And I am next after you! :shock: Does that mean I will be expecting a little bundle in 100 days or so?

So the CW quilt is on it's way to Lois Oh lummox that means in about 50ish days it will be my turn (knees wobbling & stomach turning somersaults already :shock: )

Just did some sums and if Lois does get her quilt to me before the end of August, it would be great because if I need to go shopping I could do it at the GNQS (once I had lost Wendy )

scottishquilter wrote: I was kidding - but sometimes good ideas come that way , if you want to give it a try. You know, like the drop cloth you put down to absorb spare dye & drips can sometimes end up your favourite piece....

I'm not sorry Norma asked either I found it fascinating Maureen. I have one further question: does the indigo smell? I was re-watching the show with Susan Cleveland and she talked about how she couldn't get the smell out of her indigo quilt. Just curious.
crocus999 wrote: Two deliveries in the same day.

Maureen, I'm sot sorry I asked. I had a feeling that the indigo process could be a bit like the old days, when I dyed fabric with batik dyes. There the caustic soda and other chemicals were needed also. And why did I think this? Because you have the fabulous experience of not knowing what color comes out of the dye bath, because it changes to something else in it.I still remember the excitement when oxygen went into the fabric again and the true color revealed itself.
But I'm a bit surprised, that you van have the VAT for a long time. Very interesting. Thanks for your explanation.

crocus999 wrote:

Chinese whispers quilt delivered same time as Lorchen's baby! Does that mean something.

Lois - all the best, you must be excited (hope you can sleep!)

Anne, I remember my mother getting those every now and then. I can only remember her with white hair; it runs in the female line. I started going grey when I was 19, dyed it for years but gave up many, many years ago.

We were all going to get Indigo streaks for the exhibition but most of us chickened out. Alice and Susan did, Gina put Turquoise streaks in, Ruth and Carolyn were going away on holiday afterwards and I asked my hairdresser but she wouldn't recommend it as my hair is very soft and she said it would absorb it too much and take ages to come out even if it was semi permanent. I didn't want to have blue hair for a while; mind you I really fancy pink streaks

Maureen, your blue hands remind me of when I was a hairdresser and used blue rinses on clients hair I always had blue hands, "I never wore rubber gloves" of course this was 50 years ago I don't suppose they use such stuff now.
Anne

idaho wrote:
Your name is not Wendy is it?

Hooray for you !! We are one step closer to Scotland ! I really am so excited to see
how these quilts have translated by then !! Lois... it really is a fun and rewarding challenge !!
If you send a pic..I could give you some ideas

My Chinese Whispers quilt is in the mail to Lois--expected delivery date Monday, 24 June. So, I'm officially passing the con over to Lois and I am "ready to be relieved." As soon as you get the quilt, Lois, I will "stand relieved!"

This has been a lot of fun with a few moments of panic here and there and lots of practice squares in between but I learned an enormous amount from the experience and I even know how to make a proper sleeve now! When I first joined up for this challenge, I subsequently asked myself what I had gotten myself into, but now at the end, I am so happy I did and now I know I can actually quilt a quilt-top without fear.

Lois, time will go by so quickly but I hope you totally enjoy your turn because once it's done, you will be very happy you played too!

Just need to pick up a bottle of the blue nail polish that seems very popular right now, and you'd thoroughly disguise any indigo left on your fingers tips and you'd be right in style.

Zarah wrote:
I am glad that and everyone else liked the photos Norma. No, we don't use Procion dyes for the indigo, we use actual Indigo dyes. At the beginning we sourced natural Indigo as it is a plant (something similar to Wode) but it was hard to get and very expensive. We settled for chemical Indigo which we were told is not as bad for the environment as the natural dye : : : You put salt in some warm water to dissolve it, put it in the vat and top up to certain amount with water (depending on what size of vat you want) add either dissolved washing soda or caustic soda (you use washing soda for silk) next sprinkle Hydros and very slowly stir. Next add the Indigo powder very carefully a little at a time, stir very slowly. Put the lid on the vat and leave as long as you can, at least an hour but preferably overnight. When using the Hydros and the Indigo power you need to wear heavy rubber gloves and a mask so you don't inhale any of it. Good health & safety is a must with any dyes.

The vat will last a while, could be weeks, but depends on how much fabric you keep dipping in and you have to be extremely careful you don’t get any air bubbles in it as this can kill the vat after a while.

I am sure you are sorry you asked