Scarves for Woolworth

I've been dyeing lots of scarves with the new method I learned of ice dyeing/microwave style. It only does one at a time (you can do more but I like the variety) and only takes 5 minutes so I can pick a different combination each time. I've accumulated a lot of dyes over the years and have so many choices. I usually use 3 dyes per scarf and take into consideration the blending of 2 colors which can and does happen. For example....I never use complimentary colors together to avoid getting a brown.

I've hung them on my design wall to get a count and also to see the colors I have and where I need to fill in. With the holiday season upon us, I'm hoping to sell them at Woolworth..they make wonderful Christmas presents...so fingers crossed.

While in Germany, recently...walking down the streets and voila!...A Woolworth and I do believe it was like the original Woolworth. Woolworth used to be a "5 & 10" as we knew them as kids...a little bit of everything and very inexpensive. We had to walk through this one and it was the same format....very fun to see.

Have a wonderful day...til next time.

Acid Dyeing on Silk

I love acid dyeing which only works on silk but gives the most brilliant color. It requires the use of an acid instead of soda ash which is the fixative when using a procion mx dye. You can use white vinegar or citric acid crystals. The silk needs to be boiled or heavily steamed - no batching. The dye completely exhausts itself leaving the water clear at the end of the process and no dye run off when rinsing either. In order to get the multicolored look, you have to steam it, applying several colors first and then placing the silk in a studio designated steamer. The drawback to this is often the steam from a rice steamer is not hot enough to get good color. I then switched to boiling the silk using a hotplate in my studio but then limiting myself to one color.

The scarf on the left was first scrunched inside a stocking and boiled. The parts of the scarf exposed to the stocking or outside had the deepest color. I still wasn't happy. I then came upon the idea to use multi colors on the scarf and use steam but a "hotter" steam like from a big pot of boiling water. The scarf on the right was done in this manner - so much better.

So I was off and running with this new approach and liking the results. This is a bright red and fuchsia with a touch of orange.

I love this next color combo of purple and hot pink and deep purple.

This might be my favorite as it's more subtle. It's lilac and charcoal and the 2 colors melting together really did well. I often make samples along with my scarves so I can remember for the next time what was successful and what was not.

Sometimes some colors don't have enough pizazz and need a little help. The scarf on the right was dyed using 2 different colors in the same color way. Although pretty, maybe not too exciting. I overdyed it by scrunching it inside a stocking and placing it in a boiling dye bath for a short time. I scrunched it very tight so only the tips of the silk touching the stocking would get additional color - I like the effect it produced. (on left)

Now here are all my babies waiting for the next step of color lifting and screening.

The stamping is a little tedious and not much fun - both for the discharging and adding color part...so I thought, why can't I make these images into a silk screen - much more fun to do.

I made images and copied them using a laser copier so I could make them into a silk screen.

So much better.

First I used sodium alginate to thicken some discharge paste and screened it through a silk screen, let it dry and ironed it to discharge the color. I love the way the discharge image is multi-colored depending on what part of the scarf you are doing.

Using the same screen (cleaned) I did another image using Lumiere textile paint which is quite thick and screens well. I also included some new images of pine needles and other leaves, so I'm a happy camper and time to deliver them to the Folk Art Center. 

Ice Dyeing Rayon

I have not done any ice dyeing all summer and it's something I really love to do. I have my dyed scarves in several shops and know they'll be calling me soon to get some more. I find this process works well in heat and heat we have - lots of - this summer, so before the fall takes over, time to finish up my supply of rayon scarves.

 As mentioned in previous posts, I use the vinyl covered shelving as a rack to hold the fabric. A new kitty litter pan is placed underneath to catch the run off as the ice melts.

 The scarves and fabric are bunched up on top of the shelving and ice cubes are then placed on top of the fabric.

 Procion mx dyes are sprinkled in powdered form on top of the ice. As the ice melts at different rates, the dye then strikes the fabric, which has been soaked in soda ash. I cover the mixture of powder, ice and fabric for several reasons - first to prevent the dye powder from blowing around and second to prolong the melting of the ice. This works best for me and I get great results.

 So here are some of the results; as I dyed the scarves, I also included a fat quarter of mercerized cotton.

 I really love the crystal effect that you get with the ice...

 and the great patterning of colors.

 I usually use 3 colors and take into consideration what a 4th color would be if any of the colors should mix together.

