Hand-dyed fabric - what qualities are you looking for?
Hello all,
What qualities are you looking for if you were to buy hand-dyed fabric for your quilting or textile projects? I am a dyer and am going to offer some dyed fabric for sale on my etsy shop. I am not trying to sell or advertise here; rather I just want to know what makes the best quality fabric for a quilter even though I know this may vary depending upon the project. Specifically:
a) I am starting with Kona cotton, but are there other fabric options that are desirable?
b) Should I treat the cloth with a professional (and no fragrance) fabric softener or would you prefer the cloth to be untreated beyond the dyeing and washing? I have not done this in the past and can simply use a vinegar rinse, but sometimes the dyeing and excessive washing stiffen the fabric
c) Are there patterns, colors, gradients or techniques that especially appeal to you? Shibori, hand-painting, wood block printing, highly textured cloth? I know this is highly subjective......
I would love to hear from you and am grateful for any feedback or just general chit chat.
Happy Quilting and warm regards,
Sonna