Paper Dyeing - an Explosion of Color

I'm in another one of those stages right now where I can't yet share any of current bead work, so I thought I'd share a little side project - dyeing paper.

Why dye paper?  Well, originally I used it in my design work.  Now, I mostly use it to wrap my Etsy packages.  But more than that, I dye paper because I love the chance to play with color in such a direct fashion.  Using the resulting papers for wrapping is a lovely way to use the papers so that I can dye more down the road without burrying my studio in the stuff.  :)

So, here we go:

I fold a dozen or so papers a day until my tray is full

My dye workspace mid process - even the cleanup paper towels end up pretty

I dye the folded papers one at a time and place them on my cafeteria tray

Then move them to plastic and open them up a little to dry - my studio is awash in plastic!

turns out there was a leak in one of my gloves. 

After scrubbing.  The dye really shows up the damage from my beading needle

Time to unfold the dried papers - I gather them in bundles first like streamers of color

I stack the unfolded papers to await ironing

Then it's time to iron each sheet of paper - one by one

the ironing makes the designs more visible

Stacking the dyed papers on my main work table

I had to roll one of the stacks because I love this cross section shot

some of the papers fanned out on my work table.  I dyed 102 sheet in total

My first Etsy package wrapped using my newly dyed papers -with one of my little cards

So there it is!  Several days and weeks worth of intermittent work in a series of fifteen photos.

Right now I wrap all of the items from each Etsy purchase up together as they fit better that way in the packing envelope.  But going into the holiday season, I will offer to wrap them individually, and include blank versions of my little gift cards (right now the cards are little thank you notes from me).