My name is Candy Glendening, and I’m addicted to color. I’ve been dyeing fabrics to use in my art for 15 years now, my blog chronicles my work. I’ve begun developing online classes to help people learn how to dye using Procion MX fiber reactive dyes.
Each class is self-paced, with no end date on your access to the information. I use a combination of written worksheets, templates, step-by-step directions with lots of pictures, and videos of steps that could be tricky. I make a .PDF of each session that you can download for saving on your computer (and printing if you so desire).
These classes are packed with details! In Dyeing 101, there are 5 hours of video, 90 pages in the .PDF files plus 2 multi-page spreadsheets to use in calculating dye amounts and a worksheet for each session. Dyeing 102 has 10 hours of video, 120 pages of PDFs along with session worksheets and 2 spreadsheets!
Each session has a Question and Answer forum associated with it – I will respond to any question you have within 24 hours, and both these questions and answers will be available for other registered students to view. The beauty of an online course is that if several people are having the same difficulty with a particular step, I will just create additional content to add to the session to clarify any confusion.
Dyeing 101: Controlling Color
This self-paced online course is designed to teach you how to use Procion MX Fiber Reactive Dyes on cotton in a controlled manner. Whether you are a beginner, or someone who has dyed in this manner before, my intention is to help you gain confidence in color mixing on cloth and raise you from apprentice to “journey(wo)man” status. I will lead you through creating a series of color palettes and then teach you how to use those to reproducibly dye small or large amounts of particular hue.
Specifically, you will learn how to create the “Candiotic Table of Elemental Color” using just over 2 yards of fabric for the swatches and small amounts of 6 different primary hues of dye. After creating this awesome reference palette, you will learn how to use this 66-step gradation of color mixing to dye larger pieces of your favorite hues, create color wheels, then shades, tints, and tones of these hues.
When does it start?
This content for this class is complete, you can start at any time. It is self-paced, with no expiration date (because I know all about how life can take unexpected turns).
For more information, and to purchase enrollment in Dyeing 101: Controlling Color, click here.
Dyeing 102: Controlling Texture
In this self-paced online class, we will cover controlling visual texture on cotton fabric dyed with Procion MX fiber reactive dyes (although these techniques can easily be transferred to other fabric types and dyeing methods). From flat, solid, single hues to wild patterning, we will explore a myriad of ways (115 and counting!) to give our cloth the visual texture that we desire. My methods will mostly be LWI (low water immersion), as this is the method that I find to be most economical in terms of space needed to dye.
I’ll cover full-immersion methods as well, so that the entire gamut of texture is covered in one place. To expand upon the full immersion techniques we learn, I’ll also have a bonus sidetrack for you: indigo! I’ll include an introduction to the simplest type of indigo bath, one made with pre-reduced indigo crystals. If you’d like to explore this along with me, feel free!
When does it start?
This content for this class is complete, you can start at any time. It is self-paced, with no expiration date (because I know all about how life can take unexpected turns).
For more information, and to purchase enrollment in Dyeing 102: Controlling Texture, click here.
Why learn from me?
By day, I teach biology to students at the University of Redlands who are non-science majors. I am very comfortable engaging my students and putting complex ideas into terms they understand. I’ve spent 15 years learning how to dye fabric, and developed this way of dyeing to accommodate my busy schedule and not waste my limited resources. I have 9 “how to” articles published in various Interweave publications (see list here), I have been a guest on four episodes of Quilting Arts TV, and I created a workshop DVD for Quilting Arts last August. A video clip from that can be found here, and is a great introduction to my teaching style.
Dyeing 101 Student Comments:
I was so amazed with getting so many colors from 3 basic primaries. I feel like Candy has revealed the Secrets to Life, the Universe, and Everything to me! This class was so worth it! Thank you, Candy!
Seriously, this is the best online class I have taken. You are computer savvy and you know dyeing–a match made in heaven. 🙂 (P.S. I am a functional analyst and help non techies in the Justice department figure out what their program needs are, so I KNOW what good documentation should look like.)
Excellent presentation and format!
I have quite a bit of experience in shibori and printing with thickened dyes, but am tired of my sloppy outcomes in color. I like the tone of your presentations. Everything seems very achievable. I greatly appreciate your sense of order.
This is the most well thought out online class that I have taken!!!
I can immediately see you are a gifted teacher- your planning, background preparation are evident in well presented materials.
Future Classes:
Dyeing 103: Multi Color Cotton Fabric
Dyeing 104: Multi Color Silk Fabric