 I don't have a favorite. I love the process and usually the results are 99% great which is not always the case with a lot of things I do.

I did an experiment to satisfy my own curiosity to see the difference between using ice and this process and just batching with mx dyes. I used the same rayon scarves, the same mx dye colors - one was ice dyed and the other batched with mx dyes overnight - no ice. I think there is a big difference - the ice on the left and batching on right. 

Same here only reverse - ice on right and batching overnight on left...Both are nice and have their place, the ice dyed have more energy and probably harder to use but so interesting. The batched scarves are softer and easier to use but not as interesting.  It's all great fun anyway and I'll have some nice scarves for the next go-round.

And the Results

Off the subject for a moment, in my last post, I was mentioning the drainer type plastic things we used to do the microwave ice dyeing. Kate bought them at the dollar store, so off I went this morning to find them. Lo and behold, they were right in the front - paper plate holders. Since I don't use paper plates, I never made the connection. A pack of 4 for $1.00 so 16 should do me for a while and such pretty colors. If you're interested in trying this, these work very well.

Back on track, I finally washed out my fabrics from our Mondays meeting with Fiber Junkies. I used the washing machines "rinse cycle" to rinse them first in cold water.  I then washed them in hot water with synthrapol. I was happy with the results although some pieces are so busy, I'm at a loss as to how to use them. I'm hoping to have a mini brainstorming session with these girlfriends to get some ideas. 

 This piece used 3 colors of dye and 2 layers of fabric. A soda ash treated piece of fabric was laid on bottom of bowl (see piece below), then a plastic drain on top of that and then the second layer of fabric with ice and dye. As the ice melted, the dyes would strike the top fabric and eventually drip on down to the fabric on the bottom.

 The bottom fabric has the same colors but a softer look.

 This piece I really liked, again very busy but I love the colors.

 This one was our imitation of Gens (previous post) we all fell in love with and had to do ourselves.

 This one used 3 colors including "Watermelon" - a dye color Kate brought and was anxious to try - pretty and it really does look like watermelon.

And Yes, the good old clean up rag - sometimes it's great, sometimes not. This is prettier here than in person, has lots of dye powder dots on it but maybe I'll do something over it, still so much fun not knowing what you'll get.

Microwave Ice Dyeing

Our Fiber Junkies group met on Monday at my home to do some microwave ice dyeing. Kate and Denny had worked out all the kinks, brought the oversized microwave and bowls and prepared the way for us. Needless to say, everything used was strictly for creating art. It was a beautiful day and we could work on the deck as well as the studio. Excitement filled the air as we prepared for the first piece "to go in the oven". 

  A plastic type drainer, purchased at the dollar store, was placed in the bottom of a microwaveable  bowl so the fabric would not be sitting in liquid at the end of the process. Most of us used a mercerized broadcloth cotton which was soaked in a solution of soda ash first, next step - to scrunch it up and place on top of the drainer in the bowl.

 Next came the ice. Denny brought a great ice crusher - think it was called a Ninja. It used a pulsating action giving you a variety of sizes of ice - most of the time a few seconds did the trick.

 A layer of ice was placed on top of the fabric, both crushed and very small cubes.

 Next came the powdered dye - protecting ourselves with a mask and rubber gloves, we used a plastic spoon to sprinkle dye over the top of the ice. Generally speaking 2 - 3 colors seemed to work well.

 Here is color # 2....

 and the third color.

 The container was then covered with a lid or plastic wrap and nuked for around 4 mins give or take. If the ice had not fully melted, it was nuked a little more. As the ice melted, the dyes would strike the fabric, so it was important that all the ice melted.

 Here is one "hot out of the oven" being rinsed in the sink. If you try this, a good idea to allow everything to cool down for a spell as it can be quite hot.

 And another beauty.

 I think we had some good results. The fabrics shown have just been rinsed and not washed in synthrapol so final results are not in yet. We all promised to bring them to the next meeting.

 This one we all drooled over, we then had to go and do the same colors for ourselves.

 Val has such an eye for color; we all marvel at what she does.

 and the finished piece.

 Mary overdyed some peach colored wool: I liked the results after rinsing. It will be interesting to see how wool handles this type of technique.

On a lighter note, Val's long hair kept getting in the way so a grocery bag made a great tie back, we quilters are so good at improvising.
We also had a fabulous Show and Tell. We missed our February meeting due to bad weather so we had a lot of catching up to do. More on that in the next post.