exploring fiber reactive dyes

Exploring FiberReactive DyesClaire Benn

STUDY BOOK

Exploring Fiber Reactive Dyes Workshop Companion Study Guide

WRITTEN BY

Claire Benn

FILM & EDITING BY

Andrew Galli

1Exploring Fiber Reactive Dyes • Study Guide ©2017 Claire Benn for Studio Galli Productions

Table of Contents Introduction: Using the Study Guide and Quick Sheets 1 --------------Key Umbrella Terms 3 -----------------------------------------------------Cloth and its Preparation 5 ------------------------------------------------Overview of Ingredients related to Fiber Reactive Dyes 9 --------------Understanding the Ingredients 10 ----------------------------------------Immersion Dyeing with Fiber Reactive Dyes 15 -------------------------Tray Dyeing for Texture 19 -------------------------------------------------Bucket Basics: Dyeing a Serial Gradation 22 ----------------------------Immersion Dyeing in the Washing Machine 26 --------------------------Batching Recap 31 ---------------------------------------------------------Rinsing Immersion Dyed Cloth 32 ----------------------------------------Troubleshooting for Immersion Dyeing 34 -------------------------------Benchwork: Using Fiber Reactive Dyes as Paints 36 -------------------Chemical Water & Print Paste 38 -----------------------------------------Making Dye Paints 40 ------------------------------------------------------Fiber Reactive Dyes as Paints 42 ----------------------------------------Altering the Value and/or Consistency of Dye Paints 43 ---------------Applying Dye Paints to Cloth 44 ------------------------------------------Rinsing Surface Design Cloth 48 -----------------------------------------Deliberate Back-Staining 51 ----------------------------------------------Troubleshooting for Surface Design 52 ----------------------------------An Introduction to Color 55 -----------------------------------------------Mixing Complex Colors 58 ------------------------------------------------Some Color Recipes 61 ---------------------------------------------------Layering Multiple Processes 63 -------------------------------------------Working with Thickened Dye Paints: 10 Learning Projects 65 ---------Color Mixing Guidelines 74 ------------------------------------------------Gray Matters (Recipes from Video) 81 -----------------------------------Mark-Making on Cloth: Suggested Exercises 83 -----------------------Further Watching and Reading 92 ----------------------------------------Resources and Suppliers 93----------------------------------------------

2Exploring Fiber Reactive Dyes • Workbook ©2017 Claire Benn for Studio Galli Productions

Introduction: Using the Study Guide and Quick Sheets

This Study Guide is designed to accompany the DVD and online workshop, Exploring Fiber Reactive Dyes. You may wish to have it handy first while you are viewing the video tutorial workshops, and then again in your studio for easy reference. It is included as a digital PDF (eBook) with the online edition and DVD, and is available in print form from Galli Publishing and your DVD dealer.

The Workbook provides the key information on the ingredients for using fiber reactive dyes, along with recipes for immersion work (the bucket) or for using the dyes as paints (bench work). We hope that with the information and guidance we’ve provided, you’ll be encouraged and inspired to either start your journey with fiber reactive dyes, or develop your existing practice. Our goal is to focus is on technical elements that will improve both the quality of your work as well as the pleasure of working with Fiber Reactive Dyes.

In addition to this Study Guide are a set of Quick Sheets. Think of the Quick Sheets as a ‘lite’ version of the Study Guide, with the most essential information provided. They are shipped in sheet protectors with the Study Guide when you order the bonus print version. They can be laminated for ultimate protection, or put into a ring binder and kept handy with the Study Guide.

Whether your are working in your kitchen with plastic sheets over the table or in a studio dedicated to your craft, the process is absolutely the same. (Claire began her career in cloth without a studio, and sometimes this meant waiting for sunny days in order to work in the garden, or covering the mud room in drop cloths!)

The more you do at home — the more you play and experiment, the more you observe, the more you engage with the process as it happens — the more you’ll learn. We encourage you to explore, experiment and make the medium and the techniques your own.

As you work, try to manage your expectations as to the outcome of each piece. Mastery requires practice and even masters don’t get it right all of the time! Experimentation, mistakes and accidents are an important part of the creative process. If things do go wrong, try to extract the learning to be had from the ‘disaster’; it will help you to avoid it next time… or even do it deliberately! Remember that great-looking cloth can take several processes to get there – probably a minimum of three ‘hits’ with a more realistic number being five to seven.

As well, “one man’s meat is another man’s poison”. Someone may love what you abhor so consider giving pieces away, swap or trade them or sell them as yardage or fat quarters for quilting and embroidery.


If you do find yourself wanting to delve deeper into any individual process shown, there are many resources out there to hep you, such as:

Do you have to do anything with your cloth?

Not if you don’t want to. For some, working with cloth – wet or dry – is both the journey and the destination. The pleasure and satisfaction of simply creating is enough. For others, using the cloth is important… and one of the joys of cloth as a creative medium is its flexibility. Quilts, clothing, embroidery, stitched textiles, home furnishings, accessories, sculpture, dolls, art cloth and even jewelry are potential end uses for your endeavors.

There can be a lot of mystery surrounding the use of Fiber Reactive dyes and the whole dyeing process itself but in truth, you don’t need to be a rocket scientist to get great results.

If you can learn the function or role of the different ingredients it will help you to make sense of the process, develop an intuitive and enquiring approach, and give you the confidence to achieve the colors and textures you want.

The information in this workbook isn’t ‘best practice’, it’s my practice. It represents my preferences and reflects the environment I work in. Environment and weather conditions (e.g. humid vs dry) have a great impact on how you mix and use the media, so do pay attention to the technical information as it’ll help you to understand the purpose of each ingredient when it’s time to make adjustments to suit your environment and practice.

We urge you to follow the recipe and methodology as you observe in the workshop until you feel confident with your results. Once that is done, don’t be afraid to start making your own adjustments! In doing so, you will make the media and cloth your own.

Whatever you do, be curious, be bold, be fearless, be adventurous, cut loose and push things to the limit of ‘what if…’. This is your cloth, your journey, your creative way.

Above all, relax, breathe and enjoy it!

From Committed to Cloth From Other Artists

• Breakdown Printing • Tray Dyeing • Finding Your Own Visual Language • Paper & Metal Leaf Lamination • Screen Printing • Making your Mark

• Jane Dunnewold: Complex Cloth • Ann Johnson: Color by Accident and

Color by Design • Ruth Issett: Color on Paper & Fabric


Key Umbrella Terms

You’ll find there’s some common terminology out there in the dyeing world such as ‘immersion’, ‘direct application’, and ‘surface design'. Let’s take a look at these terms:

High Water Immersion — Minimal to Solid Color High Water Immersion means simply that: loads of water. A few examples are dyes in a bucket or washing machine with a lot of water swishing and loads of movement and agitation. The dye swirls around in the solution and finds its way in to the fibers on its own; it’s not being applied directly on to the surface of the cloth.

If the vat isn’t stirred or agitated regularly, the cloth will have some texture to it as the dye molecules will pool and the color will strike darker where there’s more dye. It’s agitation that distributes the dye particles evenly across the cloth, not just the amount of water. Many people who seek a flat or solid color will add a small amount of Urea to the dye bath (to make the bath wetter) and a drop of rinsing agent which acts as an additional surfactant or dye dispersant. For a fail-safe smooth finish of color, the washing machine is the way to go.

For those seeking little or no texture, it’s important that the Sodium Carbonate (Soda Ash, the fixative for the dyes) isn’t added to the dye bath immediately. That way, with plenty of agitation, the dye particles will be distributed across the cloth before they have a chance to ‘strike’ or fix. Once this distribution has happened, the appropriate amount of dissolved soda ash can be added to the dye bath/washing machine to fix the dye, followed by more agitation at regular intervals.

Low Water Immersion — Less Texture It is possible to achieve a smooth or even finish of color (e.g. little or no texture) with Low Water Immersion, but there’s a lot less water involved. To minimize texture, add Urea as a wetting agent (strange to think that water can be made wetter, but that’s what Urea does). It also helps to add a drop of specialist rinsing agent to the vat. These wetting and rinsing agents, combined with LOTS of agitation to regularly distribute the dyes around the cloth, will achieve a smooth finish with minimal texture. All of us are probably concerned about water usage at some point, whether by desire or necessity, so Low Water Immersion may be the way to go.


Low Water Immersion — More Texture When looking for a varied amount of texture in your cloth, Low Water Immersion will do the trick. You can achieve a little to a lot depending on how much dye liquid and poking and prodding is involved. In both cases, the cloth is first pre-treated with a soda soak to ensure that the ‘strike’ happens as soon as the dye hits the cloth.

For a little texture, add slightly more dye liquid (and some poking and prodding). For a lot of texture, add less dye liquid (and very little poking and prodding). The dyes are then generally applied with a turkey baster or squeeze bottle, directly on to the packed cloth in the bottom of a bucket or tray. The amount of texture you get depends on how much pressing down, poking and prodding you do before applying the dyes. As the dyes seep in and around the packed cloth, things are left to develop in their own way.

Rainbow Dyeing is generally done this way: working in a tray enables you to apply a variety of colors, where you want them. In some ways, because of this ability to put colors where you want them, there’s an element of ‘direct application’ akin to surface design going on. Although you’ll find the ingredients are similar for both approaches, the recipes vary slightly, as the method of application and desired end result are different.

Direct Application — ‘Surface Design’ This approach involves turning the dyes in to paints (liquid or thickened) and applying them directly on to the cloth with whatever tool you want or need to get the result you’re seeking. Depending on the tool used, the dye paint is essentially pushed or laid on to the surface of the cloth – hence the terms Direct Application and Surface Design.

Batching & Curing Batching and Curing are technical terms for the fixing process that goes on between the dye and the soda ash inside the fibers of the cloth. Some people also use the term Strike (e.g., “that struck well”). Details of Batching and Curing are covered in Section 5, “Bucket Basics”, and Section 6, “Benchwork Basics”. Although both fixing processes are the same, the approach and way it happens is different. Here are some key things to keep in mind as you proceed:

• Heat: 15-35°C / 60-85°F Approximate temperature• Time: Min. 4 hours (most striking in the first 30-60 mins.) Dye molecules strike at a

different rate, reds strike faster than blues, etc.• Moisture: It's a wet process, and we need to keep things moist. In a bucket it’s

find, but when working on a bench, we need to make sure the paints don't dry out too fast. More about that in Section 6, “Benchwork Basics”.


Cloth and its Preparation

Every type of cloth is different; some have fine fibers and others have heavy/thick fibers. Some are tightly woven while others have a loose weave structure. Let’s take a brief look at Cloth and its Preparation.

Types of Cloth Fiber Reactive Dyes are formatted for use with natural fibers such as cotton, linen, hemp, silk and viscose/rayon. They will not work on synthetic fibers such as nylon or polyester, nor are they effective with wool (even though wool is a natural fiber). Be aware that cellulose fibers will take a dye color at a different speed than silk, and therefore, identical dye baths – one for cellulose, one for protein – will yield different results.

How large that difference is depends on the colors used. The general recommendation is to avoid dyeing cellulose and protein (silk) cloth in the same dye bath. Silk tends to be a bit of a dye glutton, holding onto dye particles faster than cellulose fibers (particularly red dyes), so if both types of cloth are dyed in the same dye bath, you won’t get a true read on either. You may wish to experiment to observe this for yourself.

Weight & Weave of Cloth Fine vs. thick fibers: Here we’re discussing the weight of the cloth: two identically sized

pieces of cloth will weigh different amounts, depending on the thickness of the fibers they’re woven from. As such, a meter/yard of medium-weight linen will weigh more than a meter/yard of standard cotton (such as cotton used for quilt-making).

All of the recipes provided in this workbook are to a ‘standard’ or medium weight of cotton (e.g. Pimatex, Kona, Cotton sateen or similar) or a light-to-medium weight of linen, or a medium weight of silk. If you’re using heavier or lighter weights of fabric, do some experimenting — increasing or decreasing the amount of dye accordingly.

