I’ve been dyeing yarn and fabric for more than 20 years and using Interweave Press books to guide me. I’m not saying that I knew it all but I felt fairly confident that I had tried it all! Not so! This book has opened up doors for experimentation that I never dreamed existed.

This book is for the serious surface designer and textile artist. The professional colorist and designer is represented in this book and some of their secrets are revealed to you. The color photos are extraordinary and the text is typical of Interweave, clear and concise. It begins with an interesting chapter on the patterning of fabrics through the ages and ends with setting up a workspace for yourself. But believe me the middle is the fun!

The dye portion of the book covers the base colors of the fabric using resists and paste in ways that were new to me, then on to the printing. Kate takes you beyond the rubber stamp and simple silk screen to transfer printing, positive and negative techniques and even further. She closes the technique portions of the book with surface textures and their uses.

Every chapter shows an accomplished artist at work in their studio. This gives you a feeling of taking a stroll through a series of galleries. Lots of eye candy and an overload of inspiration makes this book a necessity for anyone interested in surface design.