Before marbling begins a number of steps are necessary first. I use a blender to mix the carrageenan a day ahead and let it set up overnight in a tray. Carrageenan is a sea moss used for centuries for marbling paper and fabric.

The fabric is soaked in alum, air dried, and ironed. A number of Combs are made to fit inside the tray that have different frequencies and diameter of teeth. Whisks of straw are made to distribute the paint around the tray in random patterns and newspaper is cut into strips to skim the surface of the carrageenan clean. I decide on what colors to use, what marbling patterns to explore, then non-toxic paints are put into wide-mouth-jars, to dip the whisk into.

The marbling steps present an understanding of how to create a contact print on cotton fabric.This example shows a large tray for a one-yard piece. When using smaller trays, I comb more intricate designs. Quilts require all different size patterns and colors. I no longer marble large one-yard pieces.

Marbling on solid color cottons ranging in color from white to dark blues, reds, and greens allows me to create light, medium and dark fabrics. The dark marbled cottons have subtle patterns while white cotton offers bright, clear colors and crisp designs.