Fabric Dying FAQ
This is a FAQ on Hand Dying fabric. In most cases the fabric is 100%
cotton bleached or unbleached muslin. The information is in no particular
order. Intermixed with individual recipies for using dyes are comments,
special techniques, types of dyes used, and where to buy the dyes. There
is also some info on stamping fabric, marbling, and tie dying. I have no
profitable connection to any companies or individuals mentioned. I hope
the information is found to be both informative and enlightening. It was
to me.
-Colleen
*************************************************************************
In regrads to Judy Donovans insturctions for the twelve and eighteen
step triangle. The fabrics were all very subdued incolor, and not as
primary as expected. I am still pleased with the colors (earthy tones) as
I do not have them in my stash.
*************************************************************************
Dyeing fabric can be as simple or as difficult as you make it.
I got started after taking a class with Carol Esch, owner of the True
Colors dyed fabric business where she taught us to dye quarter and eighth
yards in plastic drinking cups. You can do a whole color wheel in about
16 cups on your kitchen table. Rinsing out of the dyes can be done in
your sink, with a final synthropol rinse in the washing machine.
After learning to dye on a small scale, I branched out into doing larger
pieces in buckets (those 5-gallon buckets that you can get for free
from your supermarket bakery dept--they get icing and donut fillings
in this quantity).
An excellent book for learning to dye is Judy Anne Walters' CREATING
COLOR. Judy is also a wonderful teacher--her dyeing class will give
you tremendous insight into color theory. The book is available through
the Unicorn Books place in California (address was posted earlier
this week) or through the American Quilter's Society, not to mention
many bookstores. It's a self-published book by her own company Cooler
by the Lake Press.
DYE PAINTING by Ann Johnston is another wonderful source that teaches
you how to use the same dyes as paint on all kinds of cloth (thus
eliminating the bucket mess). If you think you'd prefer making unusual
non-solid cloth, this is a good aproach.
I find dyeing to be as seductive as quilting...so watch out! One good
side-effect of learning to dye is that you can create the beautiful
fabrics for much less than the merchants sell it, PLUS knowing how gives
you more willpower over buying commercial hand-dyes because you know
you can do it yourself.
Judy
*********************************************************************
By popular demand, here are the instructions on dyeing either a color
wheel or gradations of one color on your kitchen table using large plastic
beverage cups as "vats":
For a twelve-step color wheel you will need
17 plastic drinking cups, approx 16 oz capacity
12 1/8 yard pieces of PREWASHED white cotton, silk or rayon
OR muslin, unbleached or bleached. NO SYNTHETICS or BLENDS!
Package of NON-iodized table salt (kosher salt is OK too)
Soda Ash (you can get it from swimming pool places, dye companies or
in a pinch, use WASHING SODA from the supermarket)
3 jars of PROCION or other fiber reactive dye in PRIMARY COLORS
By this I mean you can choose a red, a yellow, and a blue of equal
intensity or a magenta, turquoise and saffron yellow...any three
variants of red/yellow/blue.
I use Procion RED 310, Yellow 108 and Blue 404
I have also enjoyed using Procion Turquoise, Magenta and Golden yellow
(sorry, haven't committed the numbers to memory...but you can describe
these colors to the person at the dye store and they'll get the idea.
2 ounces of each dye should do it, especially if you're tentative about
whether you'll like the process.
Other materials: Synthropol (for washing out your dyes so they don't bleed
into your quilts)
First:
take 3 cups, put 2 teaspoons of dye in each (so you'llhave a cup of yellow,
one of blue and one of red). Add one TABLESPOON of salt to each cup and
a CUP of warm tap water (about the temp you would use to wash dishes in...)
Stir the dyes and salt to dissolve completely. These 3 cups will be your
base colors.
NOW
Take 12 cups and arrange them on the table in a triangle shape, with yellow
at the peak of the triangle and the blue and red at opposite corners.
Fill each cup with 1 CUP of warm tap water.
