Dyeing to Stitch: Blog Tour and GIVEAWAY!

It is with great pleasure that today I get the honor of kicking off Candy Glendening's Dyeing to Stitch DVD blog tour!

I first met Candy last year when we were both in Ohio filming segments for Quilting Arts TV. Having Candy there as part of the experience was like having the sun, (with a spectacular rainbow above) right there with you; as she was that warm, that friendly, that full of energy, and that spectacularly colorful!


It was the first time for both of us, but watching Candy in front of the camera... well, you would never have known that she was a TV virgin, as she took to it like a duck to water. When her taping was over, everyone of us watching from the green room burst into applause, as we were so impressed! No wonder then that Candy was invited to come back and film her very own DVD for the Quilting Arts Workshop series.


Last week I got a chance to preview Candy's new DVD, and it was like watching an old friend... partially because it was so nice to see her in action again, but also because that is simply how Candy makes you feel... like she is an old friend... and a fun and talented one, too!


In her Dyeing to Stitch DVD, Candy walks us through the steps of her dyeing techniques. Breaking down the steps in a very user friendly way, she shows us exactly how to measure, mix and dye fabrics using the same low water immersion method that she uses to dye all of her fabrics, and provides 6 recipes to create her jewel toned color pallet.


Now, you should note that along with being a textile artist, Candy is also a scientist. Really. She teaches biology at the University of Redlands... how cool is that?! This might explain why her DVD is so absorbable. Candy knows how to present information, how to make it interesting and informative.


Watching Candy talk about color theory was great!


I was fully engaged and totally enthralled as she showed her amazing hand-dyed “Candiotic Table of Elemental Color”, pictured above. Is that not AMAZING!?!


And along with all of that great info, Candy also demonstrates, (in a very delightful way) how to combine various colors onto one cloth to achieve really cool effects. She swoops and scrunches wet cloth in almost a magical way, dribbles and pours her dyes here and there, and voilà! pulls a dyed rabbit out of her hat! (No, not really a rabbit! A super-duper piece of dyed fabric... that combines the thrill of random surprise elements with the comforting knowledge of knowing where you are going.)


And last but not least, Candy demonstrates her wonderful “free motion machine sketching” and the fun ways she uses her fabric!


Okay, and here is the best yet... Candy is offering one of my lucky blog readers a chance to win their own copy of Candy's Dyeing to Stitch DVD! Just leave a comment, and make sure I have a way to contact you should you win. I will keep the contest open for one week, and announce the winner in my next post thereafter.

Update: 11/18/11 - Giveaway is now closed. Thanks to everyone who entered! I will be announcing a winner later this week. For more chances to win a copy of Candy's DVD, follow the tour and visit the other blogs listed below!

- Friday, 11/11 – Victoria Gertenbach of The Silly BooDilly (that's me!)
- 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