Musings on quilting, sewing, fabric and dyeing by Janet Smith ( www.textileart.com )

I am using the inexpensive muslin from JoAnn Fabrics. The colors from the Pro Chemical kit are designated A, B & C, so I used a permanent fabric marker and wrote the color letters on each piece of fabric. Since I am going to follow the directions for one set and use my method for the other, I underlined one letter on the pieces I will dye my way:

The instructions call for 5 tablespoons of dye for each fat eighth. I am only dyeing 6 colors, instead of 30, and will just use a simple 50/50 mix for every other color. The letters signify the following:
A - Old Rose
AB - Old Rose / Camel
B - Camel
BC = Camel / Stormy Gray
C - Stormy Gray
CA - Stormy Gray / Old Rose

I have my activator and dye mixed and my small containers ready with fabric:

From the instructions - place the dry fabric in a cup and add 2 T. (tablespoons) of water to moisten the fabric. The dry fabric is the row in the lower portion of the image. I wet my fabric first, scrunch it up and put it into the container. The next step is to pour the 5 T. of dye over each piece of fabric:

The next step is to pour 2 T. of dye activator into each cup.

The instructions leave it up to you whether you want to leave as is or ’smoosh’ the fabric. I gave each a squeeze and flipped them over. Then I dyed the other six. I put the fabric in a larger container and pour the dye AND the soda ash (activator) over the fabric.

I ’smoosh’ it around and flip it over several times to try to get even coverage. Re-scrunch, squeeze slightly and put the fabric back into the smaller container. Then I pour the dye and solution from the larger container over the fabric and let it sit.

Since I need my table for other projects, I stacked up the containers, put them in a kitty litter tray and moved them out of the way.

Patience is a Virtue - Part Two
Now, you wait. The instructions call for 4 to 24 hours. My magic number is 6. I did a test years ago and saw no appreciable difference in darkening after 4 hours. But, I was stuck on 6 hours, so a minimum of 6 it is. Usually it is longer. For the over dyes, 4 hours is o.k. since I dye the piece 3 or 4 times.

My Predictions
Looking at the cups, I predict there will be a difference between the methods. How do I know this? Experience. The dyes used in this exercise are mixes. The component pure dyes strike (react) at different rates. Usually yellows first, then reds and blues bringing up the rear. Without agitating the dye/activator solution (like my method), the individual dyes will do their thing and the results may not be what you expect. Whether you like the result is another issue. It depends on how you are going to use the fabric. Sometimes an ‘ugly’ fabric is just the ticket.

Posted under Dye Class

Here is the kit I purchased from Pro Chemical & Dye:

It has enough ’stuff’ to dye 30 fat eighths in pastel colors (each dye packet is mixed with 4 cups of water):
Instructions
Dye A - Old Rose
Dye B - Camel
Dye C - Stormy Grey
Dye Activator (Pro Chemical’s answer to Soda Ash)
Synthrapol (I use 2X ultra all^® - free & clear)
Soften It! (I use Ultra Downey^® - free & clear)

So, how do you get from beige to rose or dusty violet to blueish gray? Just add water!
I weighed out half of the dye (I do not intend to dye 30 fat eighths and I needed some dye to show you some neat stuff) and mixed it with 2 cups of water. I brushed some of the mixed dye on a piece of watercolor paper to show how different it looks from the dye powder:

Then, I put 1 teaspoon table salt in each of three shakers along with about an 1/8 teaspoon of dye.

Mixed it up real good. Screwed on the cap and sprinkled each over a dampened section of the watercolor paper. I covered half of the section and spritzed it with a fine mist of water to help it dissolve even more (bottom portion of image above the shaker).

Then I threw a piece (wide fat sixteenth) of fabric in some soda ash solution (about an hour), flattened it out and sprinkled dye on it. Here’s the finished product:

Looks a lot different from the mixed dye. Here’s a close up showing the pure dye components of each mix:



What would you ever do with it? I used fabric like this here, here and here.

Mixing Dye or Patience is a Virtue - Part One
It’s old clothes, safe place, gloves and face mask time! You may not feel like it, but . . .

Think cooking. Think gravy. Think a flour paste or roux to thicken your gravy. You add a little water to the dye powder to make a smooth paste so you don’t get lumpy gravy. Then slowly add more of the water so the paste gradually becomes a syrup. Keep adding and stirring until all of the water is mixed with the dye.

You may want to make the paste/syrup in a smaller container which is easier to handle.