Take the cup of YELLOW dye mixture. To the cup at the top of the triangle
add 4 TEASPOONS of the yellow dye mixture. Then
- to the next cup in line add 3 TEASPOONS yellow and 1 TEASPOON red
- " " " " " " " " " " " " " " 2 TEASPOONS yellow and 2 TEASPOONS red
- " " " " " " " " " " " " " " 1 TEASPOON yellow and 3 TEASPOONS red
- " " " " " " " " " " " """ "4 TEASPOONS red
- " " " " " " " " " " " " " " 3 TEASPOONS red &1 TEASPOON blue
- " " " " " " " " " " " " " " 2 TEASPOONS red &2 TEASPOONS BLUE
- " " " " " " " " " " " " " " 1 TEASPOON RED &3 TEASPOONS BLUE
- " " """ " " " " " " " "" " 4 TEASPOONS BLUE
- " " " " " " " " " " " """ 3 TEASPOONS blue &1 TEASPOON yellow
- " " " " " " " " " " " " " " 2 TEASPOONS blue &2 TEASPOONS yellow
- " " " " " " " " " " " " " "1 TEASPOON blue &3 TEASPOONS yellow
Stir each cup and put an eighth yard of fabric in each, pushing the
fabric down to submerge it. STIR the fabric about 2 times in the
next half hour unless you like an uneven coloration.
After about a half hour mix up about a quart of warm water and add
1 TABLESPOON of soda ash to it. Stir to dissolve.
Going around the "triangle", lift the piece of fabric out of the cup,
add about a half cup of soda ash, stir and replace the fabric to the
cup. Stir the fabric about twice per half hour.
After the half hour is done, you can leave the fabric in the dyecups
as long as you like (even several days if you're busy) OR rinse out
each piece with HOT water in the sink to remove most of the excess,
then throw all the pieces into either the washer or the sink with
synthropol and do the final wash. Fabrics should rinse clear!
Dry in dryer on on the line.
BONUS: Don't throw away the excess dye, if you plan to rinse immediately.
Instead, put some dry white cotton fabric (1-2 yards or so) into a large
bucket. POUR THE EXCESS DYE into this bucket and let the fabric sit
for several hours, then wash out. You'll get really interesting
multi-colored
fabric that's wonderful for piecing and coordinates with the 1/8yard
pieces you just made.
Pour the used dye down the drain--it is safe to do this according to the
dye companies.
TO DO A GRADATION OF ONE COLOR.
Decide how many shades you want. Cut same # of fabric pieces.
Do the same procedure as the above, but in the first cup, put
1 tsp. of the dye stock, put 2 tsp in the second, 3 tsp in the
third, etc. For a more subtle variation, increase the dye quantities
by 1/2 teaspoon at a time.
VARIATION:
You can do quarter yards or half yards at a time, but you must have
cups or vessels to allow for the fabric plus have it covered in dye
bath.
CHEMISTRY?
increasing the amount of dye and salt will increase the intensity.
Soda ash "fixes" the color so it doesn't wash out.
Safety precautions:
Buy a paper mask (under a buck!) when you order your dye; wear it
while MEASURING dye. After the dye is wet it is no longer a
respiratory hazard.
Use gloves unless you like multicolored hands; you can purchase
special hand cleaner for dyes or rub your hands with chlorine
bleach, massage it in and rinse. Voila! normal colored hands!
NEVER use spoons or cups that you've dyed with for eating.
I mark my dye cups and vessels with DYE ONLY in magic marker
so that my kids won't find them and use them for drink.
Judy
********************************************************************
Synthropol and dye supplies are available from (among many places)
the Pro Dye and Chemical Company (1-800-2buy-dye). They send you great
instructional catalogs along with whatever you order and their prices are
good. Dharma Trading Co. and Cerulean Blue also carry procion dyes but I
don't have their numbers committed to memory.
You need about a Tablespoon of synthropol to 3 gallons of water. This
is approximate...dyeing and cooking have alot in common!
A pint of synthropol will do you fine for dyeing, prewashing quilt
fabrics and removing bleeding dyes.
ADDITIONAL INFO I FORGOT TO ADD IN THE FIRST NOTE:
you can do an 18 color triangle too. START WITH 6 TEASPOONS of dye in
the first cup, follow the procedure given (add 1 tsp of second color,
remove a teaspoon of the first with each step.)
