Fabric Rescue

I had a box of hand dyed fabric from 2 guild workshops about 20+ years ago. Once or twice I snipped off some pieces for hand applique but most of the fabric was still intact.  I put it in a bag to throw away because when I put it in the sink and ran hot water on it the color continued to run the whole time the water was running. I thought it was gone but it was just hiding in the closet among some other items in bags. When I found it I looked at it again and I remembered that after the workshop I bought it home and washed it all together  in hot water and it all came out looking no different than before I washed it.  So I washed it again for good measure and decided to keep it. None of the colors were deposited on any of the other fabrics the mottled appearance was done purposely as we were experimenting.

 I did not put it back in a bag or a box. I cut it all into 2 inch strips and I am going to sew pairs together and see where it goes. There were 40 some pieces of fabric many half yards and some fat quarters and a few smaller pieces. I guess I must have used some of it at some time after all.

So here are all the strips arranged ( big surprise) kind of by color on 4 trays.




















I don't really have a plan and I do not expect to make a masterpiece or a "knock your socks off" quilt. I like most of the mottled colors and I like the way the fabric feels. It is soft and smooth and has a nice weight. I know I bought bleached white muslin at Joann's for the workshop and I believe the quality of the fabric is better than the muslin I see now in the store. I will probably have fun working with the colors combinations. Anyway, what have I got to lose? I thought I threw the bag of fabric away and if I don't like what is happening with it I can just put it in the "dog bed" bag. I am not afraid anymore that it will dye the dogs rainbow colors if it gets wet. I am not working on anything else right now so this will keep me occupied while some ideas I  have for another project are rolling around in my mind. I find that if I am working on something while I am thinking about a project or a problem I am more likely to come up with something I want to do. It will be a break from knitting dishcloths while I think.