America and the Southern Highlands Craft Guild.
Carla’s free-style dyed sculptures look beautiful
A collection of awesomeness by Carla and Greg
on large walls and are a unique accent to home and office decor. She also makes really cool small garlic baskets and teaches how to weave them in private and group classes.
I met Carla through the Guild and we got on instantly. We talked about India and meditation and various teachers like Shivabalayogi…and of course, our similarities in our businesses.
I have been using spaced dyed reed available at Earth Guild in Asheville. She suggested I try my hand at dyeing my own reed.
Martha's 100 year old child's rocker
6 months later, a customer came in with an unsual child’s rocker that has been passed down in her family for generations. The weave is cool with multiple diamonds, which is easily duplicated, however, she wanted to match the color as much as possible. Its always difficult to duplicate age on chairs, but I told her I’d do my best.
Carla and I got together on a chilly winter day (not the best weather, but we worked in the basement for warmth). Usually Carla and Greg work en plein air outside their wooded studio on the hillside in Fairview. Gorgeous views and trees and birdsong, etc. You can take classes here! It’s really FUN.
Below is a photo journey of the process, for the most part in proper order (y’all are smart, you’ll realize that one picture in the top should be at the bottom….I just don’t have time to tweak things. I have spanikopeta to make for Dave’s Birthday and a yoga class to get to to save my back from caning):
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- one of Carla’s sculptures alongside hand dyed reed
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- A collection of awesomeness by Carla and Greg
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- Carla and Greg gather vines from their property for accents
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- After soaking overnight, dry reed and recoil for future use
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- detail of old color and weave on rocker
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- Match colors as best you can against previously dyed recipies
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- Carla’s impressive history of dye batches with recipes and sample material
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- recipe cards chosen to match rocker, fixin’ to dye!
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- wet reed thoroughly before adding dye
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- an assortment of procion dyes
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- add dye powder to 5 gallon bucket….use facemask to avoid breathing in fine particulates
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- add hot water to dye and stir
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- test color with white paper towel, add more color if needed
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- add more salt for darker colors, add water, stir, and add to dye bath
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- 50 lb. bags of salt and sodium carbonate are rather inexpensive
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- Mix sodium carbonate and water, stir, then add to dye bath.
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- Stir thoroughly, then stir again….then stir again.
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- wide buckets are necessary so the reed can uncoil and absorb color evenly
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- 5 different Procion dyes for brown ready for water
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- Carla’s recipe samples…she is more organized than she realizes!
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- 3 colors with reed submerged will soak overnight
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- ready to weave assortment of previously dyed reed
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- Carla’s color studies
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- Martha’s 100 year old child’s rocker
Coming soon: Part 2…Weaving Multiple Diamonds with Custom Dyed Reed
PS…Props to Colonel Bruce Hampton for providing the background music (Fixin’ to Dye) in my head whilst writing this article.
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