Weave structure: With a tightly woven fabric the dyes have to work harder to get inside the fibers. With a loosely woven one, it’s easier for the dye to penetrate. Imagine different types of garden fencing: an open ‘airy’ trellis will allow the elements through easily, whereas a densely woven one will make it harder for the wind and rain to penetrate. It’s the same with a weave structure. So, with tightly woven fabrics such as silk-cotton or cotton sateen, if you’re immersion dyeing for a smooth finish (as in little or no texture), really mash them about and squeeze the fiber to encourage good penetration. Similarly, when using direct surface application techniques with thickened dye paints, acknowledge that loose, uneven or ‘bobbly’ fabrics (such as raw silk, silk noil and some linens) will not necessarily generate such crisp marks as can be achieved on smooth, tightly woven cloth.


Fraying will also occur more easily on loosely woven cloth. If this bothers you, then either cut the cloth with pinking shears, or serge the cut edges to prevent fraying.

The Fiber Car Park Textile Artist Jane Dunnewold suggests imagining cloth as “a car park capable of holding a finite number of cars” and each dye molecule one of the parked cars. When the car park has reached its full capacity, no more cars (dye molecules) will be able to get in (and the fiber will be fully saturated). As soon as the dye comes into contact with Sodium Carbonate, a chemical reaction starts to take place; both elements come together and ‘fix’ or strike inside the fiber of the cloth. Any left-over dye will not have anywhere to go. And different types of fibers hold different amounts of dye: a fine fiber will hold less dye and saturate more quickly, a thick fiber will hold more dye and take longer to saturate. This is true whether you’re working in the bucket or with dye paints on the workbench. So, a fine Silk Pongee/Habotai is a smaller car park than, say, a heavy cotton velveteen fabric, and less dye will be needed to fill up the fine silk than the heavy cotton.

As you work with dyes and different fabrics, it’s always worth experimenting and making notes on the differences in dye strikes and colors. In this manner, you’ll be able to prepare dye baths and dye paints that are right for the cloth and the color saturation you’re looking for. You will go farther with less wasted dye because your recipes will be based upon the Fiber Car Park principal.

Scouring the Cloth While some cloth is supplied ‘PFD’ (meaning it’s Prepared For Dyeing), others may not be, particularly if bought from high street retailers, market stalls or in exotic countries such as India. It’s vital that any fabric you use is pre-washed to remove size as it can prevent the dyes from penetrating the fibers. The technical term for this is ‘scouring’.

Two ingredients are necessary for effective scouring: Sodium Carbonate (commonly known as Soda Ash, which acts as an abrasive) and a rinsing agent. A note about these two ingredients:

Sodium Carbonate: wear a particle mask when weighing/measuring out soda ash, and wear gloves when dissolving it. The dry, fine particles are hazardous if inhaled and repeated exposure on your skin from dissolved soda ash will sooner or later result in an allergy and skin problems. Soda Ash doesn’t like being dissolved in hot water, so start by putting the required amount in a mixing beaker and add enough tepid water from the tap to get it dissolving.

Rinsing agents: you can choose to use specialist products such as Synthrapol or Metapex 38 which are designed to (a) assist in the removal of size and (b) trap excess dye particles when rinsing cloth after dye processes. They are also pH neutral, which is a positive thing.


If you don’t have access to these products, then try using a detergent designed for delicate fibers or wool, as this can contain similar chemicals. Whichever you use, all tend to generate lots of foam, so avoid over-doing things – even with ‘low foam’ products!

From this point on, I’ll use the term ‘rinsing agent’, regardless of which type you might be using.

How much can I scour at one time? Don’t over-fill your machine – you want to leave room for the cloth to move freely. Consider loading about 4 yards/meters of a selvedge width of 60”/1.5m, or no more than 6 yards/meters of a selvedge width of 40”/1m.

Which wash cycle, what temperature and how much soda ash?

Choose a ‘full wash’ cycle for scouring, not a ‘quick wash’.‣ Full throttle at 90°C with 200ml dry measure of soda ash, dissolved in 2L of warm-to-hot

water (not cold or boiling): this recipe is suitable for heavy fabrics such as linen, hemp, cotton canvas or even a medium-weight muslin, as the heat will really help these tough fibers to let go of their sizing. Shrinkage will occur at the same time, which can be useful.

‣ Hot 60°C / 140°F with 150ml dry measure of soda ash dissolved in 1 liter of warm to hot water (not cold or boiling): suitable for ‘normal’ types of cotton fabric (e.g. Pimatex, Kona cotton, cotton sateen etc.), or lighter weight of linen. Some shrinkage will occur.

‣ Warm 40°C / 104°F with 50ml dry measure (3tbsp) of soda ash dissolved in warm water; silk doesn’t like alkaline conditions and can have its molecular structure changed at hot temperatures; setting permanent creases or stiffening up. As such, a 40°C / 104°F wash should be suitable for most silks.

Top Loader vs Front Loader Machines?

The method is different for each one. And these days, manufacturers are designing washing machines that run longer cycles, at cooler temperatures and with less water. Here’s some advice is for different machines and if your machine doesn’t have a ‘high water level’ button, then add water as instructed below. If it does, then press that button!

Front Loaders: • Choose your cycle and pre-dissolve sufficient soda ash according to the type of fabric.• Load the fabric into the machine.• Start the cycle and let the fabric get wet.• Put no more than 1tsp of rinsing agent into the dispensing drawer.• Pour the soda ash through the dispensing drawer (it will take the rinsing agent with it, into

the machine.


• To top up potentially low water levels, pour between 2 to 4 liters of warm-to-hot water (as appropriate to what type of fabric your scouring) through the detergent drawer.

• When the cycle has finished, dry the cloth.

Top Loaders:• If you know your machine runs at low water levels, add between 2 to 4 liters of warm-to-

hot water as appropriate to what type of fabric your scouring.• Add no more than 1 tsp of rinsing agent and the dissolved soda solution to the water in

the machine.• Add the fabric.• Run the cycle then dry the cloth.

And that’s it! The first stage of cloth preparation is done and doesn’t need to be repeated. Please remember:

Scouring with soda ash IS NOT the same as soda-soaking your cloth in advance of dye work. The scouring process simply uses soda ash to remove size from the cloth, but it gets washed out when the rinse element of the cycle occur. You cannot soda soak fabric in a washing machine.


Overview of Ingredients related to Fiber Reactive Dyes

Ingredient Task Immersion DyeingDyes as Paints

(Surface Design)

WATER Suspension agent

High water + agitation gives flatter finish.Low water + little agitation gives a textured finish with value variations of color

Used to suspend the ingredients when making dye paints

Fiber Reactive DYE Coloring agent Always needed! Amounts vary

according to color depth sought.

Always needed: I make a standard strength of paint and teach you how to reduce the value of color

SODIUM CARBONATE (SODA ASH)

Fixative for Fiber Reactive dyes

Always needed.If flatter finish is sought, soda is added 30 minutes after immersion.If texture sought, soda ash is added to dye bath immediately or put in the cloth in advance.

Always needed.I prefer to put the soda in the cloth and not the dyes as once soda ash is in a dye paint the chemical bonding starts, and the dyes must be used within 4 hours.

SALT Fiber relaxantHighly recommended as it will help your dyes be efficient in terms of penetrating the fibers.

Not needed as you’ll be physically pushing the dye into the cloth, e.g. screen printing or painting.

CALGONWater softener, helps colors to stay bright.

Rarely needed for immersion techniques Use it if you have hard water.

RESIST SALT ‘L’

(Also known as Ludigol)

Anti-oxidant, deals with pollutants in air and/or water and helps keep colors bright.

Rarely needed for immersion techniques.

If the water is drinkable, it’s not needed. If there’s air pollution, then use it.

UREASurfactant: a hydroscopic wetting agent.

Helps dye molecules travel more easily in an immersion bath so recommended when less texture is sought, but a higher water level and agitation will also be needed!

A key ingredient for ‘Chemical Water (the basis of all dye paints). Its job is to prevent dye paints drying out to quickly or too much once applied to the cloth. The amount needed will vary on humidity levels.

SODIUM ALGINATE

A thickening agent for dye paints. Not applicable

Added to Chemical Water to create Print Paste, which is the base for thickened dye paints.


Understanding the Ingredients

The Role of Water Water (moisture) is a key ingredient in the dyeing process. The two key things to bear in mind are the volume and the temperature.

Water Volumes: The volume or amount of water used in the dye bath/tray will help to determine the texture of the dyed cloth. A lot of water (high-water immersion) combined with a great deal of stirring helps to achieve a smooth, even finish. However, you can achieve fairly flat/solid colors with less water by adding Urea to the dye bath, and adding the soda 30 minutes into the dyeing process. Low-water immersion and ‘tray’ dyeing generate a more textured result as less water is used and no Urea. The dyes are directly applied on to the surface of the cloth and there’s no stirring (you can meddle a little, but more on this later).

Water Temperature: Although fiber reactive dyes are labeled as Cold Water dyes, this just means they don’t need to reach a boiling temperature to fix. The term Cold Water is used to differentiate them from other dyes such as Direct Dyes and Acid Dyes, which need a much higher temperature. Fiber reactive dyes actually prefer water temperatures between 50-85°C / 122-185°F, so the term “cold water” isn’t exactly accurate. More like “really warm water”. Heat helps the fibers of the cloth stay relaxed, speeds up the absorption of the dye into the fibers and reduces the fixing/setting time. The result? Greater take-up of dyes and less waste. However, don’t use boiling or very hot water as if the temperature is too high it may split mixed colors. That said, there’s no need to get the thermometer out! As a general rule of thumb, if the water is steaming or feels uncomfortably hot through your gloved hands, it’s too hot. Let it cool down a bit or add a little cold water and feel it through a glove again before using it.

When the dyes are used as paints for surface design processes, heating occurs during the batching process. When working with Low or High Water Immersion Dyeing, heat is generated in the dye bath (60°C / 140°F is the optimum temperature).

Room Temperature: Quilt Artist Jette Clover noticed a marked difference in the depth of color she was getting in her hand-dyed cloth once she moved from Northern Europe to Florida. She puts this down to the significant increase in ambient air temperature – her dye baths stayed warm and as such, generated a better strike. So, if you’ve been using cold water from the tap to mix your dyes you should notice a much better result once you switch to using warm-to-hot water.


The Role of Fiber Reactive Dyes The fiber reactive dyes are your coloring agents (sorry to be obvious!). The term ‘fiber reactive’ means that when used in conjunction with Soda Ash, a chemical reaction takes place inside the fibers of the cloth, ‘fixing’ the dyes into those fibers. You’ll also hear the term ‘strike’ as well as ‘fix’. The dyes are dangerous to our health in their dry/powder state so wear a good quality particulate mask rated for chemicals or fine powders when handling dye in its powdered (non-liquid) form. Equally, wear gloves when handling the dyes. If they get on your skin, don’t use bleach to remove them! Instead, use a hand cleaner designed for dyes and stains (such as Reduran) to get the worst of it off - the remaining stains will fade after a couple of days.

Once mixed as a warm/hot solution with salt, fiber reactive dyes can be stored for a limited period of about 3 days. If the solution has Soda Ash added to it, the shelf life is between 1-4 hours. Be aware that if you use an old (no soda) dye solution it will have “gone cold” and the dyes will be ‘sluggish’ and not strike as effectively. If this is the case, consider one of two options:

1. Use them cold and accept that the strike may not be as good due to the dyes being ‘sluggish’

2. Warm them up by adding hot water and accept you’re diluting the strength of the mixture if using them in a tray (low-water immersion). For higher water immersion dye baths, add more hot water and agitate.

Purchasing Fiber Reactive Dyes The dealers who supply this workbook in theory all sell very good quality products, and as such, you should feel comfortable buying dyes from all of them. It may be a good idea to source a small batch of dye from several dealers as each one will have slightly different results. In terms of color range we recommend two sets of basic primaries: 3 “colds” and 3 “warm”. Black and Dark Brown are included as colors in their own right and can help you generate ‘murky/complex’ colors as well as darken or enrich the primaries.

Let’s have a look at the chart below:

Warm Primaries Cold Primaries

Scarlet RedRoyal Blue

Golden Yellow

Magenta Red Bright Turquoise

Acid Lemon Yellow

Good ‘Mixers’/’Murking’ Colors are; Black and Dark Brown


Feel free to invest in a larger color range - I do! My two ‘extras’ include:

Rust Orange: an easy color to mix yourself but I like to have my supplier’s version straight from the pot as I know that…

Red-Brown: does lovely things to Rust Orange and yellow

Dye Quantities & Striking Characteristics How much dye to use is a tricky subject, mainly because it’s subjective. It’s also important to really note how each dye color has its own peculiarities: some large and fast, some small and slow:

⇨ Magenta and Scarlet are the ‘hares’ and ‘bullies’ in the race to occupy fiber space and as such, some dyers mix them a fraction weaker – ‘skinny’ measures.

