SWN2910 Transcript
Wendy Richardson:

One of my favorite fabrics to work with when landscape quilting is hand-dyed fabrics and Wendy Richardson, my guest, is a master at dyeing fabrics. And, Wendy, people ask me if I dye my own fabrics and I say no, I leave it to the pros and I think what our viewers would like to know is some of the processes that you work with. 

Well, I use Procion dyes. That's one product that a lot of dyers use and I pick out certain fabrics. A lot of times it's fabrics that are already printed. 

So this was overdyed? 

Right. That's overdyed. So, there's already either color or a design on the fabric as opposed to a solid like muslin fabric. So, and the thing that's... I think is fun is I can use different colors on the same print, or multi-colors on a solid or a print. So, that's kind of also technically an overdye even though it's a solid it's got more than one color. 

So, you dye it once and then dye it a second-- 

Well, in the same process, you can, so... 

You do this in your laundry room? 

I do it in my laundry room. It's a tiny little room, but I have a system worked out. And lot of buckets and containers. 

So, you put the fabric in the buckets? 

In a soda ash solution and then wring it out and then I mix up the colors. Which is all pretty much how I feel that day. It's just kind of-- or what the fabric says. The prints kind of dictate colors more than a solid. So, and then, yeah. 

And then you dip? 

I mix all the colors up and pour them on and then they have to sit for a couple hours. And then they get washed a lot and processed and so at night it's like Christmas. 

It's a surprise! 

Well, not-- it's just fun. You know? Hopefully, it's not too much of a surprise. So, it's like, "It's what I wanted." 

Sure. But, what I find fascinating is that you overdye. 

We dye vintage linens and crochets and little fun things to work with. 
You're not having to make a quilt.You can just embellish with these and work it small. 

And use them in your home or workin' on a quilt. A crazy quilts. 

Now here are some interesting new processes, at least to me. 

I've been playing with shibori which is really fun. 

Shibori? 

Shibori: so it's a pleated... pleated-- just use my hands and pleat it all up and put it in a tray, so... and then pour the colors on. This is more of a surprise than the others. 

Well, it really is a striking piece of fabric. 

I have enjoyed doing those a lot, so. 

I'm going to reach behind me and pull out a vintage tablecloth. Now if you have some tablecloths at home that are stained, this is now a transformed tablecloth. 

Transformed, yep, so you don't have to worry about all the stains. 

This is spectacular. 

Thank you.
Now, our viewers might know that I enjoy landscape quilting and I have purchased many of Wendy's backgrounds... 

Fabrics. 

...for landscapes. Your new dyeing technique you almost create a scene in those in those fabrics. 

Right. 

So, you have almost like the foreground, the mid-section and the sky. 

The landscape and the sky and the flowers or grasses and things. 

When you're looking at these pieces, you can almost envision a scene instantaneously. It's wonderful. 

Well, I want people to see that so it helps them take the next step and be creative on their own. So, I like that part of it. 

Well, you have done amazing work. 

Thank you. 

Refined dyeing of fabric. Made it just-- I call this eye candy. So, Wendy, thank you for what you do for the sewing and quilting world. And thank you for being our guest. 

Thanks for having me. 

Lola Jenkins:
I've often said that I have the best job in the world because I get to interview and learn from leaders and innovators in the sewing and quilting world and I'd like you to meet Lola Jenkins, a real innovator in quilting.

Thank you. 

Welcome to our interview and to Sewing with Nancy, Lola, and you haven't been quilting or sewing all that long. 

No, I haven't. I started in 2004. And I made a few pieces between 2004 and 2007. But in 2007, I got serious. And I decided I was going to make me a trunk show and go on the road. 

And your first example that we're going to share with you is called "Back In The Day". 

Yes, it is. "Back in the Day" was inspired thinking about my grandmother and how she used to walk to market so that's how I came up with it and I didn't have very much money and I was using a lot of scraps so it was a scrappy quilt. 

It's vibrant and you can just see a market flurry going on in that quilt. 

Yes, you can. 

It's spectacular, and to think that you used it from scraps. I'm totally impressed. 

Well, thank you. 

The next quilt we're going to look at is called "Many Faces." And this is a self-portrait of sorts. 

Well, kind of. I was thinking-- I had went to a funeral and I was listening to the different people talk about a certain person who had expired and I was thinking how people know people in a different way. And so I said, "Many Faces" and how we put on different faces for different people. 

We sure do, all of us do the same. We let them see different parts of our personality. And, I love your use of color. 

Well, thank you. 

That you have the chocolate color represents your? 

It represents my background. And so that's what I was thinking about. And then explain the color green. The color green is about money. And, it's not about making money, but it's about making money to receive in order to be able to give. So, you have to be a giver in order for money to come your way. 

And then, you're also featured in blue. 

Yes, I am featured in blue and the blue is about just thinking about looking at the sky and different things. Trying to get some tranquility. 

Tranquility in your life and you have purple. 

I do have purple. And purple is the color in order for-- to show a crown or to show royalty. And so, that's what that was there for. We all have those in our lives. 

And we have a little hot pink too. 

Yeah, we do have some hot pink. 
[both laughing] 
The quilts that-- the quilt that we're holding, I'm sure almost everyone will be able to identify and this is a study in value. 

Well, thank you. 

I am totally impressed with the color purple. 

Yes. This is a Miss Celie from The Color Purple movie and I just thought I would do a play on words and since it's The Color Purple movie, I figured I would do it in purple. 

But still, you were able to capture with light, mediums, and darks and all the tones in-between that it reads like an Andy Warhol picture with the different colorations. Phenomenal. 

Well, thank you very much. 

And the background with your landscape effect, with this imposed upon it. It's very smart. 

Well, thank you very much. 

The last quilt we're gonna share with our viewers is another inspirational quilt and not only is the coloration, but the stippling. Your execution... [laughs] is great. 

Well, thank you. 

Malcolm X? 

This is Malcolm X, and I wanted to-- He was a very complicated guy. A lot misunderstood. So, I wanted to do him in a multitude of colors because he showed a multitude of personality over the years. 

In the quilting of... the stippling of circles, and feathers and paisley. It does make him look complicated. 

He was. 

And so, you've expressed that through your stitching and use of fabrics. 

Well, thank you. That's exactly what I was trying to do. 

Well, Lola, you are an impressive quilter. A great person to know. And I know our viewers will enjoy this technique and learning from you in the future. Thanks for being my guest. 

Thank you. 

You're welcome.