The mathematics of the color wheel are (# of steps on the color wheel)
divided by 3 (your primaries) equals the number of teaspoons of dye stock
you need to start with and end with for each primaries...so for an
18 step wheel, start with 6 teaspoons yellow, progress to 6 teaspoons or
of red, progress to 6 teaspoons of blue.
How's that for using math in a relevant way?
TROUBLESHOOTING: If your fabric has funny spots on it, you may need
to add water softener to your water. Hard water makes dye concentrate
in funny specks on the fabric.
If your fabric has kind of a tie-dyed look that you don't like, consider
using larger cups and STIR MORE during both the salt/dye soak and the
final soda ash soak.
OTHER STUFF:
Dyeing need not be rocket science! Experiment and enjoy the results.
I highly recommend the "dump bucket" for using the dye you pour out
of each cup.
You can also play by dipping a fabric in one color, then lettingit
soak in another. You can bind the fabric a la tie dye and dye it
one shade, then re-tie and dye another shade.
It's highly seductive!
Judy
*********************************************************************
Thanks Judy for the instructions for percentage dyeing of fabric.
Here are some extra suggestions for those of us who find it difficult to
get some chemicals.
**If you can't get Soda Ash use washing soda BUT you need to double the
amount as it isn't as strong.
**If you can't get synthrapol (no-one has heard of it here) use a bit of
vinegar in the rinse water and then wash fabric in warm soapy water.
**I use plastic milk jugs, gallon size. I cut the top off so that there is
a wide enough opening, but I leave the handle intact.
**Is there a bakery near, school near. They sometimes have food stuffs
arrive in plastic 5 gallon buckets. They may be willing to give to you.
**Or maybe a feed store. Some of the stuff we get for the sheep are in 5
gallon buckets.
**Any kind of container--glass, plastic or metal would do--as long as it
doesn't leak. If you use metal, make sure it's something like stainless
steel or enameled metal. Iron or aluminum containers *could influence
the colors somewhat. This is especially true when you dye yarn with
natural dyes--metals like iron and aluminum are the mordants and can
change the colors considerably.
**I get those great indestructable 5 gallon plastic buckets from the
bakery department at my supermarket. They're free--they usually throw
them away after they use up the icing or donut filler that is in them.
**Plastic cat food containers (like those from "deli cat" are good for
dyeing. Better than throwing them away. I bought a set of 20 ounce
tumblers (plastic) cheap from the supermarket-- they are great for small
scale dyeing.
************************************************************************
> I really appreciated your wonderful primer on dyeing fabric. It does
> sound VERY seductive! I have one question. After you mix the small
> amount of soda ash with the qquart of warm water, it is this solution
> that you add about a half cup to each container of fabric, right? Your
> original post just said to add a half cup soda ash, but I thought maybe
> you meant the soda ash solution.
>
You're absolutely right--add a half cup of the soda ash/water mixture to
each cup of fabric and dye. PLEASE DON'T add a half cup of powdered
soda ash to each cup of fabric/dye--you'll have a pasty mess and you'll
waste a good deal of soda ash!
Thanks for asking for clarification--you may have saved some potential
disasters.
Judy
Donovan@hal.hahnemann.edu
**********************************************************************
**I've been using plastic mop buckets for my procion dyeing. I found them on
sale at the 5&10 for 99 cents each, so I bought 10 of them... Check your
local discount department store or K-mart type store.
**For any of you scientists out there (or with lab connections):
Since I just conducted a chemical inventory of 2500 different chemical
containers in my department, I figured I had to have soda ash somewhere
around her. Sure enough, soda ash is also known as sodium carbonate,
technical grade (99% pure).
**********************************************************************
***note this post should follow the next one***
I've sueded many fabrics (mostly silks and linens) using the technique you
describe. However the folks at Cherry Hill are doing something in the dye
process to achieve their effect. Their fabrics are softly mottled as if
you brushed your hands over a piece of suede and it moves the nap in
different directions causing the light to reflect differently. Well,
that's the best way I can describe it, anyway. I've read somewhere that
this is done by not stirring the fabric in the dye pot. I'm sure there's
some trick to know just how much to stir it (or not to stir it) to get
this effect. Their fabrics are beautiful and pricey. I just bought some
at PIQF. I suspect that after the fabric is dyed that they do abrade it
in the dryer to complete the effect.
