Learn the art of quilting, indigo dyes and more.
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Mabel Hagan Is an accomplished quilter. She is pictured with a “Save All” quilt. The rop was made by her grandmother and was given to her as a wedding present. Five or six years later, she and her...
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Native of Donalds, SC (Abbeville County), Mr. Hagan made split-oak baskets, axe handles, and turkey calls while Mrs. Hagan is an accomplished quilter. Mr. Hagan learned to make split-oak baskets as a...
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Maree Dowdey featured on an episode of Making It Grow! with host Rowland Alston. Courtesy of SC Educational Television.
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Native Americans called it "tree hair." French colonists changed it to "Barbe espagnole," or "Spanish Beard," to ridicule the Spanish conquest of the Americas. Spanish moss survives as its common name...
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Arianne uses the batik process of fabric design, a traditional art she mastered while living with the Yoruba culture of Nigeria. Batik uses wax and layers of color to create vibrant images on textiles...
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Arianne grew up in a landscape of gardens, farms and the sea near Virginia Beach, Virginia. As a "child of nature," Arianne found an artistic release through dance and drawing. Arianne later studied...
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Indigo was grown extensively on the Sea Islands from the middle 1600s - late 1700s. Blue stained hands were a mark of slaves in the dye making and application trade. Though synthetic dyes are now used...
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In this step, Arianne applies a light wash of turquoise to represent the sea and sky. Wax outline on the cloth prevents the wash from entering areas of the fabric where it is not desired. After...
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When Arianne is satisfied with a layer of color, she "blocks" the layer with a coat of melted wax. The dried wax prevents new layers of color from entering areas that are complete.
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Arianne finishes her piece with her "signature," an application of indigo dye that creates the blacks and deep blues of her work. A finished batik is rich with patterns, dark and light colors, and...