⇨ Acid Lemon and Golden Yellow are pretty quick to strike but they’re easily bullied out of their true nature by all of the other colors. As such, some dyers mix yellows a fraction stronger: ‘plump’ measures.

⇨ Blues and Blacks can be slow to strike and grab their space in the fiber (the tortoises) but they do get there. Turquoise can be particularly lazy so it’s fairly common for ‘plump measures’ to be used.

I’ll be more specific about dye quantities when we get to specific recipes but ultimately, you’ll be deciding on quantities in accordance to the saturation or depth of color/value you’re seeking.

The Role of Soda Ash/Sodium CarbonateAs well as being a scouring chemical, Soda Ash or Sodium Carbonate is the fixative that drives a chemical reaction with the dyes, inside the fiber of the cloth. If soda ash is added to the dye solution it has an active life of about 1 to 4 hours and cannot be stored for later use. For direct application or surface design techniques, a cost-effective method is to put the soda ash into the cloth rather than putting it into the dye solution. As such it’s a good idea to mix a stock solution of soda ash and keep it in a lidded bucket. It doesn’t go off and as long as it’s kept covered it won’t evaporate.

Wear a particle mask when measuring soda ash as the dry fine particles are hazardous if inhaled. Wear gloves when dissolving and using it to stop it getting on your skin. Soda Ash doesn’t like being dissolved in hot water, so start by putting the required amount of soda ash in a bucket and add enough tepid water from the tap to get it dissolving. Then, top up with the required amount of either hot or cold water. The quantity of soda ash increases if large amounts of dye are used but the basic recipe is:


For a soda vat for pre-soaking cloth for surface design or tray dyeing techniques: • 50ml dry measure or 3 generous tablespoons of soda per liter of water. • I always keep a lidded tub of soda solution to hand, dissolving 500ml of soda ash into 10

liters of warm water. A 5 liter stock bucket may be sufficient for your needs and if so, you’ll dissolve 250ml of soda ash into 5 liters of water.

For adding to an immersion vat: The amount of soda ash needed for an immersion vat will depend on the amount of dye in it. A fail-safe guideline is:

⇨ 1 tablespoon of soda ash per 1 teaspoon of dye used, pre-dissolved in warm water.⇨ BUT, never use less than 3 tablespoons, even when using very small quantities.

The Role of Salt I choose to use salt when immersion/tray dyeing as it makes the dye solution more efficient as it helps the fibers of the cloth to relax, and encourages/speeds up the penetration of the dye into the fibers. There are two things to remember when calculating salt;

‣ the amount of salt in the dye solution is proportionate to the amount of dye you’re using. You’ll use more dye for stronger, more saturated color and therefore more salt in the dye solution.

‣ salt amounts are not proportionate to the amount/volume of water (more on water levels in a minute).

‣ Specific guidance on salt quantities are given in Section 5 (Bucket Basics), but as a general rule, use between 75-100ml of salt per teaspoon of dye used.

I’ve tested dyeing with and without salt and in my mind there’s no question that salt makes a difference to getting a good result. As salt is cheaper than dye, I choose to use it.

Wtare Softener (e.g. Calgon) Calgon is a brand of water softener, generally available at the supermarket or hardware stores. In the U.K., I can buy it as a powder or a liquid gel, which doesn’t need to be dissolved. If you have hard water, adding Calgon or similar will help to keep the colors bright. I don’t need to use it when immersion dyeing, but I do use it in my Chemical Water for dye paints.

Anti-Oxidant: Resist Salt L Also known as Ludigol (liquid) and Metaphos (flakes), this chemical acts as an anti-oxidant and prevents pollutants in the air or water from dulling the dyes. If you’re water is potable/drinkable (be it through the tap from the mains supply or from a spring on your property), you probably don’t need to use it when immersion dyeing. However, if you’re working in a very


urban, and potentially air-polluted environment, consider using it; very little is needed and it’s not pricey.

The Role of Urea Urea is a ‘hydroscopic’ or wetting agent, which means it constantly attracts moisture to itself from the atmosphere. Its role is to keep things wet and prevent fast drying in direct application techniques.

Urea is generally used:

‣ In Chemical Water, which is the basis for liquid and thickened dyes that are destined to applied directly to the surface of the cloth.

‣ In high or low water Immersion vats where solid color or very little texture is sought

So, these are the key ingredients – and the roles they play. I’ll move on to provide recipes but before I do, it’s worth noting that writing recipes is always a tricky subject - whether it’s for dye solutions, French Dressing or Bolognese sauce! How much dye to use is very subjective - what I might classify as a pale color could be very different to what you classify as a pale color! Neither do I weigh my cloth to decide on dye quantities, preferring to make decisions based on:

‣ the type of cloth I’m using, e.g. fine silk vs heavy linen‣ the weave structure (tightly or loosely woven)‣ the amount (yardage) of cloth I’m using e.g. a quarter meter or 3 meters‣ the strength or depth of color I want

I’m precise when I feel it’s important and at other times, ‘approximates’ are good enough. As you use the dyes you’ll discover their characteristics and develop your preferred measures.

Again, let me reiterate that these recipes don’t represent ‘best’ practice, only my practice, which I use in my own studio and when teaching. They aren’t written in stone and it’s important that you feel free to adapt them and make them your own.


Immersion Dyeing with Fiber Reactive Dyes

Bucket Basics: Three Methods Here we examine three different methods of immersion dyeing:

1. High water immersion for a smooth finish2. Low water immersion for a smooth finish3. Low Water immersion for some texture

For each approach you’ll need some or all of the following ingredients:, and advice on quantities are shown in the table (below).

• Water at 60°C / 140°F• Dyes• Sodium Carbonate/Soda Ash• Salt (normal household)• Urea • A rinsing agent• Water Softener if you know you’re water is very hard

Fabric weights vary greatly. For example, 1 tsp dye used with silk organza or cotton lawn will produce a deeper color than if used with 1m of linen. As such, I’ve needed to generalize the recipe and the amounts shown in each row are:

• Sufficient for 1 meter of standard-weight cotton.• For silk, use a little less dye (skimpy measure) as it’s hungrier than cellulose. • For a pieced quilt, estimate the yardage and then double it to allow for the seams and the

wadding/batting. If you want really dark color, treble the yardage estimate.

Sufficient for 1 meter of Standard-weight Cotton:

Dye Powder

Salt Solution (pre-dissolved in boiling water and

used hot)

Urea (pre-dissolve & only use when

seeking a smooth finish)

Rinsing Agent (only use when

seeking a smooth finish)

Soda Ash (pre-dissolved in as little warm water as

possible)

3 tsp 225-300ml 3 tbsp Quarter teaspoon 3 tbsp

1 tsp 75-100ml 3 tbsp A few drops 3 tbsp

¼ tsp 30-50ml 3 tbsp A few drops 3 tbsp


Let’s now look at what you need to do for each approach.

High Water Immersion for even, smooth color Assess your yardage and use the chart to calculate your quantities. Add the following into your bucket:

Dye (pre-dissolved in the warm Urea water)Salt Solution (pre-dissolved & hot)Rinsing Agent60°C / 140°F (140°F) Hot Water (nearby to top up the level of the vat if needed)

1. Add your fabric and agitate for at least 2 to 3 minutes.2. Leave it to stand for 30 minutes, stirring twice during this interim.3. Top up the dissolved soda ash with hot water and add it to the vat when the 30 minute

interim is up: pull the fabric to one side of the bucket before adding the soda ash, then agitate for at least 3 to 5 minutes.

4. Leave for at least 4 hours; try to get back to the dye bath and agitate at least a couple of times during the first 45 minutes, as a great deal of the chemical reaction between dye and soda ash happens during this period.

5. If leaving overnight, make sure all of the fabric is below the surface of the vat; if necessary, place a piece of plastic over the surface of the liquid, push down, and use a plate as a weight.

6. Drain off the dye solution (which will be fairly exhausted), transfer the fabric to a washing machine and wash twice at 60°C / 140°F for cellulose fibers or 40°C / 104°F for silk fibers. Washing or rinsing in hot water will encourage any un-activated dye to continue to strike in the fabric, which is just fine as your seeking a smooth finish. If you’ve used strong dye solutions to achieve darker colors, then consider washing for a third time in the machine.

Low Water Immersion for a smooth(ish) finishAssess your yardage and use the chart to calculate your quantities. Add the following into your bucket:

• The dye, pre-dissolved in the warm Urea water • The pre-dissolved, hot Salt solution,• The Rinsing Agent • Some 60°C / 140°F hot water if the level of the dye bath needs to be raised just a little.

1. Place your fabric in a container large enough to easily accommodate and agitate it.2. Either:

⇨ Add the hot salt solution to the dissolved dye/urea/rinsing agent solution and pour this over the fabric or..,


⇨ Pour in the salt solution and agitate to distribute it evenly, and then add the dye/urea/rinsing agent solution.

3. Either way, agitate very well for 2 to 5 minutes, making an effort to ensure that the fabric is evenly saturated.

4. Leave it to stand for 30 minutes, stirring twice during this interim.5. Top up the dissolved soda ash with hot water and add it to the dye bath when the 30

minute interim is up: pull the fabric to one side of the bucket before adding the soda ash, then agitate for at least 3 to 5 minutes.

6. Place a piece of fabric on top of the surface and push it down, before weighting it with a plate or similar.

7. Leave for at least 4 hours; try to get back to the dye bath and agitate at least a couple of times during the first 45 minutes, as a great deal of the chemical reaction between dye and soda ash happens during this period.

8. Drain off the dye solution (which will be fairly exhausted), transfer the fabric to a washing machine and wash twice at 60°C / 140°F for cellulose fibers or 40°C / 104°F for silk fibers. Washing or rinsing in hot water will encourage any un-activated dye to continue to strike in the fabric, which is just fine as your seeking a smooth finish. If you’ve used strong dye solutions to achieve darker colors, then consider washing for a third time in the machine.

Low Water Immersion for Texture1. Assess your yardage and decide on the strength of color you want, which will determine

the quantities you’ll use of the different ingredients.2. Place the fabric into the container you’re using; arrange it nicely.3. Pre-dissolve the required amount of soda ash in warm water and pour this over the fabric,

agitate well and then arrange the fabric as you wish, compacting it down.4. Now mix your dye in a little warm water, and top up with the pre-dissolved, hot salt

solution.5. Pour the dye-and-salt solution over the soda-soaked fabric in the container.6. Check the level of the dye bath; the solution should come about two-thirds up the

compacted fabric. If not, add some 60°C / 140°F water until it does, and press down.7. If you meddle, poke, prod or squish you’ll drive looser or less texture. The less you

meddle, the more texture you’ll get.8. Place a piece of plastic on top of the fabric, press down and weight.9. Leave for 4 hours or overnight.10. Drain off the dye solution – which will be fairly exhausted.11. Give the fabric a couple of quick hand rinses in a cold water to get rid of most of any

active dye left, and using a ‘quick wash’ setting, rinse in the washing machine with cold water.

12. Finally, wash in the machine at 60°C / 140°F for cellulose or 40°C / 104°F for silk. Rinsing twice will ensure any un-exhausted dye particles are removed from the cloth. If you’ve dyed using strong dye solutions, consider rinsing a third time in the machine.


A Note on Achieving Deep Colors It’s easier and more dye-effective to achieve deep, rich colors – or high saturation – in your cloth by dyeing the cloth multiple times. When Nancy Crow is dyeing her solids, she dyes the fabric three times to achieve the depth or saturation of color she wants.

While this may seem time consuming, it’s actually much more effective than trying to do it one dyeing session.


Tray Dyeing for Texture

As we’ve seen, there are many ways to dye cloth to get textural marks but tray-dyeing is one of the simplest ways to get specific texture. We’ve provided a ‘Tray Dyeing taster’ on this workshop, but the Committed to Cloth book ‘Tray Dyeing; exploring color, texture and special effects’, goes into more detail.