I've been meaning to play around with my Procion dyes to see if I can
duplicate this effect. But I find it difficult to get enough time to do
any fabric dyeing these days. A side note -- I visited Dharma yesterday
in Marin. Although I've mail ordered Procion dyes, synthrapol, etc. from
them before, I'd never visited the shop. What a fun place! (It's
primarily a yarn shop which really surprised me.)
By the way, Cherry Hill will send you a "catalog" for $5. (It consists of
1/2 inch square pieces of their fabrics in all the colors they offer --
both sueded and non-sueded. They also offer dyed ribbing to match!!!) I
can get the order info if anyone is interested. I received a catalog at
PIQF since I spent so much money. :-) (And no, I don't get anything
from them in return.)
Sharon
***********************************************************************
> The "hand dyed" sampler sets that are sold in quilt > stores here (St.
Paul, MN) have a `sueded' look. I think > they are made by Cherryhill?
(Cherry Creek?) or something > like that. Do you know how the sueded look
is achieved? >It's a wonderfully subtle texture.
Yes I know how to suede! After you finish your dye project, you
wash the fabric again with warm water, a cup of vinegar and throw
in some objects like sneakers (clean ones) to bang around the
fabric while it's being washed. Sometimes you have to repeat the wash
process until it gets "sueded' enough.
************************************************************************
On the subject of dying, I learned an interesting technique last weekend
at a quilting class. The teacher was David Walker. He does contemporary
quilts used as art.
He takes black fabric and lays it out on his concrete porch. Using
straight bleach in a squirt bottle, he randomly sprays onto the black
fabric. Let the bleach sit about 5 minutes. Rinse the fabric in water.
Set the fabric in vinegar water and wash. Then he overdyes them intense
colors with Dharma dye. The fabric looks great! It makes a good
background kind of thing. He doesn't wash his quilts. The Dharma dye may
not be colorfast.
***Dharma mostly sells Procion dyes. They might sell others, but their
primary product is Procion. Procion is very colorfast.
***In my message about overdying black fabric that had been partially
bleached - the instructer uses Deka dyes not Dharma as I had said. These
dyes are not hazardous to breathe in powder form as the Procion dyes are.
**************************************************************************
The idea of using chlorine bleach to create white spots on fabric (and
then perhaps overdying these) sounds intriguing. However, I'd be
concerned about doing this to any fabric which would receive moderate or
heavy wear. As a wife/mom/washerwoman of many years, I do resort to
chlorine bleach for some types of stains. Usually I delete the bleach
first and put it in a squeeze bottle so it can be dripped precisely on the
spot, then the moment the spot fades it gets a thorough rinsing and
immediate washing. In spite of such precautions, the chlorine does weaken
the cloth, and after a few more washings the garment or tablecloth may
develop a hole where the bleach affected it.
I'd be definitely unhappy to create a quilt intended to become a family
heirloom, only to have it become religious (hole-y) in a few years.
************************************************************************
For those people interested in Judy Donovan's wonderful post a few
weeks ago on hand-dyeing, I have found a good source of moderately sized
containers. I went to my local Dairy Queen and they were able to give me
nearly a dozen 1.5 gallon buckets with lids that their ice cream comes in.
I also picked up a few 4 and 5 gallon buckets that they use for strawberry
topping and pickles. They were more than happy for me to take them (the
guy said, good, now WE don't have to wash them!) and you can't beat free.
Of course now our garage smells like pickles and ice cream!! I have been
soaking them in a bleach solution then washing them with soapy water.
That gets clean all but the grossest ones!
**********************************************************************
I'm hooked! I have a new hobby to take up my time and energy. My
husband and i marbled some fabric. It was so much fun (not too messy).
We may just decide to dye, marble and block print most of my quilt fabrics
in the future (not likely, since I still love the fabrics I see in the
stores). This means that I won't have to go running around looking for
that precise shade of violet that I NEED, I'll just make it myself. I've
already placed a second order for more supplies. This has also sparked my
husband's interest in block printing again. The old breyer and inks have
come out of the closet and he's roaring to go. The only problem is we
just got new carpeting and installed a new kitchen floor- Fabric bits
vacuum up, but ink doesn't! We'll just have to be real careful.
