1. Cut a 24cm square of calico, place in the embroidery frame and
tighten the fabric till it is taut, being careful to keep the grain
straight, and tighten the screw. (It helps to bind the inner frame with
some bias tape.)
2. Mark the area to be dyed (15.5*11.5cm), with the water erasable pen
or a soft pencil.
Lightly mark the area of sky and grass as shown in diagram 1.
3. Put out a small amount of the three dyes on a saucer. On a second
saucer, mix
(a). A pale blue for the sky from the Gitane blue and a little of
the Iris. (Beware! the Gitane blue is very strong)
(b). A yellow green for the grassy area from mainly Primary yellow plus
a little Gitane blue
(c). A dark green for the darker grassy area from Gitane blue, and
primary yellow.
Test out these colours on a
piece of spare calico. Pick up and mix the dyes using the paintbrush,
dilute the dyes with water before use, then use them like paints.
4. Before painting the calico, lightly wet first, using the paintbrush.
Paint in the sky area with colour (a). using large brush strokes
and paint in the grassy area with colour (b).
The two areas should run into each other a little. Dry off the
whole area with a hairdryer, and then add the dark area of grass in the
foreground with colour (c). Keep all painted edges soft.
The painted piece of calico should look roughly like illustration A.
