I am Maggi Blue and I have been creating with color for as long as I can remember. Although I am not formally trained, art has played a very important role in my life. It keeps me sane, makes me laugh and, all in all, makes me happy.

By trade, I am a freelance graphic and web designer (www.magpiecreative.com). I also work in marketing and community relations and try to stay as involved in the community as my life allows. I live in midcoast Maine with my husband and young son in an old farmhouse that is constantly in a state of renovation.

The dye lot collective is a place where I can share the items that I make with those who may be interested. I have tried to limit this site to three of my favorites - glass, yarn and fabric. I started out as a knitter 10 years ago, but when I couldn't find the color yarn I wanted, I decided to dye my own. This began my love affair with dying various fibers. It didn't take long for me to add handdyed fabric to my addiction. It seemed like a waste to throw out the leftover dye, so, I began dying my white muslin scraps. I was already a quilter and a fabric hoarder - this only intensified that passion.

The name "dye lot collective" came to me as a way to describe my work. A dye lot is a record taken during the dyeing of yarn to identify yarn that received its coloration in the same vat at the same time. Slight differences in temperature, dyeing time, and other factors can result in different shades of the same color between different dye lots. Why is this important? It signifies that each dye lot is different and therefore, unique. All of my pieces, whether yarn, fabric or glass - are one of a kind and essentially the only piece of work within their own "dye lot." This is my dye lot collective.

Time passed, a house was purchased and a child born...and then came glass. I had some experience with firing kilns and the effects of glazes on ceramics but had never really thought about making my own fused glass pieces. It wasn't until I stumbled into Etsy that I fully became aware of what glass fusing was all about.

I researched the process for a time and finally just jumped in. I purchased a kiln of my own and began fusing. I would like to also explore casting with glass, but until a new kiln is purchased, I will fuse.

I am very happy to do custom work for folks - please email me with your ideas and thoughts and I will be in touch.

Thanks again for stopping by, I hope you enjoy what you see.