About Fabrics To Dye For

Fabrics To Dye For was founded by Jennifer Priestley in 1994. 

While raising three young children, Jennifer began quiltmaking and soon started painting and dyeing fabric at home.  Fabric painting took over the Priestley's house.  The kitchen table was replaced by an 8' x 4' open painting frame.  The kitchen overlooked the Atlantic ocean and was an ideal place to paint.  (Above picture - Jane and Jennifer teaching Fabric Painting at The National Quilt Championships show - Ascot, Berkshire, England)

Jennifer's mother, Jane was recruited to paint and a second studio was built at Jane's house on Belgrade Lakes in Maine. 

Jennifer insisted on working out of her house while the children were young.  This led to a move five houses down the street where Jennifer had her own floor for painting.  This, Jennifer thought, would be all the space she would need.  Within one year, Jennifer outgrew her home studio and found space in the old American Thread Factory overlooking the river in Pawcatuck, Connecticut.  Initially, the studio was slightly over 2000 square feet.  It soon grew to 10,000 square feet of space.  Jennifer paints on 16 foot x 4 foot solid surface tables and open frames at her home.

The hand painted fabric business grew rapidly and has taken Jennifer and Jane around the United States and to Europe for demonstrating, teaching and vending at various quilting, sewing and interior decorating shows.  Their fabrics have been made into quilts, wearable art, costumes, interior decorating projects (upholstery, drapery, pillows, woven rugs), have walked many fashion runways and are used by the traditional quiltmaker to designers in the fashion houses.  Fabrics To Dye For has been featured in many magazines including Threads, Quilter's Newsletter, Sew News, Patchwork and Quilting, several books, newspapers and other publications. Jennifer has appeared on episodes of Quilt Central TV. Custom fabrics have been created for Martha Stewart Omnimedia, Elton John's clothing designer and other designers in the United States and Europe.

Jennifer co-authored the Basic Guide to Dyeing & Painting Fabrics with Cindy Walter (creator of Snippet Sensations and author of several books).  Krause Publications, March 2002.

Jennifer and Jane are designers of a commercial line of batik fabrics for Concord House Fabrics.  The initial collection has over 80 pieces with new designs coming out regularly.

In addition to the hand painted fabrics, Fabrics To Dye For offers fabric paints, dyes, PFD fabrics, sewing and quilting notions, hand painted and dyed yarns for knitting, weaving and embellishment, patterns.