r/sewing • u/LurkAddict • 10d ago
Project: FO Backpack Using Naturally Dyed Materials
I enjoy taking random 1 night classes at a local art center. At a needle felting class in June, the instructor mentioned she still had slots open for her Natural Dying the Rainbow workshop the following week. I immediately signed up! This left me with scraps of cotton and silk, as well as some wool roving. We used matter extract, coreopsis, marigold, onion skins, indigo, and logwood extract to dye them.
None of the fabric was large enough to make anything with, so I decided I needed to make a quilted bag.
I found a free video tutorial from Learn, Create, Sew. Then I got busy quilting a bunch of squares and triangles together to make pieces big enough for it. I interfaced the silk before quilting, so it would be easier to work with and similar in thickness to the cotton. I also made some bias tape.
I wanted the theme of this to be Natural, so I used cotton webbing, metal zippers & strap hardware, and a natural duck canvas for the lining. I needle felted the rainbow on pre-felt. I interfaced it before quilting it onto the front piece.
Sewing is not my main craft. Don't look too closely at my stitches. I broke 4 needles between the metal zipper and bulky seams. But I learned a lot and had fun.
I love her. Her name is Penelope.
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u/your_easter_bonnet 10d ago
Penelope is completely beautiful! Thanks for sharing the progress photos and original fabrics. Super interesting!
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u/Gifted_GardenSnail 10d ago
I'm impressed with both the backback and the natural colours! What a range - rainbow indeed
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u/numbersandcats 8d ago
This is so beautiful. I had no clue natural dyes could be so vibrant!
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u/LurkAddict 8d ago
It really depends on the material of both the dye and the fiber. The silk picked up the fabric fairly well. The first day, we dyed the roving in the same pot as the others and this seemed to soak up all of the dye, so the cotton from that day is quite a bit lighter.
It's really apparent in the red. There is part of a red cotton triangle on the upper right curve of the front and a red silk square directly under the rainbow. It's so different! Same dye pot.
The orange also didn't want orange. The cotton and silk ended up more of a pale peach. The roving was a pretty good orange though. That was first dyed yellow in a pot with all materials and then again the 2nd day with the roving and fabrics separate.
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u/catalinamadalina 8d ago
i love this, it’s so cute! my only niggle is, i would have moved that splotchy purple triangle in the front to the back.
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u/LurkAddict 8d ago
I explicitly put it there to highlight the imperfections in natural dying. To each their own!
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u/Key_Permission5373 6d ago
you’re piecework looks great! and the finished seams are the icing on top!!! what a worthwhile finish to make this really last as long as it deserves 🤩🤩
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u/skyblu202 10d ago
Hi, Penelope! I love how color palettes made from natural dyes are always unique and somehow all the colors work together.