Funky Leaf, Funky Backgrounds

Funky Leaf, 8" x 10", wool on linen. Designed and hooked by Nancy Jewett, 2016.

I love both dyeing and color planning and feel they go hand in hand. My time in the dye pots gives me more control and freedom in the color planning process for myself and my students. I love rich vibrant colors, which I like to set off with dark backgrounds. A dark background creates more contrast, “popping” colors in a way medium-valued and light-valued backgrounds do not.

I’ve developed a method for these dark backgrounds that creates subtle textural interest with subtle color undertones. I’ve included three dye recipes with suggested alternatives to suit your preferences. 

Nancy D. Jewett is the owner/designer of Fluff & Peachy Bean Designs, which she started in 2003. Nancy is best known for her hand drawn whimsical designs and her hand dyed wool. She is a frequent contributor to RHM and lives in the quaint historic town of Brandon, Vermont.

This article is from the March/April/May 2017 issue. For more information on our issues, check out our issues page.