Start by choosing a tray size appropriate to the size of the fabric you’re going to manipulate and dye. It’s a bit difficult to say how much cloth you can get into a particular size of tray but generally speaking;

• For lots of texture, think lots of compaction – the cloth needs to fit very, very snugly in the tray. Leslie Morgan of Committed to Cloth and Jo Lovelock (Alter Ego) manage to get 5 to 9 meters of fabric into a 3’x3’ seed tray (more than enough for a queen-sized quilt-back), and over 1 meter of a medium-weight cloth into a small ‘kitten litter’ tray.

• For less crisp, defined marks think less or looser compaction. The fabric is still arranged ‘artfully’ but across a larger surface area. So, instead of compacting 5-9 meters of fabric into a 3’x3’ seed tray, you might only arrange 3 meters, spreading it out across the tray.

Getting the Soda Solution into the Cloth Tray-dyeing works best when the fabric has been soaked in soda and used wet. Dry fabrics tend to resist compaction and try to spring back up. Getting the soda ash solution on to the cloth in advance also means it will be wet and relaxed before the dye solution is added. This means that as soon as the dye hits the cloth, it’ll work its way around the ‘hills’ and down through the ‘valleys’ and start to strike immediately.

Remember that the basic recipe for your soda ash ‘soak bucket’ is 3 generous tablespoons of soda ash per liter of water.

To pre-soak the fabric in soda ash:

• Make a tub of soda ash solution sufficient for your needs.• Place your cloth into the soda ash and mash it about to make sure you’re getting good

saturation.• Leave it for between 10-20 minutes.• Lift out the cloth and squeeze out the excess soda (wear gloves) before arranging it in the

tray.


For tray-dyeing I alter the dye recipe a little, but the quantities shown are still suitable for 1m of ‘standard’ cotton. If you use silk, consider reducing the dye quantity a little.

• You can of course make smaller quantities than those shown above; just pro-rata the recipe down. To mix the dyes:

• Take a 1 liter container and add about 100ml of warm water to it.• Measure out the chosen quantity of dye powder and stir well to fully dissolve.• Add the hot salt solution and top up to 1L with warm water if necessary. Stir well.

Applying the Dyes You’ve now got your dyes ready and the cloth has been soda-soaked and arranged in your tray. I now suggest you either:

• Transfer the dyes to a squeeze bottle (my preference, as they’re more manageable and left-overs are easily stored)

• Use a turkey baster to apply the dyes• Apply them using a jug that doesn’t dribble.

There are two basic techniques when it comes to applying the dye(s);

1. On top/through the surface; this technique involves ‘basting’ or squirting the dye mixture fairly evenly over the top of the manipulated cloth until the whole surface is covered. The aim of this approach is cloth that has very little white left in it, so I always make sure the dye penetrates thoroughly and will usually lightly massage the surface of the cloth; patting/stroking the dye down into the layers. Massaging can be done as you apply the dyes or 15 minutes later.

2. Flooding; this technique involves pouring the dye into an empty area of the tray, or slowly down one corner of the tray. The solution seeps and runs along the bottom of the tray – flooding it. Keep adding dye until the level of dye reaches at least half way up the cloth and tilt the tray to encourage flooding. Color will ‘wick’ up the fabric from the bottom of

Dye AmountSalt Solution

Pre-dissolved in boiling water and used hot.

3 teaspoons of dye (Dark)

225-300ml

1 teaspoon of dye (Medium)

75-100ml

Qtr teaspoon of dye (Light)

30-50ml


the tray. The aim of this approach is to leave plenty of white/un-dyed areas or areas of very pale colors where the dye hasn’t managed to wick up through the compacted cloth. As such, don’t massage or meddle!

Having applied your dye(s, let the tray sit (ideally somewhere warm) for a minimum of 4 hours or longer and then rinse as usual. If you’re working with several trays, you can stack them to save space.

If you have left-over dye solutions, then consider:• Doing more tray dyeing, but perhaps be daring and explorative with color combinations to

aid your learning.• Throw all of the ingredients in a bucket, or the washing machine, add soda ash and dye

some cloth; try to anticipate what color you’ll get.., and see if you were right once the cloth has been rinsed.


Bucket Basics: Dyeing a Serial Gradation

This process is generally easier when creating textured fabric, mainly because you don’t have the opportunity to agitate the cloth much, as you’ll be working 8 vats. I’ve outlined two approaches here:

1. Zip-lock bags for textured cloth (on the video)2. Buckets if seeking a smoother finish.

This recipe/procedure will dye 8 half-meter pieces of cloth in an 8-step gradation.

1] Dyeing a Serial Gradation in Zip-Lock Bags (for more texture)

First we will get our fabrics ready for dyeing, and prepare our table. You may wish to number each piece of cloth with a laundry pen if you think you may not be able to sort out the order of the gradation! Here’s what we need to do before dyeing the fabric:

1. Arrange each piece of cloth in its own zip-lock plastic bag. (It’s easier to pour the dye solution on to the fabric already in the bag, rather than juggle a bag filled with liquid.)

2. Number each zip-lock; 1,2,3 through bag 8. This will help if you get interrupted.3. Prepare 3 liters of salt solution, using 250ml of salt per liter of boiling water and set aside.4. Prepare 4 liters of soda solution by dissolving 6 tablespoons of soda ash in each liter and

set aside. (You’ll use half of this quantity in each bag (500ml), which is the equivalent of 3 tbsp of soda ash per bag.)

5. Dissolve 4 teaspoons of your chosen dye color in a small amount of warm-to-hot water, then top up to 1 liter with hot water. This is your “stock” or source pot of dye.

a. Put half (500ml) of the stockpot dye solution (so that’s the equivalent of 2 teaspoons of dye) into a 1 liter jug, add 500ml of salt solution (equivalent to 125ml of salt, a little ‘short’ but don’t worry), and stir. Pour this into Bag 1 and add 500ml of soda solution. Burp the ziplock to get rid of excess air, then zip it closed and massage the bag for a minute or two.

b. Now top up the stock pot of dye solution to 1 liter by adding 500ml warm water.c. Put half (500ml) of the stockpot dye solution (so that’s the equivalent of 1 teaspoon of

dye) into a 1 liter jug, add 500ml of salt solution and stir (a little ‘heavy’ on the salt this time, but that’s okay). Pour this into Bag 2 and add 500ml soda solution. Burp the ziplock to get rid of excess air, then zip it closed and massage the bag for a minute or two.

d. Now top up the stock pot of dye solution to 1 liter by adding 500ml warm water.e. Put half (500ml) of the stockpot dye solution (so that’s the equivalent of a half teaspoon

of teaspoon of dye) into a 1 liter jug, add 250ml of salt solution and stir. Pour this into


Bag 3 and add 250ml of salt solution. Burp the ziplock to get rid of excess air, then zip it closed and massage the bag for a minute or two.

f. Top up the stock pot of dye solution by adding 500ml warm water.g. Put half (500ml) of the stockpot dye solution (so that’s the equivalent of a quarter

teaspoon of dye) into a 1 liter jug, add 250ml of the salt solution and stir (and don’t go below this amount of salt solution from now on). Pour this into Bag 4 and add 500ml of soda solution. Burp the ziplock to get rid of excess air, then zip it closed and massage the bag for a minute or two.

• Repeat until all 8 bags have been achieved – it may be possible to do more if the solution still seems to have color potential in it.

• You’ll be left with 500ml of dye and 500ml of salt solution – throw it away or dye a separate piece of fabric with it (which you can always over-dye later).

• Now spend 5 to 10 minutes massaging the bags or if you’re happy with plenty of texture, leave them be.

• Line the bags up in a tray (in case of leaks) and leave them somewhere warm for a minimum of 4 hours or overnight, agitating or massaging twice more during the first hour if you’re trying for a smoother finish.

• For rinsing, work in ‘batches’:

➡ Give bags 8, 7, 6 and 5 a couple of quick, cold-water hand rinses. ➡ Throw all four pieces in to the washing machine, set it to a cold ‘quick wash’ and run

the cycle. Set the cloth aside.➡ Give buckets 4, 3, 2 and 1 a couple of quick, cold-water hand rinses. ➡ Throw all four pieces in to the washing machine, set it to a cold ‘quick wash’ and run

the cycle. ➡ Now put all eight pieces back in to the machine and run a wash at 60°C / 140°F.

Dry, iron and arrange in the gradation. That’s it! Or, you can choose to cut each piece of the gradation in half and over-dye them in another color (which you see me do on the video).


2] Dyeing a Serial Gradation in Buckets (smoother finish) When doing the gradation in buckets, you have the opportunity for a smoother finish. If so, then remember to:

• Add 2 tbsp Urea to all of the buckets in advance. • Stir the vats once the fabric is added. • Add the dissolved soda ash 30 minutes after the fabric has been sitting in the vats

and agitate for another 5 minutes.

If you’re seeking texture but simply working in buckets rather than bags, then follow the Bag recipe instead of this one.

1. Number each bucket with a piece of masking tape; 1 through to 8. This can help if you get interrupted.

2. Pre-prepare 3 liters of salt solution, using 250ml of salt per liter of boiling water.3. Pre-prepare 4 liters of soda solution by dissolving 6 tablespoons of soda ash in each

liter; you’ll use half of this quantity in each bucket or bag (500ml), which is the equivalent of 3 tbsp of soda ash per bag.

4. Dissolve 4 teaspoons of your chosen dye color in a small amount of warm-to-hot water, then top up to 1 liter with hot water. This is your “stock” or source pot of dye.

⇨ Then, repeat the following process:

a. Put half (500ml) of the stockpot dye solution (so that’s the equivalent of 2 teaspoons of dye in the solution) into Bucket 1, add 500ml of salt solution (equivalent to 125ml of salt, a little ‘short’ but don’t worry), and stir. Add the fabric and agitate for a minute or two.

b. Now top up the stock pot of dye solution to 1 liter by adding 500ml warm water.c. Put half (500ml) of the stockpot dye solution (so that’s the equivalent of 1 teaspoon of

dye) into Bucket 2, add 500ml of salt solution (equivalent to 125ml of salt, a little extra, but don’t worry), and stir. Add the fabric and agitate for a minute or two.

d. Now top up the stock pot of dye solution to 1 liter by adding 500ml warm water.e. Put half (500ml) of the stockpot dye solution (so that’s the equivalent of a half teaspoon

of dye) into Bucket 3, add 250ml of salt solution and stir. Add the fabric and agitate for a minute or two.

f. Top up the stock pot of dye solution by adding 500ml warm water.g. Put half (500ml) of the stockpot dye solution (so that’s the equivalent of a quarter

teaspoon of dye) into Bucket 4, add 250ml of salt solution and stir. Add the fabric and agitate for a minute or two. Note: continue to use 250ml of salt in Buckets 5 through to 8.

• Repeat until all 8 buckets have been achieved.


• You’ll be left with 500ml of dye – pour it in to Bucket 1 – a bit of extra dye but not enough to change the course of history!

• If seeking a smooth finish, consider adding a little extra hot water to each bucket to raise the water level; it doesn’t have to be much, but can help. And.., agitate the cloth in each bucket for a minute or so.

• Finally, starting with the first bucket, add 500ml of soda solution to each bucket, lifting the fabric to one side as you do so, and agitating.

• Put a piece of plastic on the surface of each dye bath and weight it down to prevent air bubbles.

• Leave them somewhere warm for a minimum of 4 hours or overnight, agitating or massaging twice more during the first hour, if you’re seeking a smoother finish.

• For rinsing, work in ‘batches’:

⇨ Give buckets 8, 7, 6 and 5 a couple of quick, cold-water hand rinses. ⇨ Throw all four pieces in to the washing machine, set it to a cold ‘quick wash’ and run

the cycle. Set the cloth aside.⇨ Give buckets 4, 3, 2 and 1 a couple of quick, cold-water hand rinses. ⇨ Throw all four pieces in to the washing machine, set it to a cold ‘quick wash’ and run

the cycle. ⇨ Now put all eight pieces back in to the machine and run a wash at 60°C / 140°F.

Dry, iron and arrange in the gradation. That’s it…, or you can choose to cut each piece of the gradation in half and over-dye them in another color – which you’ll see me do on the video.

Notes:

• If you wish to dye 1m pieces of cloth – double the dye quantity and increase the soda ash to 6tbsp in Bucket or Bag 1.

• If you wish to dye ‘fat quarters’, halve the recipe but leave the soda quantities constant.