• Small container - a least 1 cup capacity
• Old teaspoon or one of your measuring spoons
• Larger container with the correct amount of water
• Another large container which will hold all of the dissolved dye

Put the dye in the small container and add a tablespoon or so of the measured water. Make the paste and then the syrup as mentioned above. Add more water so the concentrated dye pours easily into the empty larger container. Hmmm . . . is it all mixed? Maybe, maybe not. At least you’ll know by transferring the dye from one container to another. Use part of your measured water to rinse out the small container - want to get every last drop of dye - and add it with the remaining water. Let’s get ready to dye!

Now, here’s what I do . . .

I weigh the dye using a gram scale in an appropriate size container. I calculate the total amount of dye to mix and use 1/2 urea water and 1/2 warm tap water - lukewarm ‘chemical water’. Too cold and it’s harder to dissolve the dye - too hot and your dye gets cooked before it ever meets a fiber. (I keep urea water on hand for mixing dye - about 2 cups urea to a half gallon of water.)
If I am mixing a cup or less of dye, 1/2 of the total amount of chemical water gets dumped in with the dye. If it’s more than a cup, I reserve 1/2 cup of chemical water. Stir it up. Some dissolve faster than others. Some need a little more stirring and coaching. When I am fairly sure most of all of the dye is dissolved, I run the dye through a permanent coffee filter into its storage or temporary container using a funnel if necessary. I use the remaining water to rinse out the initial container and flush out the coffee filter. Rinse and repeat for the next color.

Next stop - Fat Eighth City using Pro Chemical’s kit. I am going to dye 2 sets of 6. One following their instructions and the other my way. How different will the 2 sets be?

Posted under Dye Class

Resources for dye, fabric, chemicals (auxiliaries), instructions and inspiration:
Paula Burch
Dharma Trading
Pro Chemical & Dye
Jacquard Products
G & S Dye
Sax Arts & Crafts
Blick Art Materials

Posted under Dye Class

When I first started experimenting with dyeing, I didn’t have the double utility tub next to the washer or the six foot molded plastic table to romp around on. I started in the kitchen. I removed everything from the counter around the sink, mixed my dyes, filled my freezer bags, wiped everything down and returned it to normal. When it was time to rinse, the process was repeated. Mixed dye was keep in the frig next to the Diet Pepsi.
You can try dyeing without a dedicated space. Just use common sense and be careful. Keep all of your dye utensils and containers separate from food. Clean up thoroughly. The crucial time is measuring and mixing dye and having dye powder or mixed dye containers open. Schedule a time when you won’t be distracted. Don’t answer the phone. Don’t turn on the fan. If curious kitty or canine likes to be involved, you may want to rethink this or get out the carrier! Same goes for small children, but I don’t recommend the carrier.

Posted under Dye Class

Welcome! I am excited about sharing what I have learned over the past 10 years of hand dyeing fabric with Procion MX dye. My goal is to post once a ‘lesson’ week (orders permitting) and answer questions as needed.

This first post will give you an idea of what you will need and where to get it. I will assume that you just want to try dyeing fabric to see if you like it, so we’ll keep the investment minimal. Some of the images show large quantities of an item. Don’t get overwhelmed and think you need a box of 120 latex gloves. Keep in mind that I buy dye by the pound, soda ash in 50 lb. bags and fabric in 100 yard rolls. I started experimenting on a very small scale and that is how we will start.

Here’s a ‘what you need and what would be nice list’ with comments:

Old clothes and shoes.	The shirts and the shoes are the first to go! Been pretty lucky with pants, shorts and capris.
Rubber or disposable gloves (latex, vinyl, nitrile)	Latex and powder doesn’t bother me so I use latex. I tried the big rubber gloves, but I prefer the fit of the latex. Also, the latex gloves are off-white and come in handy if I want to see the color of a mix - spread a little dye on the back of my hand.
A place to work free of food and food preparation equipment (close to a sink). AND, away from air flow.	The dyes are non-toxic and soda ash is used in swimming pools. BUT, I don’t think you want to dye up a fat quarter in a storage container and then use it for leftover manicotti. The dye powder is very fine and can easily fly around. Don’t mix dye under a heating/air conditioning vent or in front of a fan. Use a dust mask when handling dye powder. (See ‘Kitchen Dyeing’ - separate post) You may want a plastic or oil cloth cover for your work surface to prevent damage and staining from dye. I have a molded plastic top work table that takes a lot of abuse.
Measuring cups and spoons dedicated to dyeing (plastic or stainless).	I have several sets of spoons and two sets of cups. The basic set of spoons start at 1/8 t. and go to 1 T. I also have a 2 T. (coffee scoop) measure and a neat set of spoons I got at Wal-Mart®- Dash (1/8 t.), Pinch (1/16 t.) and Smidgen (1/32 t.)
Containers for mixing and storing dye.	I have several types of containers depending on the amount of dye I’m mixing. If you are mixing small amounts, recycle plastic cups and tubs from yogurt, margarine, etc. 16-20 oz. water bottles are great for storing mixed dye.
Containers for mixing and storing soda ash solution.	Recycle quart and gallon size milk, water, juice bottles.
Containers for dyeing fabric.	For small pieces, fat eighths and fat quarters, the same small containers used for mixing dye work. Quart or gallon size freezer bags can also be used and reused. The freezer bags are stronger and will stand up to repeated uses. If using the bags, you will need a larger container, like a bucket or dish pan to store them when filled with fabric and dye. It guards against leaks and makes them easier to handle.
White paper towels (optional).	I use white paper towels and terry shop towels. When wiping up my area, a wet white paper towel lets me know I ‘got everything’. You can’t always see the dye until it gets wet.
Now, the good stuff!
Procion MX Dye	I purchase my dye from Dharma Trading and Pro Chemical & Dye. Other sources (among several) are Jacquard Products, G & S Dye (Canada), Blick Art Materials and Sax Arts & Crafts. WARNING! Going to any of these sites can cost you hours of enjoyment and fill your head with TONS of ideas. Proceed with caution. Both Dharma and Pro Chemical have starter kits. Pro Chemical also has sampler sets and small kits designed for dyeing fat eighths. The tie-dye kits have more stuff - gloves, urea, bottles, etc. What I would like to see is the tie-dye kit with instructions for fabric dyeing and a better choice of dye colors, but that’s just me. I have no vested interest in either company, but to get started, Pro Chemical offers, in my opinion, better starter kits and samplers to try out. For about $27.00 plus shipping, you can get a tie-dye kit and a Rainbow Gradation kit. Out of curiosity, I purchased a Rainbow Gradation kit for dyeing 30 fat eighths. I chose ‘Stones & Shells’ because they aren’t my BONG colors. I plan to experiment this week and post my results next.
PFD (Prepared for Dyeing) Fabric	PFD or Prepared for Dyeing fabric means the fabric was not finished with sizing, optical brighteners, permanent press finish, etc. It may bleached and/or mercerized. It may be cotton, hemp, rayon, linen, bamboo, silk or a combination. A drop of water on dry PFD fabric is immediately absorbed. Dharma Trading has a nice selection of various PFD fabrics. BUT, you do not have to invest a lot of money to experiment. I bought 2 kinds of unbleached muslin at JoAnn Fabrics (two visits - two 50% off coupons - YES!). Twice, I washed/scoured the muslin in hot water with soda ash - about 1/2 c. for a medium load. Then I put a fat eighth of each, along with the Pimatex I regularly use, in a freezer bag along with dye and soda ash. Here is the result: Both dyed slightly less intense than the Pimatex, with the cheaper muslin dyeing better than the premium muslin. (The premium muslin is nice stuff - Kona Muslin from Robert Kaufman) Buy either bleached or unbleached. Just make sure it does not have a permanent press finish.
Soda Ash (Sodium Carbonate) - NOT baking soda or Sodium BIcarbonate	Soda Ash is the ‘fixer’. The chemical that helps the fibers react with and bind the dye. Soda Ash is used in swimming pools to raise the pH of the water. I purchase 50 lb. bags from a pool supply company. It comes in smaller quantities too. If you don’t want to pay the shipping from one of the online stores and have a pool supply store near you . . . get it there. Now, the people in the pool store may not know it’s called soda ash (this is a true story). I called several places closer to me to get soda ash and they thought I was nuts. Had no clue what I was talking about. Ah ha! I’ll out smart them next time - I’ll ask for the stuff that raises the pH.
Salt (Optional)	Salt helps move the dye molecules out of the water and into the fiber. Some people use it, others don’t. I use salt. Generally I buy 40 lb. bags of coarse water softener salt. I keep table salt on hand too. Iodized or non-iodized doesn’t seem to make a difference.
Urea (Optional)	Nitrogen - 46-0-0 fertilizer - comes in prill form (dry spheres). Generally used in tie-dye to help keep dyed items wetter longer. I use it to help dissolve dye and on the deck and walk in the winter to melt ice. I get 50 lb. bags from a local feed store.

Whew! That’s enough for today. Next week we’ll be be up to our elbows in dye. Alright, up to our knuckles!

Posted under Dye Class

Well, I scrapped the Jewel and Rainbow Over dyes for the large sections:

I’ve been playing with the layout of the sections:

I like this SO MUCH better. The over dyes are fine, but not for this project. The background of the blocks needs to flow when assembled. My original/revised fabric choices created too much ‘choppiness’.

It helps to have SO MUCH fabric and the ability to DYE more! This project reminds me of that ‘Plan Ahead’ sign . . .

Posted under Quilting