Gradation dyeing is next....
*****************************************************************
*Marbling Supplies*
I've gotten a number of requests information on purchasing marbling
supplies. I purchased the starter set from Dharma Trading Co. Their phone
number is 415-621-5597. They will be more than happy to send you a
catalog. Supplies take an average of 8 days to get to MD from them, so
plan accordingly.
ProChem also sells marbling kits (1-800-2buy-dye). They sell a
standard color set, a "BRITE" set (more intense colors) and a PEARLIZED
set (paints with a little pearlish sparkle). The set includes complete
instructions.
One word of advice: if you think you'll enjoy marbling, order an extra
packet or two of the marbling thickener (called either "metholcellulose"
or "gum"). What you get with the starter kit is only enough for one
marbling session-- and once you get started you'll feel frustrated if you
run out of goop to float the pigments on. It's also very inexpensive (a
couple bucks a pack...)
**********************************************************************
I just got a slew of dye company catalogs last night (wow! I'm not
sure I ever learned as much from catalogs as I did last night!) I noticed
that at least one of them sells 100% pima cotton broadcloth for dyeing,
for quite a pretty penny (~$9/yard). Not knowing the stuff existed in bolt
form before Donna sent me some shades this spring, I stumbled across it at
a local fabric store this fall before I got interested in dyeing (or I'd
have bought the whole bolt!) in jewel tones, black, and white. Their
(Cloth World) regular price is only $5.95, and the first that I got back
in September was $3.47 or so on sale. A yard. For the exact same stuff,
I'm pretty darn sure. (I don't think the fabric is specially prepared in
any way by the dye company. It didn't say so, anyways.)
So if you've been buying the 100% pima cotton broadcloth from these
mailorder places (I recall Rupert, Gibbons, &Simon selling it
for sure, possibly Cerulean Blue and Dharma, too), you might try
looking at your local fabric store chain. I've not seen it at
So-Fro/House of Fabrics or Hancocks/Fabric Warehouse, and I've
been looking there, but Cloth World still had some in stock last
time I was in.
The fabric is tightly woven, a dream to cut and sew, and almost
silky to the touch. I read that it's a dream to dye, too.
*******************************************************************
*instead of tea dying*
This may work, but from what I've heard from other teachers, no way
should anyone be using tea to tea-dye if you're concerned about the
longevity of your finished project. The tannic acid from the tea will
eventually destroy the fabrics.
***In a class I took on creating new quilts with an old look, Barbara
Brackman suggested using Tan RIT Dye to give fabrics an aged look. Sounds
a lot more reasonable to me, though a lot less romantic. :)
***I would recommend finding a nice shade of brown procion MX dye and
overdyeing your fabric with a very faint amount of dye. You would get the
same effect, but your overdyed fabric would be lightfast and colorfast and
not inclined to deteriorate. I'll play with my favorite brown and see if
I can come up with a nice recipe for overdyeing fabrics. I'll report
back, hopefully before Dec. 1st!
***I use hibiscus leaves for a beautiful dye on my doilies. You could use
the Celestial Seasonings type, but I prefer the leaves straight!
Make the infusion in water with white vinegar added to help it stay.
A better permanent dye is to buy a red beet at the supermarket and chop it
and boil it in water and vinegar. Strain and then dye your goodie.
*for info on Tea Dying
************************************************************************
While I have only done about 6 series of gradations, I have the
following information.
I have followed Judy Anne Walters' book for dyeing, and I have found it to
be very good. The only drawback to her methods (IMHO) is that they use
very little dyeing solution/liquid. Therefore, it is sometimes difficult
to get a piece of fabric totally immersed in the dye bath. Jan Newbury uses
more liquid (and more dye); however, I haven't followed her recipes.
I was dyeing to gather fabrics for a Judi Warren workshop, and I was trying
to get smooth solids. I found that the clear Rubbermaid large sweater boxes
with blue lids worked better for me than the 5 gallon buckets, because
I could spread out the fat quarters almost flat (and I have short arms for
the buckets).