Immersion Dyeing in the Washing Machine

The Easy Approach for a Smooth Finish

DYE QUANTITIES Over the years, I’ve observed that I need to use less dye in the machine to achieve the same saturation of color I’ve achieved in a bucket. I believe (but cannot prove) that this is down to two factors:

• Consistency of heat: the machine provides a more consistent level of heat, and the dyes like this.

• Agitation: the machine agitates far, far more than we would have the time or energy for! The dye particles are constantly being churned around and into the fibers, which helps to generate the smooth finish on the cloth.

As such, the dye quantities specified in the following recipe are lower than for bucket dyeing and are only guidelines. You are the only one who knows the level of saturation or color depth you’re seeking. As such, you must be willing to sample and keep records.

SALT & SODA QUANTITIES

• Salt: use 75-100ml dry measure of salt per teaspoon of dye. Too much salt is better than too little salt. Pre-dissolve it in hot water.

• Soda Ash: use 1 tablespoon of soda ash for each teaspoon of dye used, but NEVER use less than 3 tablespoons of soda ash. So, if dyeing 3 yards/meters of cloth to a dark color, you may need 6 teaspoons (2tbsp) of dye. As such, use 6 tablespoons of soda ash. Again, too much soda ash is better than too little.

Fabric weights vary greatly. For example, 1 tsp dye used with silk organza or cotton lawn will produce a deeper color than if used with 1m of linen. As such, I’ve needed to generalize the recipe and the amounts shown in each row are:

• Sufficient for 1 meter of standard-weight cotton.• For silk, use a little less dye (skimpy measure) as it’s hungrier than cellulose. • For a pieced quilt, estimate the yardage and then double it to allow for the seams and the

wadding/batting. If you want really dark color, treble the yardage estimate.


Modern washing machines – whether they be top or front loaders – are now designed to use much less water to achieve sustainability targets. This can be an issue for the home dyer as when seeking smooth colors, a higher water level is generally needed. Some machines come with the option of a ‘high water level’; if so, use it!

The plus side of the washing machine is that it agitates far more than any human being would have the patience (or energy!) for, and agitation is critical when seeking a smooth finish. It must be stressed that all washing machines are different and you must be willing to undertake some sampling tests to find out how to get the most from your individual machine. However, I can provide some general guidelines on using washing machines to dye, and ways around low water levels.

TOP LOADERS Top Loaders aren’t good at dyeing as the ‘wash’ element of the cycle is generally too short for good results. If you are dyeing fabric in significant yardage (perhaps to sell), I recommend you invest in a front loader, as they do a much better dyeing job. However, with some up-front preparation and the use of a timer, it is possible to use a top loader Remember, all machines are different so you may need to experiment.

• To begin with, establish a ‘long’ cycle that washes at 60°C / 140°F; 50°C will do if this isn’t an option, but 40°C / 104°F is too low.

• Let the machine fill with water, then close the lid and sorry, you’ll now have to stand there and time how long the main ‘wash’ element takes, timing it to the point just before it starts to drain. This is because:

⇨ You need to understand when to stop the machine, which must happen before it drains and starts the rinsing element as this will enable you to..,

⇨ Turn the dial or control back almost to the beginning so the machine re-starts without re-filling it; you want to carry on using the existing ‘dyeing’ water. You may need to do this up to 5 times to get a ‘dyeing’ cycle that lasts between 30 and 45 minutes. A pain, but necessary with top loaders.

Remember; sufficient for 1m of standard-weight cotton and as you’re likely to be doing more than this when washing-machine dyeing, pro-rate the recipe accordingly.

Dye Powder

Salt Solution pre-dissolved in boiling water

Ureapre-dissolved in

warm water

Rinsing Agent Soda Ashpre-dissolved in warm

water

2 tsp 150-200 ml 3 tbsp 1/4 tsp 3 tbsp

3/4 tsp 50-75 ml 3 tbsp A few drops 3 tbsp

1/8 tsp 25-50ml 3 tbsp A few drops 3 tbsp


• Having established the timing of the wash/dyeing element of the cycle, you can get busy.

Prepare your ingredients:

• Urea: dissolve the required amount of Urea in 250ml of warm-to-hot water.• Dye: decide what strength of color you’re seeking and dissolve it very well in the Urea

solution (the Urea will encourage the dye to dissolve). • Salt: measure the appropriate amount of salt for the amount of dye being used, and

dissolve it in boiling water; between 500ml and 1 liter depending on the quantity of salt.• Ideally, combine the salt solution with the dye/urea solution by mixing them into a 2L jug.• Soda ash: measure the required amount of soda ash and dissolve in warm water;

between 250ml to 1 liter depending on how much soda ash is being dissolved.• Cycle selection: select the wash cycle you’ve tested and if you have the option to

increase the water level, then do so.

Having got everything ready, use the top loader as follows:

• Start filling the machine and once it has filled, add the Salt Solution and the dye/urea solution (unless you’ve managed to combine it with the salt solution already).

• Consider the water level; if you feel it’s going to be too low to achieve a smooth finish on your cloth, add between 2 and 4 liters of hot water.

• Add the fabric, arranging it as loosely as possible.• Start the cycle and once you’re confident the fabric is well saturated, add the soda ash

solution OR wait 5 minutes and then add the soda ash solution (test both approaches).• Set your timer and BEFORE the machine starts draining, turn the control knob back

almost to the beginning; you want it to start again WITHOUT adding more water, as you’ll be re-using the dyeing liquid already in it. You may need to repeat this process up to maybe 5 times as ideally, you want to run a 30 to 45 minute ‘dyeing’ cycle’.

• Once your repeated dye cycles have been completed, let the machine drain and carry on as normal; this will be the first ‘rinsing’ element of your dyed cloth.

• When the cycle has finished, rinse the fabric thoroughly by washing the cloth twice more with a rinsing agent; use the same cycle or test to see if two ‘quick’ washes will more efficiently achieve effective rinsing.

• Tip: after the ‘dyeing’ cycle has finished and before starting the machine for it’s ‘rinsing’ cycle, add another piece of fabric. Not all of the dye will have been exhausted from the dyeing cycle and traces of live dye will still be present in the cloth (which is why you need to rinse it). Adding an extra piece of fabric will often mean that it will dye to an attractive, pale tint that has relationship with the rest of the cloth. A quick and easy way to get very pale colors or tints that can be used in a ‘palette’ of cloth for quilt-making, as the basis for surface design or over-dyed at a later stage.


FRONT LOADERS Again, all machines are different and when I’ve needed to replace my studio washing machine, I’ve experimented with several different ways of dyeing in it. In the meantime, try this approach. Start by preparing your ingredients:

• Urea: dissolve the required amount of Urea in 250ml of warm-to-hot water.• Dye: decide what strength of color you’re seeking and dissolve it very well in the Urea

solution (the Urea will encourage the dye to dissolve). • Salt: measure the appropriate amount of salt for the amount of dye being used, and

dissolve it in boiling water; between 500ml and 1 liter depending on the quantity of salt.• Ideally, combine the salt solution with the dye/urea solution by mixing them into a 2L jug.• Soda ash: measure the required amount of soda ash and dissolve in warm water;

between 250ml to 1 liter depending on how much soda ash is being dissolved.• Cycle selection: select a ‘normal’ wash cycle (not a quick wash) and choose a

temperature of 60°C / 140°F for cellulose fibers and 50°C / 104°F for silk fibers. If you have the option of increasing the water level, then do so.

Having got everything ready, load your fabric into the machine (don’t over-pack it) and use the front loader as follows:

• Start the cycle and let the machine finish filling and start churning.• Through the detergent drawer, add the salt solution and then the dye/urea solution, unless

you’ve combined them, in which case you’ll be adding both at the same time.• Wash out the drawer with 2 liters of hot water (which also increases the water level).• Either add the soda ash solution immediately through the detergent drawer or add it 5

minutes in to the cycle; you’ll need to test to establish which approach works best. Either way, wash out the drawer by pouring in another liter of hot water, which further increases the water level.

• Let the cycle run to a finish.• When the cycle has finished, rinse the fabric by washing the cloth twice more with a

rinsing agent; use the same cycle or test to see if two ‘quick’ washes will efficiently achieve effective rinsing.

• Tip: after the ‘dyeing’ cycle has finished and before starting the machine for it’s ‘rinsing’ cycle, add another piece of fabric. Not all of the dye will have been exhausted from the dyeing cycle and traces of live dye will still be present in the cloth (which is why you need to rinse it). Adding an extra piece of fabric will often mean that it will dye to an attractive, pale tint that has relationship with the rest of the cloth. A quick and easy way to get very pale colors or tints that can be used in a ‘palette’ of cloth for quilt-making, as the basis for surface design or over-dyed at a later stage.


RUNNING TESTS WITH YOUR MACHINE As I mentioned earlier, all machines are different and you must be willing to undertake some sampling to establish the best and most efficient way to use yours. Here are some of the tests you can do.

Water Levels • Dye some cloth using whatever water quantity your machine puts in.• Dye some cloth with the exact same dye recipe, but this time, increase the water level by

adding extra hot water once the machine has started.

Soda Ash • Add the required amount of dissolved soda ash at the beginning of the cycle; which

means the dye will start to strike immediately.• Add the soda ash between 5 and 10 minutes into the cycle; which means the dye will be

distributed across the cloth before the soda ash is added to start fixing it in to the fibers.

Top Loaders In addition to testing water levels and the timing of the soda ash solution, experiment with how many ‘re-starts’ or re-uses of the dyeing liquid are needed to get the optimum result.

Compare results and decide which works best for you.

And remember; the first wash cycle is the dyeing cycle. The cloth will not be ready to use at this stage, you must rinse it by washing it one or two more times (twice if you’ve dyed dark colors) to get rid of any remaining active dye particles in the cloth.


Batching Recap

Back at the start, we discussed some ‘umbrella terms’. One of them was ‘batching’.

Many people associate batching with the use of dye paints and surface designed cloth, but batching takes place in immersion dyeing too - and the washing machine – although it happens more quickly.

When immersion dyeing, all of the necessary ingredients ultimately end up in the bucket, suspended in a little water (low-water immersion/tray dyeing) or lots of water (high water immersion or washing machine dyeing). Two other elements or conditions are required to maximize the dye-soda ash-fiber reaction:

Heat A starting temperature of 60°C / 140°F water is good for bucket dyeing, and although this will decrease as time passes, the temperature will be sufficient in the early stages of the dyeing process to get a good result. In the washing machine, that heat is more consistent.

Time Once soda ash is present, most of the action takes place within the first 45 minutes or so. Leaving your buckets for 4 hours (or overnight for cellulose fibers) simply gives the dye more time to fix and also allows the smaller, slower dye molecules to catch up with their larger, faster playmates. In the washing machine, this time element is condensed but the consistency of temperature and constant agitation help drive the dyes into the fibers of the cloth and fix.


Rinsing Immersion Dyed Cloth

Rinsing your cloth well is important – particularly if you’re piecing something like a quilt. Washing a quilt that’s been made from different colored hand-dyes that subsequently gets ruined due to bleeding and staining can be disastrous! Even if the cloth is being used for something that won’t be washed, it’s important to get rid of excess dye as any remaining traces can oxidize over time.

I either use a rinsing agent such as Synthrapol or Metapex 38 but if I run out, I also use a ‘delicate hand wash’ detergent that does a similar job. Rinsing agents are designed to:

• encourage loose dye particles out of the cloth • trap and suspend loose dye particles and avoid back-staining.

Rinsing agents create foam so be cautious with them. One teaspoon is enough for a full machine load, so reduce the amount appropriately. If you don’t have a specialist rinsing agent, use something that’s suitable for woolens or delicates. If mixing a variety of colors, I always use a Color Catcher (usually found in the laundry section at most supermarkets). Rinsing Strategy A: “The ‘Correct’ Way”

• Drain the container and if you’ve been using a zip-lock, drain it and transfer the contents to a bucket.

• Rinse in several changes of cold water with a few drops of rinsing agent; don’t kill yourself at this stage trying to get the water clear.

• Now switch to several rinses with hot water, making sure you use a rinsing agent as the heat will ‘frisk up’ any stray dye particles.

• When you’re reasonably confident you’ve got rid of the bulk of any stray dye, put the cloth in the washing machine and run a ‘quick’ cold cycle with rinsing agent. and consider using a Color Catcher if rinsing different colors together.

