Some More Experiments on the Mandalas!

Whew, wanted to try again a color combination I have tried in the past but not as successfully as I would have liked!  I finally think I got it in  a couple of the pieces I did yesterday.  I should add that all the fabrics that I have been using were fabrics that were just laying about, obviously cut up for some reason but repurposed to do these mandalas.  I wasn't even sure if they were pfd or not!  The color palette that I have been trying to get in the mandalas is the orange/green/purple trio that I am most fond of and thought would lend itself well to mandalas.  I tried something a little different this time -- I sprinkled on the strong orange but sprinkled a lot of sun yellow on top of it.  I am super pleased with how this turned out and may try some other variations.  I just ordered 12 plastic shakers from Amazon as I like using these to sprinkle the dye -- seems to be more efficient and I don't use quite as much dye.  

I am still stacking them two deep and have been smushing them  bit now as well.  I also have been putting a large piece of smushed fabric underneath to catch even more dye.  the last couple of days I have been using some 60 in wide cotton single knit I got from Dharma years ago.

This is a piece of the knit which was underneath one of the sets of pieces.  the color is really bright and amazingly, the dye has already passed through 8 layers of Kona cotton which is a pretty heavy weight cotton!  I originally started dyeing these one yard lengths to make some nightgowns but am thinking I might do t-shirts instead or some other type of top to be determined.  

This is probably my favorite for the day.  It really looks like it was planned!  This was the underneath piece and the one below was the one on top.  I am beginning to think I should put a smushed fabric on top and see what happens.

These following pieces were mostly blue and purple but instead of putting them one on top of another with the center facing in the same direction, I decided to reverse one of the pieces and of course you get two pieces that only share the color palette but not the pattern even though one is on top of the other!

I know this one was on top by the patterning.

This was another one on top.

I think this drop cloth was under the first two fabrics and the one above was under the blue purple ones.

I did one of the larger t-shirts using the alternate patterning (and am wearing it right now!).  I kind of like the symmetrical patterning on one side (including the sleeve) and the random coloring on the other shoulder -- almost like two different fabrics.  I also did another t-shirt and a tank top for my younger daughter in this batch.  

The above are collages showing the differences between on top and on bottom fabrics.  

I also finished two more purses.  Because the faux suede is shiny, it doesn't photograph true to color.  It is a lot more subtle in person as there is quite a bit of taupe in the batik.  I have finished quite an assortment of bags and am working on the last of the bunch right now.  Haven't found any great short cuts though!