Susan’s So Thankful Give-Away #3: Dyeing to Stitch DVD

I met Candy Glendening of Candied Fabrics last summer when I was shooting my second DVD for Quilting Arts, and some episodes for Quilting Arts TV. This year, I was there to cheer her on while she shot her first DVD for Quilting Arts, “Dyeing to Stitch: A Comprehensive Guide to Creating Colorful Fabric Art.”

I just finished watching the DVD, and it is wonderful! I’ve done some dyeing before, and Candy does a great job of covering the basics in a very approachable way. If you’ve never dyed fabric before, you will know everything you need to know to get started after you finish watching.

Candy describes herself as “obsessed with color” and it certainly shows in this DVD, where she talks passionately about her love of chartreuse, and her obsession with capturing the exact color of a moss she discovered while camping. Her excitement about low-water immersion dyeing with fiber-reactive dyes comes through loud and clear, and you’ll find yourself getting excited, too.

Candy presents the material in an organized, straight-forward fashion that will make it very easy for beginner fabric dyers to select the tools, dyes, chemicals and fabrics they need to get started. She is, after all, a teacher and research scientist by profession, and she clearly explains and demonstrates each concept in detail.

Check out her “Candiotic Table of Elemental Color” below!

The DVD includes recipes for six jewel-tone hues (gold, red, plum, peacock, navy and chartreuse), and Candy explains how to dye a very specific color, and consistently match that color each time you dye. I was particularly interested in the section of the DVD where Candy demonstrated different ways of scrunching and pleating the fabric to get different effects.

Lots of people are afraid to cut into their beautiful hand-dyed fabrics. This DVD will entice them to dive in. After all the dyeing information, Candy shows how she uses her hand-dyed fabrics like the one above to make beautiful stitched items, and demonstrates free-motion machine stitching techniques.

Don’t forget: Today’s give-away is part of a blog tour! If you really, really, really must have this DVD, check in on these blogs on the dates below for more chances to win:

Friday, 11/11 – Victoria Gertenbach of The Silly BooDilly
Monday, 11/14 – Susan Brubaker Knapp of Blue Moon River
Wednesday, 11/16 – Kathy Mack of Pink Chalk Studio
Friday, 11/18 – Melody Johnson of Fibermania
Monday, 11/21 – Amy Ellis of Amy’s Creative Side
Wednesday, 11/23 – Diane Doran of Ooh! Pretty Colors
Friday, 11/25 – Vicki Welsh of Field Trips in Fiber
Monday, 11/28/11 – Brenda Gael Smith of Serendipity and the Art of the Quilt
Wednesday, 11/30 – Amy Webb of Amy Lou Who Sews
Friday, 12/2 – Robin Ferrier of Simply Robin
Tuesday, 12/6 – Natalia Bonner of Piece N Quilt
Thursday, 12/8 – Beth and the gang from Sew Mama Sew

Here’s your chance to win. First, take a look at Candy’s blog here: http://www.candiedfabrics.com/journal/  Which of Candy's products do you like best? Her little houses? Messenger bags? iPad covers? Scarves? I’ll pull one name at random at 9 p.m. on Monday Nov. 21, and send you Candy’s DVD. WE HAVE A WINNER: Jodi has won this DVD.