• Now wash the cloth a second time at 40°C / 104°F for silk, or 60°C / 140°F for cellulose. Use a rinsing agent and consider using a color catcher if your dye baths have been on the strong side, or if rinsing different colors together.

• Be careful of rinsing pale values with dark values as you may get staining or contamination. Equally, be careful of mixing reds - or cloth that has a lot of turquoise - with other colors. The red ‘bullies’ are large molecules that may still be active and tint other colors. While Turquoise is a small molecule, it’s slow, so may not have been exhausted and therefore contaminate other colors in the machine.

Note: I do rinse multi-colored cloth at the same time in the machine, but will always bundle ‘like’ colors together, wash them on two cold washes before combining everything for a 60°C / 140°F final wash. And I use rinsing agent and a color catcher.


Rinsing Strategy B: probably frowned upon, but works for me and I use this strategy when teaching.

• If I’ve been immersion dyeing in a bucket for solids, and it’s a decent yardage (at least 2 yards), after an overnight batch I transfer the cloth straight into the washing machine. I run a 60°C / 140°F cycle, pouring in the left-over liquid from the dye bath through the detergent drawer. I’m aiming for solids, so why not use any un-exhausted dye to my advantage.

• I then run a second cycle at 60°C / 140°F, with rinsing agent and a color catcher.

If I have several different immersion dye baths on the go, in different colors I will:

• Give the contents of each bucket a couple of quick, cold hand rinses.• I then transfer fabrics at the darker end of my spectrum into the washing machine, add a

color catcher and some rinsing agent, and run a full, cold cycle, adding about 4 liters of cold water through the detergent drawer to bring up the water level.

• I then run a 60°C / 140°F cycle with rinsing agent and a color catcher, adding about 4 liters of hot water through the detergent drawer.

• I handle ‘groups’ of mid value colors, and groups of pale values in the same way.

In my opinion (and it’s only an opinion, not a fact!), I believe that machines do a much better job at rinsing and washing than humans, with lots more agitation, much less water and less wear and tear on the body! I believe that trying to get to a ‘clear water’ stage of rinsing by hand probably uses more water than the washing machine. I can’t prove it without measuring the quantity of water I might use in each bucket of hand wash activity, counting the number of buckets I get through and then comparing it to what the washing machine manual tells me the relevant cycle uses.

I may be wrong, but I haven’t had any disasters.

Remember: this doesn’t have to be the end of process, the immersion-dyed cloth can be over-dyed or used for surface application work with dye paints, discharge agents of fabric paints.


Troubleshooting for Immersion Dyeing

Without understanding individual approaches and seeing the results, it’s hard for me to be able to trouble-shoot but here I’ve attempted to give the most probable reasons for some problems and give ideas as to improving your results.

Must I use salt? There is no ‘must’. I believe that salt improves the results when immersion dyeing. To test this for yourself, create two identical vats in terms of color and the amount of dye used, but only put salt in one of them. Dye two pieces of cloth of the same type and size; one in each bucket. Compare the results and decide for yourself.

Do I need Urea? As Urea makes water wetter, it’s only needed when you’re dyeing for a smooth finish with little or no texture.

How long do the dyes last after being mixed? As long as there’s no soda in the mixture, dyes mixed in plain or salt water should be good to use for about 3 days, maybe up to 5. When using them up after a period of time, try to warm them up by adding hot water to the dye bath.

Can I re-use the dye liquid after dyeing cloth with it? It is possible to get paler tones using an exhausted vat but I’d recommend you add 3 more tablespoons of soda ash, pre-dissolved in warm water as the soda may be completely exhausted from the first round of cloth. Remember that mixed colors such as orange, green and purple (or variations thereof) my not strike ‘true’. This will be due to the large, fast red dye molecules exhausting themselves faster, or the small, slow blue (particularly Turquoise) molecules still being active.

I’m getting ‘freckles’ of color on my cloth: why, and how do I get rid of them? Freckles or speckles of color are caused when the dye hasn’t been dissolved well enough before use. Make sure you dissolve the dyes in warm (not cold or hot) water and if you’re having difficulty, add a very small amount of Urea to the water first. Once speckles are in the cloth, they can’t be removed.

The color is un-even or I’m getting blotchy, streaky marks, what’s the cause of this? Blotchy, streaky, patchy or uneven marks could be caused for several reasons:

• There was too much fabric in the dye bath, making it difficult (or impossible) for the dyes to penetrate evenly, or attractively.


• The dye wasn’t dissolved properly.• If the soda was added to the cloth 30 minutes after the dye, but the cloth wasn’t pulled to

one side before doing so, parts of the cloth may have been ‘shocked’ by a sudden deluge of soda solution.

• Not enough agitation.

Why is the color darker in the vat, or when the cloth is wet? All colors look darker when wet, just as the colors on pebbles look stronger when wet.In addition, it’s very, very hard (without weighing your cloth and undertaking precise sampling) to get the exact amount of dye in relation to the cloth and the value or strength of color you’re seeking; some dye particles will inevitably wash out.

If you feel that the color strength is much, much paler in relation to the type of cloth used and the amount of dye used, other factors may have affected the color, such as:

• The dye bath wasn’t warm enough to start with, or cooled down too quickly.• There wasn’t sufficient soda ash used for the amount of dye in the vat.• Not enough salt was used.• If the water is very hard, try using some water softener (such as Calgon) in the dye bath.

My turquoise is washing out, or is always much paler than other colors; why is this? Turquoise is a slow dye molecule and needs longer to achieve a good strike than other colors. If Turquoise is in the mix, or being used by itself, I always leave the dye bath overnight in a warm’ish environment before rinsing. I would also check that the heat of the vat was good enough from the start, that the vat didn’t cool down too fast and that there was sufficient soda ash in it. Finally, you may want to consider using ‘plump’ or generous measures when using Turquoise.


Benchwork: Using Fiber Reactive Dyes as Paints

Background & Preparation Fiber reactive dyes can be suspended in Chemical Water to make liquid dyes, or Print Paste to make thickened dye. To fix the dyes, Sodium Carbonate (soda ash) is used just as in immersion dyeing, but more on this later.

In addition to soda ash, the dyes require 3 other ‘ingredients’ to set effectively;

Moisture: Almost dry to the touch or very wetHeat: 15°C - 35°C (60°F - 85°F)Time: 4 hours or overnight for silk, longer for cellulose if you wish.

The detail on the setting or ‘batching/curing’ process for dye paints is covered in more detail later.

There are many ways forward when using dye paints and many recipes available; these notes simply provide my methodology and I encourage you to test different approaches to establish what works best for you.

My preference is to pre-soak my cloth in a solution of soda ash and then use it dry or sometimes damp or wet, depending on the effects I’m seeking. If soda is added to the dye paint mixture, the paint is only good to use for up to 3 to 4 hours, so I prefer pre-soaking my cloth as it’s less wasteful of dye.

Preparing the soda solution I always have a tub of standard-strength soda solution on the go. It’s kept covered so it doesn’t evaporate and is there whenever I need it. Here’s a reminder of the recipe:

• 3 generous tablespoons of soda per 1liter of water. • I tend to make up 10 liters at a time, which requires 500ml/g of soda ash, but if 5

liters is sufficient for the amount of cloth you’re soaking, then simply use 250ml of soda ash. The soda solution doesn’t go off, just keep it covered so it doesn’t evaporate, and avoid storing it somewhere very hot or very cold.

Note: if using dye paints mixed to a greater strength then the recipes in this workbook, please double the strength of your soda tub to 6 tbsp per liter of water.


Procedure

Wear a mask when mixing significant quantities of sodium carbonate as the dry fine particles are hazardous if inhaled. Sodium Carbonate doesn’t like being dissolved in hot water, so start by putting the required amount in to a bucket and add enough tepid water from the tap to get it dissolving. Then, top up with the required amount of just-boiled water from the kettle if using it warm, or cold water from the tap.

• Put your cloth in your soda-soaking tub and leave for between 10 and 20 minutes.• Wring out/spin and work with it wet (more bleed) or wring/spin and line dry to work with it

dry (crisper marks).• If you have a stand-alone spin-dryer, collect the run-off soda solution and re-use it.• DO NOT tumble dry soda-soaked fabric as:

Dry particles of soda ash will be released as the cloth is driedA residue of soda will be left behind on the drumThe combined effects of heat with soda may damage the cloth.

Storing Guidelines

Cellulose cloth that’s been soda-soaked and dried can be stored indefinitely, however silk should only be stored for a month. If you have silk that’s approaching this ‘expiration’ date, wash out the soda ash and re-soak it when you need it.

I either store my dry, soda-soaked fabric rolled up in a stack on cardboard tubes, or I stuff it into a box or bag. I don’t fold it as this creates even, grid-like crease marks which can appear in the cloth, as the dye paint can settle on the hills or in the valleys of the creases.


Chemical Water & Print Paste

The Basis of Dye Paints

Chemical Water Chemical Water is the starting point for all dye paints. Dissolved dye is added to it to create a liquid mixture that’s suitable for spraying or painting. Here are the ingredients and what they do:

• Urea is a hydroscopic or wetting agent that constantly attracts moisture to itself from the environment. As such, it prevents the dye paints from drying out too quickly or too much. In hot, arid environments, you’ll need to mix at the high end of the variants shown in the recipe chart. If you’re working in very humid, damp conditions, you’ll need to work at the low end of the variants shown, or may not use Urea at all.

• A water softener such as Calgon is necessary in areas that have hard water as hard water can affect the color strike.

• An anti-oxidant such as Ludigol or Resist Salt L is useful where air or water pollution may distort the dye colors. If your water is potable/drinkable, you won’t need it. If you’re working in an urban environment where air pollution could be a problem, then use it.

Chemical Water with Urea in it will keep for at about 4 weeks, possibly longer, when stored in a cool environment. You’ll know if it’s gone off (bad) if it smells of ammonia. If so, avoid using it as your colors may strike paler. If it has gone off, you can dispose of it down the sink or even water your garden with it – the plants will love the Urea! It’s also fine to dispose of it in septic and evaporation systems. Here’s the recipe and remember to think about the variables for the conditions you’re working in:

Put the appropriate amount of water in a bucket, add the appropriate measure of the ingredients you’re using, and stir. As easy as making a cup of tea or a gin and tonic!

Warm Water Urea Ludigol Calgon

1 liter 50 to 75mldry measure

5ml 5ml

5 liters 250 to 400mldry measure

25ml 25ml

10 liters 400ml to 1 literdry measure

50ml 50ml

As a rough guide, 50ml urea = 35g weighed.


Print Paste A thickening agent (Sodium Alginate) is added to water or Chemical Water to thicken it and make Print Paste. Dissolved dye is added to the print paste to create a thickened dye suitable for screen printing or stamping. I usually make about 4 liters at a time and keep it in the fridge, where it will last for about 4 weeks. As before, you’ll know if it’s gone off if it smells of ammonia. If so, avoid using it as your colors may strike paler. If it has gone off, you can dispose of it down the sink or even dump it in a corner of the garden or the compost heap. It’s also fine to dispose of it in septic and evaporation tanks.

Whatever quantity you’re making, you can mix by hand with a balloon whisk (NOT my preferred method!), use an old blender (which I hate cleaning) or better still, a hand-held electric mixer of decent power.

I mix a thicker-than-usual print paste that has a ‘dropping’ rather than a running consistency as it’s more suitable this way for certain processes. Volume quantities are:

If mixing by hand or with a hand-held electric mixer, put the required amount of Chemical Water into a tub, start mixing and sprinkle on the Sodium Alginate as you mix.

Mix thoroughly for about 2 minutes, cover and leave in a cool place for at least 4 hours to thicken up, ideally overnight.

If you want a runnier consistency, use less Sodium Alginate when mixing the paste, or add Chemical Water to a thick paste to thin it down (which is my preferred method of thinning).

Chemical Water Sodium Alginate

1 liter 30-35g

2 liters 60-70g

4 liters 120g to 140g(I used 135g

in this workshop)


Making Dye Paints

SODA-IN-CLOTH METHOD As discussed, I generally prefer to put the soda in the fabric rather than in the dyes, mainly because the dye lasts much longer without soda ash in it. For me, this is less wasteful, particularly when I’m teaching.