************************************************************************
May I suggest 3 books all from Interweave Press PH.1800-645-3675.
Hands on Dyeing for $8.95, North American Dye Plants for $8.95 and a
new book Indigo Madder &Marigolds for $29.95. All of these books are
for the beginner as well as the advanced dyer.
**********************************************************************
I've used RIT dye a few times, with mixed results. Sometimes it makes
my clothes turn out lovely, and other times the dye tends to face or
discolor. It's pretty hit or miss, since clothes from the same batch can
turn out differently. I did I batch of a gorgeous medium blue that gives
white cottons a "denim" look; everything came out great at the time and
then a month later one of the shirts began to discolor horribly.
THe only non-commercial dye I've tried is loose tea, which can give
beautiful colors to things, but I think it's unpredictable.
I think a little vinegar CAN be a helpful setting/intensifying agent, but
I would be cautious before trying it in combination with something I'd
never used.
************************************************************************
I've been dying fabric for a couple of months (with much help from
Judy). I've found that the most fun and easiest way is to: Soak the
fabric in soda ash and salt. (proportions as per 'Hands on Dyeing'
book by Betsy Bloominthal and Kathry Kreider) and then prepare the
dye with just water. You can keep the dye for 6 months in glass jars.
Then you just wring out the soaked fabric and drip the dye on the fabric
in any way that seems interesting. You can tie the fabric for a tie dye
effect or just soak it in a single color for a mottled effect. I must
warn you that the biggest danger to all this is that it becomes
impossible to keep white cotton in the house. You keep using it up.
***I bought a set of 20 ounce tumblers (plastic) cheap from the supermaket
they are great for small scale dyeing.
*** I went to specialty paint stores and found various sized plastic
buckets and containers for very good prices. Also stirring sticks that you
can have for free.
*** on sueding fabric: After you finish your dye project, you wash
the fabric again with warm water, a cup of vinegar and throw in some
objects like sneakers (clean ones) to bang around the fabric while it's
being washed. Sometimes you have to repeat the wash process until it gets
"sueded" enough.
*** on chemicals: If you can't get soda ash use washing soda BUT
you need to double the amount as it isn't as strong.
***If you can't get synthrapol, use a bit of vinegar in the rinse water
and then wash the fabric in warm soapy water.
********************************************************************
*** on rubberstamping fabric:
You can use virtually any rubberstamp with a fabric paint on cotton
fabric... I've used ceramcoat brand by delta. This is an acrylic paint
(often used in marbling) and can be thinned down to whatever consistency
you need. The finer the detailing on the stamp, the more you'll need to
water it so it doesn't glob over the lines... but not much! For most
stamping, I'm able to use it full strength.
I would recommend mixing textile medium with Acrylic paints to use on
fabric. I recently learned to do some fabric painting with acrylic. The
textile medium helps the paint penetrate and stay on the fabric after
washing, itc. It comes in a bottle and is put out by several manufact-
urers. It can be purchased wherever you buy paint supplies. I heat treat
fabric by ironing on both sides with a press cloth on a medium heat. Reds
can turn brown or orange if the iron is too hot. Do not wash the fabric
for about 10 days to allow the paint to set.
**********************************************************************
I have dabbled in fabric dyeing and have some successes and some
other results. What I have discovered is that the fabric never comes out
as dark as I want it to be. When I pull it out of the dye bath - that's
the color I want, but when it dries, it's shades lighter. One thing I
have tried is to add some black dye when I want a darker, stronger color.
I had been trying to add more dye, but that is not the way to get deeper
colors. Try doing small pieces of fabric (10" square) in little 16oz cups
to get some practice in mixing colors.
***********************************************************************
Mud Fabrics:
When I learned to dye with Procion fiber reactive dyes, the
instructor taught me about "mud" fabrics. To make mud fabrics, get one or
two large plastic wastebasket. As you dye each fabric, pour the finished
dye water (water + salt + dye + dye activator aka soda) into the
wastebasket. Soak 1-6 yards of fabric in a salt water solution and then
put that into the wastebasket. Let the fabric soak at least several
hours, typically overnight. Stir occassionally. Rinse it forever! The
resulting fabric will usually be a light or medium color, usually very
pretty and unusual and often a "muddy" shade.