DYE STRENGTHS How much dye you put into your paint mixture is dependent on you – the more dye, the more intense the color. Equally, the type of fabric you’re using will determine the color strength; fine silk fibers will either need weaker solutions to achieve saturation, or simply not use up all of the dye molecules in a stronger value mixture.

I prefer to mix my dye paints to a pretty strong value; a 6% quantity of dye to the volume of Chemical Water or Print Paste being used. I know I can easily add either Chemical Water to liquid dyes to reduce their strength (for paler values) or add Print Paste to thickened dyes to reduce their strength.

Some practitioners mix even stronger than this; a 10% quantity of dye to Chemical Water or Print Paste. This approach can be quite common when seeking:

• a true, deep black,• to compensate for smaller, slower dye molecules such as Turquoise• to fill the fiber space with yellow ( a color that’s easily bullied) to minimize adulteration by

subsequent colors.

If you do mix your dye paints to greater strengths than outlined in this workbook, please increase the strength of your soda-soaking tub to 6tbsp of soda ash per liter of water.

Ultimately, the results depend on dye quantities, fiber types, moisture levels, batching time and batching temperature: you’ll need to experiment and/or undertake samples to find your perfect ‘standard’ starting strength. The more you practice and engage, the more you’ll understand the process and make it your own.


Making Dye Paints Here are amounts for a 6% strength, and different amounts, along with mixing instructions. I generally find that I need to mix much lower volumes of liquid dyes than thickened, as many surface design techniques are better suited to thickened.

Once mixed, fiber reactive dyes will gradually bond with water at warmer temperatures, so their shelf life is limited once mixed. As with Chemical Water and Print Paste, you’ll know they’re on the turn as soon as they start to smell of ammonia (if using mixtures with urea in them). Their shelf life can be prolonged by keeping the mixtures in the fridge (covered), but it can be risky to use them after 4 weeks and there’s no guarantee on results.

You can create any kind of color by mixing the different dye colors, but more on this later.

THICKENED DYE PAINTS

250ml 500ml 750ml

1 tablespoon of dye 2 tablespoons of dye 3 tablespoons of dye• Put a little warm water into a 1L mixing beaker or jug.• Add the dye and stir to dissolve; until there are no lumps or speckles.• Top up to the required level with Print Paste, take it to the sink and beat very well until

the mixture is blended and not lumpy.

LIQUID DYE PAINTS

250ml 500ml 750ml

1 tablespoon of dye 2 tablespoons of dye 3 tablespoons of dye• Put a little warm water into a 1L mixing beaker or jug.• Add the dye and stir to dissolve; until there are no lumps or speckles.• Top up to the required level with either water, or Chemical Water, according to your

working environment/conditions.


Fiber Reactive Dyes as Paints

The Process Cycle This little illustration gives a general overview of the process cycle for dye paints. Some of these elements we’ve discussed already, and some will be discussed as we progress through the video.


SCOUR If cloth is not PFD, you need to scour

and some cloth such as linen or silk noil is best scoured regardless. To scour, hot

wash with soda ash & rinsing agent. Scouring only needs to be done once.

RINSE & STABILIZE After batching, the cloth

needs to be rinsed.

PREPARE Soda soak and dry, or use

damp or wet if desired.

APPLY DYE PAINTS Use whatever direct

application or surface design technique you wish.

BATCH The applied dye paints need to

batch; a combination of time, heat and moisture, and the cloth is generally rolled or covered in plastic during this process.

Altering the Value and/or Consistency of Dye Paints

Lowering the Color Value of the Dye Paint In simple terms, to reduce the value of a color simply increase the proportions of ‘base’ to dye quantity as follows:

⇨ For Liquid Dyes; add more Chemical Water or water if not using urea.⇨ For Thickened Dyes; add more Print Paste

Try this method to achieve a basic gradation, although you can play with the proportions in any way you like to get more subtle changes in value:

➡ ‘Darkest’ Value = as it comes out of the bottle➡ Medium Value: Mix 1 part of Thickened Dye(the one from the bottle) with 4 to 6 parts print

paste, or mix 1 part of Liquid Dye (the one from the bottle) with 4 to 6 parts Chemical Water.

➡ Pale Value: Mix 1 part Thickened Dye (the one from the bottle) with 8 to 20 parts print paste, or mix 1 part Liquid Dye (the one from the bottle) with 8 to 20 parts Chemical Water.

➡ Tints: Mix 1 part thickened or Liquid Dye with 20 or even up to 100 parts Print Paste or Chemical Water.

You’ll have seen me do this on the video, and will therefore understand that the more print paste you add (thickened dyes), the paler the value of the color. Equally, the same is true when adding water or Chemical Water to Liquid Dyes.

Changing Dye Consistency, but not Color Value Sometimes, you want to make a consistency that’s somewhere between Thick and Thin; perhaps for use in a needle-nose bottle, or for flicking and spattering. It’s always easier to make a Thickened Dye runnier than a Liquid Dye thicker. So, to change consistency but maintain value:

‣ add Liquid Dye to Thickened Dye until the consistency is as you want it. ‣ be aware that a Thickened Dye generally doesn’t need an equal amount of Liquid Dye to

make it runnier; use less Liquid than Thickened.

Changing Dye Consistency & Color Value As before, it’s always easier to make a Thickened Dye runnier than a Liquid Dye thicker! If you want to get a runnier consistency and a drop in value;

‣ add Water or Chemical Water to Thickened Dye until you have the consistency you want, or a combination of Chemical Water with Liquid Dye or Thickened Dye to get the precise value and consistency sought.


Applying Dye Paints to Cloth

Whether you’re applying dye paints to soda-soaked cloth, or using the dye-in-soda method, there are many, many ways to get that color into the cloth. Here are some general tips, and many books go into detail on specific approaches, so do check out what’s listed in the Resources section.

Introduction

GENERAL ADVICE • Remember you can alter value and consistency.., or both.• A thick (almost) dropping consistency is good for many tools, but experiment and see how

the marks you make with a single tool can change according to the consistency of the mixture.

• Generally speaking, the runnier the mixture, the more potential for spread and possibly bleed, even when working on dry fabric.

• To get crisper marks, always work on dry fabric and pin the fabric down on top of a drop cloth – the drop cloth will absorb excess paint and avoid bleed.

• For bleeds and “watercolor” effects, try working on damp or wet fabric. You’ll get more bleed if you work on plastic rather than a drop-cloth.

• For very crisp marks, iron the dry, soda-soaked fabric under baking parchment – be careful to avoid scorching. But remember, the fractured texture you can get as a result of printing over wrinkles can be wonderful!

• The Print Paste can act as a resist if used without adding dyes. It will never resist totally, but if you paint, dribble or roller clear print paste onto fabric and then spray on thin paints, you’ll get paler colors where the print paste is – it’s worth experimenting.

• You can apply thickened dyes and then spray with liquid dyes (or Chemical Water) to generate some bleed – although this may not happen much if the thickened paints have dried.

You can use all sorts of tools and direct surface application methods to apply these liquid, runny or thick dye paints – from abandoned to controlled. You need to experiment for yourself, but I’ve provided an overview of some of the key techniques. When using any tool, focus on technique and engage with the process - work consciously.

Pay attention to how you’re using the tool and what kind of result you’re getting – something as simple as reducing or increasing the pressure can vary the quality and type of mark made by the tool. Think outside of the box – use the tool in as many ways as possible.


Variations when Working Sometimes we don’t stop to consider the variations that may exist in terms of exploring marks, the use of the tools that made them, or how we might alter the substrate we’re working on. So, here are some things to ponder, or pick 6 from the list, number them and roll the die!

How can the mark be varied? • Bend, Curve, Swirl, or Rotate.• Wobble, Wiggle, or Straighten.• Stretch, Elongate, Lengthen, or Expand.• Compress, Squash, or Shorten.• Enlarge / Reduce.• Split Apart, Separate, Scatter, Disarrange, Heap, or Pile Up.• Group, Arrange, Put in a Row, Pair or Systemize.• Weave, Interlock, Join, or Bundle.• Simplify, Edit, or Distill.• Enclose, Surround, or Encircle.• If a large mark or shape, cut or tear it into pieces and then re-arrange.

How can I vary the use of the tool? • Work with a blindfold, or close your eyes.• Alter your grip (i.e., hold the tool in an awkward manner).• Work from the wrist, elbow, shoulder.• Tie it to a long (bendy, whippy) stick.• Work on the floor.• Work on an upright easel.• Hold the tool in your non-dominant hand (i.e., right hand if a leftie), your foot, mouth, or armpit

(why not?!)• Roll, Dab, Pounce, Tap, Smear, Swirl, Spread, Scrape, Flick, Throw, Hurl, Drag, Blend, Saturate,

Rub, Tickle, Spray, Spatter, Pour, Wiggle, Jump, Roll, Bash, Wobble.

How can I vary the media? • Make it looser, runnier.• Make it paler, or darker.• Work monochrome, work multi-colored.

How can I vary the substrate (at any stage)? • Work on dry cloth, damp cloth, wet cloth.• Work on a drop cloth or on plastic.• Work on the grass, the path, the driveway.• Crumple, crease or fold the cloth before you apply the dye paint.• Apply a resist, remove a resist.• Before starting, tear the cloth up and arrange as if piecing (i.e., a mosaic/collage), then re-arrange

after each layer of media.


Batching Dye Paints Having applied dye paint on to the fabric, it will need to batch, or cure. In addition to the soda ash (which is already in the cloth), three other ‘ingredients’ or conditions are required to maximize the dye/fiber reaction:

Moisture: Almost dry to the touch or very wetHeat: 15°C - 35°C (60°F - 85°F)Time: 4 hours minimum to overnight for silk, longer for cellulose (if you wish)

Moisture Dye molecules can penetrate fiber more effectively when moisture is present, although the amount of moisture can be so little that the fabric can feel almost dry to the touch. If the fabric has dried out very quickly or become bone dry to the touch, the reaction will stop, so avoid drying it too quickly (avoid direct sunlight) or letting it get bone dry. You’ll know if it’s too dry as it will be very stiff and a bit ‘crackly’ or ‘crunchy’. If your cloth does get too dry, then before covering or rolling it in plastic, give it a light misting with Chemical water (or plain water if you’re not using urea) to re-hydrate it.

You can retain moisture content by using plastic sheeting (cover the fabric with it or roll it up). When using thickened dyes, I prefer not to put my cloth in or under plastic when very damp as I’ve found:

• The marks can sweat or bleed• I hate washing the plastic!

Heat The batching temperature should be between 15°C - 35°C (60°F - 85°F), and the higher end of the spectrum is better. If things get cold, the reaction of the dye is slowed down or even halted completely. In the summer, or if the studio is heated overnight, let the cloth sit, batching gradually in or under plastic. If you’re trying to exploit the heat of the sun, make sure you cover the rolls with black plastic or a drop cloth, as U.V. can set up an adverse reaction with the soda-ash present in the cloth and cause strange, unsightly marks in the areas the sun has been able to reach.

In winter or in an un-heated studio, roll the cloth up in plastic sheeting before sliding the tubes in between a folded electric blanket, set to the highest temperature to provide even background heat. If you can’t get hold of an old electric blanket, bring the pieces indoors and place them somewhere warm:

• On a drying rack above a range stove• In an airing cupboard• On the floor under a radiator• On a heated floor.


Time Allow 4 hours as a minimum or ideally overnight for batching as the dye needs time to react with the fiber molecules – particularly the small, slow ones such as Turquoise. My standard batching time is 12-18 hours/overnight for most applications to extract a good reaction/dye take-up. After batching, get rinsing!

As a general rule of thumb, heat and time are directly related: if you have plenty of heat, you can cut down on the time. If you have less heat, you need to extend the time.


Rinsing Surface Design Cloth

As we’ve seen, there’s a ‘right’ or recommended way…and then there’s my way. Have a look at both approaches (or try both approaches), and then choose.

RINSING OPTION 1: The ‘Right’ Way This is the recognized way of rinsing out, so get your buckets ready.• If you can use a rinsing agent such as Synthrapol/Metapex 38, so much the better, as it

will “trap” dye particles and prevent color contamination. Small amounts are all that’s needed (a few drops to half a teaspoon) as they create foam, and using a little at a time is better than using lots and dealing with a foaming beast in the bucket.

• When rinsing by hand, I prefer to tackle individual pieces at a time to avoid bunching and tangling in the bucket. As I progress, I ‘park’ pieces in a bucket of cold water, so they’re suspended and won’t cross-contaminate on themselves or other pieces.