Mud fabrics need to soak a long time because they are in water that already
has the dye activator. They never have a chance for the unactivated dye to
bond with the fabric. Thus there is not much free dye to react with the
fabric. Similarly most of the dye washes out because it was activated during
the initial dyeing session. The resulting fabrics are often very light
colored.
I usually put all of my extra dye water into one or two large tubs and dye a
batch of mud fabrics. It is very interesting to see the colors that result.
The darkest mud colors are a medium shade (probably when I over-calculate the
amount of dye to add!!!) and many are fairly pale shades.
I will often make make different mud dye-baths with different color combos.
E.g. if I'm dying several fuschias and purples they will go on one mud-tub and
leftover water from greens and turquoises will go in a second mud-tub. Last
year I made a beautiful pale mint green as a mud fabric from several green
dyebaths. I also happened on a pale sky blue resulting from several blue and
purple dyebaths.
It is fascinating to see:
-) how dark the fabric is when it comes out of the dye bath, yet how light it
is when completely washed (i.e. much of the dye washes out). Often the fabric
changes color considerably during the washing stage!!!!! I've started washing
the mud colors in the washing machine because they take FOREVER to wash out!!!
-) how the different dyes contribute to the color of the mud fabric. For
example, if you have a dye bath with turquoises and fuschias you might find
that the mud fabric is either predominantly tuquoise or fuschia. Apparently
different dyes have different characteristics when they are used to dye fabric
AFTER adding the activator. Similarly if you have a dye that had yellow in
it, you may or may not see the yellow in your final mud fabric.
During today's dye session, I was aiming to dye a deep purple. I used
tuquoise, fuschia and black and a bleached muslin. It turns out that the
result was a more smokey purple than I expected (very blue and deep; a color
similar to a night-sky color). Even though I had only one dye bath, I decided
to put a few yards of *un*bleached muslin into the remaining dye bath to see
what sort of mud fabric would result. I was very surprised to find it was
predominantly a medium turquoise (somewhat toned down by the black and the
unbleached muslin). The fuschia had almost disappeared.
I will be including a small section of this mud fabric when I send my dyed
fabric out. If you've never tried making making mud fabrics, I urge you to
throw a few yards of muslin (or cheap muslin if you're reluctant to
experiment!) into the final dyebaths next time. It's always fascinating to
see what comes out of the mud tub! I no longer bet on the results; I'm
surprised every time!
*************************************************************************
I've been seeing lots of basic questions about the use of salt, vinegar
and soda ash in dyeing.
Here's what I've learned (I've been dyeing....slowly and happily...for
the last five years):
When you are using FIBER REACTIVE dye, such as Procion MX for cotton
or rayon, you use SALT in the dyebath to increase the intensity of
color absorption (translation: if you want darker colors, use more
salt and increase the quantity of dye powder--for pastels, use less
salt and less dye powder).
SODA ASH (sodium carbonate) is the alkali that SETS the dye. It's what
dyers call the "mordant". No soda ash and your dye job will fade like
those popular RIT dyes do. And they'll bleed like a stuck pig.
VINEGAR is used as the "mordant" for fibers like silk and wool because,
even though they like the fiber reactive dyes, they require an acid
to set them. If you're doing large quanitity dyeing of wools, you
buy ACETIC ACID, which is essentially highly concentrated vinegar.
HEAT SETTING of the Procion dyes is NOT NECESSARY for cottons, rayons
and most silks. You MUST heat set for wool, whether it's yarn or
yardage.
The popular myth that "vinegar sets bleeding fabric" gets reinforced
when the fabric in question has been dyed with another kind of dye
that requires an acid to set it. It *does not* chemically set
fiber reactive dyes on cottons, rayons and silks. But it works
like a charm if you have a wool sweater that's bleeding.
So, if any of you are out there heat setting your procion-dyed cottons,
you really don't need to do it unless you enjoy the process!
Judy
(who enjoys creating color almost more than quilting!)
World Wide Quilting Page
* FAQ's Page