• Agitation is key; you need to be a real washerwoman and mash and agitate at all times to loosen up the sodium alginate, release un-exhausted dye particles and stop them settling into and staining the cloth.

• Start with cold water as any un-exhausted dye won’t be too tempted to stain or dye in cold conditions. Do two or three changes of water.

• Switch to hot water and do 2 to 3 changes.• Switch back to one or two more cold, then two more hot.• Load like colors into the washing machine and run a cold wash with rinsing agent and if

the dye vats you used were strong, or there’s a lot of red or turquoise, use a color catcher.

• Machine wash again at 60°C / 140°F for cellulose and 40°C / 104°F for silk. Use rinsing agent and a color catcher.

What next depends on what next…

• If my cloth is finished and ready for whatever I’m using it for, I usually do a final wash at 60°C / 140°F for cellulose and 40°C / 104°F for silk, particularly with strong colors. If my vats were on the pale side, I’m unlikely to need to.

• If I know I’m taking the cloth on to another process, I then return it to the soda-soak bucket either damp from the spin cycle, or I dry it and then soda-soak it. DO NOT put sopping wet fabric into the soda bucket as the take-up of soda won’t be effective.


RINSING OPTION 2: “Claire’s Preferred Method” This less tiring method will probably cause other dyers to frown and “tut-tut”, but these days, nine times out of ten, this is the rinsing option I choose. I began to rinse using the washing machine because:

• I‘m often working with fairly large pieces of cloth, up to 2m x 1.5m and rinsing these by hand is exhausting.

• With larger pieces of cloth, it’s hard to avoid packing unless I use an enormous bucket, which is certainly very water hungry.

• I believe that rinsing in the washing machine uses less water than multiple buckets.• Although the water level may not be that high in the machine, the constant agitation keeps

the cloth in constant motion and minimizes cross-staining – and if I feel I need to, I can add extra water at the beginning of the cycle.

My process is as follows:

• I wash large pieces by themselves and go straight to a cold cycle in the machine.• If I have several smaller pieces, I put similar colors together.• If my smaller pieces have very different color schemes, I’ll usually do a couple of cold-

water hand rinses, followed by two hot water hand rinses, before combining the pieces and washing them together on a cold cycle in the machine.

• I always use a rinsing agent and a color catcher.• I always start with a quick cold cycle, and may run this twice.• I follow-up with a 40°C / 104°F (silk) or 60°C / 140°F (cellulose) full wash, with more rinsing

agent and a new color catcher. • I may run two of these hotter washes if the colors I used on the cloth were at the darker

end of the value spectrum.

After that, once again, what’s next depends on what’s next:

• If my cloth is finished and ready for whatever I’m using it for, I usually do a final wash at 60°C / 140°F for cellulose and 40°C / 104°F for silk, particularly with strong colors. If my vats were on the pale side, I’m unlikely to need to.

• If I know I’m taking the cloth on to another process, I then return it to the soda-soak bucket either damp from the spin cycle, or I dry it and then soda-soak it. DO NOT put sopping wet fabric into the soda bucket as the take-up of soda won’t be effective.


STUBBORN SODIUM ALGINATE Sometimes the sodium alginate in the thickened dye paints can be stubborn about leaving. This tends to happen if the dye paints have dried out too fast; the cloth was hung up to dry out a little, and then forgotten. Even if it was subsequently misted with Chemical Water to reinstate moisture to ensure effective batching, this may not have re-hydrated the alginate enough. After rinsing, you’ll know if the cloth has dried-in alginate on it as you’ll notice that:

• some areas seem stiff and ‘crackly’• it seems to sparkle in places• it may even have little ‘skins’ of dye paint on it.

Removing stubborn alginate is straightforward. Here’s how:

1. Choose a bucket large enough to accommodate the cloth and allow for agitation.2. Dissolve 1-3 tablespoons of soda ash in a little warm water in the bottom of the bucket

and top up with hot (but not boiling) water (60°C / 140°F is fine for cellulose, 40-50°C / 104-122°F for silk). The amount of soda ash is dependent on the size of the piece; 3 tablespoons for large pieces, less for small pieces.

3. Now add a drop of rinsing agent.4. Put the cloth in the bucket and give it plenty of agitation, rubbing the cloth against itself

and really being a good washerwoman.5. Leave to soak for 10-30 minutes, mashing occasionally.6. Rinse out in a new bucket of hot water. 7. Wash it once more by machine in a hot (40°C / 104°F silk, 60°C / 140°F cellulose)

machine cycle.


Deliberate Back-Staining

The purpose of this process is to create a dye bath from any un-exhausted dye particles in the cloth, thus tinting or coloring very pale or white areas. It’s high-risk because:

• If the cloth has all three primary colors in it, the back-stain is likely to be a neutral.• If the cloth as turquoise dye in it, the bias of the back-stain is likely to be towards

turquoise as it’s a slow molecule and may still have life left in it.• If the cloth contains a lot of cold red, the bias of the back-stain will be towards this red as

it’s a large molecule and may have life left in it.

Don’t do this if you’re worried about the potential color of the back-stain, which will be dependent on the colors of the dye paint used on the cloth. But, to find out how the process works, use thickened dye paints on a sacrificial piece of cloth and give it a go.

For large pieces of cloth, try this:

1. Set the washing machine to a 60°C / 140°F cycle for cellulose, 40-50°C for silk.2. Pre-dissolve 3 tablespoons of soda ash and put this solution in the machine.3. Add the fabric and run the cycle.4. Run the cycle a second time, adding rinsing agent.

For a smaller piece of cloth, or a combination on several small pieces, the process is similar to getting rid of stubborn alginate:

1. Get a bucket large enough to accommodate the fabric(s) and allow for agitation.2. Dissolve 1-3 tablespoons of soda ash in a little warm water in the bottom of the bucket

and top up with hot (but not boiling) water (60°C / 140°F is fine for cellulose, 40-50°C for silk).

3. Put the fabric(s) in the bucket and give it plenty of agitation, rubbing the pieces and really being a good washerwoman.

4. Leave to soak for between 30-60 minutes, mashing occasionally.5. Rinse out in a new bucket of hot water. 6. Wash it once more by machine in a hot (40°C / 104°F silk, 60°C / 140°F cellulose)

machine cycle.

After back-staining, dry the cloth and assess the color of the back-stain; is it as you expected or something else? Learn from it!


Troubleshooting for Surface Design

Again, if I’m not present in your working environment, understanding aspects such as humidity levels, individual working styles and seeing the actual problems/results, it can be hard for me to explain what’s caused the problems you’re encountering, and therefore how to solve them. But, there are some common questions so here I’ve done my best to help out.

The cloth looks great when the dyes are wet on the cloth, but rinse out paler. All dye colors will look darker when wet or damp, just as the colors in a pebble will look more intense when wet. • If mixing weaker values by adding Print Paste, it’s also possible that you judged the

value as it looked when wet/damp on a corner of the cloth; things need to look a little darker when wet if you’re to get the value you want when rinsed. This is simply a case of experimentation and experience.

• Some dye colors, such as Turquoise, need a longer batching time so when using a variety of colors on a piece of cloth, always batch overnight or even 24 hours if Turquoise is present.

• And finally, was the soda soaking solution mixed to the correct strength for the strength of dye paints being used?

The colors seem to split. This tends to happen more on silk than on cotton and can be caused by: • The fabric bleeding or sweating while batching. Consider drying it off a little (but

not completely) before rolling or covering in plastic.• The batching temperature was too hot. This can be the case if you’ve batched in

direct sunlight, or perhaps put the cloth (in its plastic) in an environment that’s too hot.

I get smudgy/bleeded/blurry areas once rinsed. This is usually caused by poor rinsing: • Not doing a cold water rinse first.• Not enough water (in the bucket or the washing machine)• Not enough agitation.• Lack of a rinsing agent and/or color catcher when rinsing.• The cloth was left in a heap in the bottom of a bucket (without any cold water in it)

before being washed in the machine.


I’ve got ‘crispy’ areas on the cloth after rinsing. This tends to happen if the dye paints have dried out too fast or too much. • For example, the cloth was hung up to dry out a little, and then forgotten. • Even if it was subsequently misted with Chemical Water to reinstate moisture to

ensure effective batching, this may not have re-hydrated the alginate enough. • Removing stubborn alginate is straightforward, just refer to Page 51 of the

workbook.

My turquoise, black or blue didn’t strike very well and is paler than other colors. All Blues (and I include Black in this territory as it tends to have a fair amount of Blue in the mix) are smaller, slower dye molecules. To fix this:

• Make sure the cloth doesn’t dry out too fast, or dry out completely. Re-hydrate with a light misting of Chemical Water should this happen, then roll or cover in plastic.

• Make sure the batching process is warm enough and long enough; at least overnight or even 24 hours.

• Try using ‘plump’ or generous measures to compensate for the small size and slowness of these dyes (particularly Turquoise).

• Check that your soda solution was mixed to the correct strength.

I did a second/third/fourth layer of surface design on my cloth and it looked good when wet, but then seemed to wash out.

Again, all dye colors will look darker when wet or damp, just as the colors in a pebble will look more intense when wet. But there may be several causes: • If the cloth wasn’t batched and rinsed in between processes/applications, the soda

ash may already be exhausted by the previous layers of dye paint applied to the cloth.

• If the cloth was left hanging around in-between layers and dried out, some dye molecules may not have become re-hydrated by subsequent applications, and ceased to strike.

• If the first application techniques forced a lot of dye into the cloth – as can be the case when scraping or screen printing - the fiber could be saturated and be unable to receive any more dyes. Or, if the fiber isn’t saturated, the subsequent applications of dye may not have been able to penetrate the first layer and reach the cloth. This is particularly true if the first layers dry out, as the sodium alginate present in the Print Paste can form a ‘skin’ or physical barrier, which may not re-hydrate sufficiently.


My mixed colors look great when I mix them in the pot, but aren’t what I wanted once they’ve been washed.

1. Without seeing an example of the color you’re seeking, without seeing what you mixed in the pot, without seeing a test patch on cloth and without seeing it rinsed –it’s really hard for me to give answer. Let’s give it a go though:

2. First of all, never judge a color by looking at it in the mixing pot. 3. Always test it on a corner or similar piece of cloth. 4. Use a hair dyer to dry it out as when the active dye is dry, it’ll have a closer (but not

fully accurate) resemblance to what it will rinse to. 5. Finally, remember that if you’re using Blue in your mixed colors (particularly

Turquoise), it’s a smaller, slower molecule and needs plenty of time, so try a longer batching period.

If oranges are too red: use more yellow in the mix.

If greens are too yellow: use more blue in the mix.

If purples are too red: use more blue in the mix (…and so on.)


An Introduction to Color

The following notes are here to provide some basic insight into color and the principles are the same regardless of the kind of media you’re using.

The Organization of Color The most common organization for the relationships of the basic colors is found in the color wheel, the earliest of which was created in the 18th century and up-dated by Johannes Itten in the 19th Century. Itten’s version used 12 hues divided into three categories;

Cold & Warm Primaries People who work with dyes often refer to two sets of Primary colors; cold primaries and warm primaries;

The results you’ll get when mixing cold colors together vs warm colors will be quite different. For example,

Cold mixes: ‣ Lemon Yellow & Magenta will give you a bright, brilliant, ‘acid’ orange.‣ Lemon Yellow and Turquoise will make a brilliant, sparky emerald green.‣ Turquoise & Magenta will give you a bright, sparky purple.

3 Primary Colors: Red, Yellow and Blue

3 Secondary Colors: Orange (Red & Yellow)Green (Yellow & Blue)Violet/Purple (Blue & Red)

6 Tertiary Colors: These are mixtures of a primary and an adjacent secondary; blue and green generate Blue-Green; red & violet generate Red-Violet and so forth.

COLD PRIMARIES These are high energy,

bright and ‘sparky’

WARM PRIMARIES These are low notes, muted,

rich and subtle

Lemon Yellow Golden Yellow

Magenta/Mixing Red Scarlet/Strongest Red

Turquoise Mixing/Royal Blue


Warm Mixes: ‣ Golden Yellow & Scarlet will give you a warm, rich Orange‣ Golden Yellow & Royal Blue will give you a dirty Green… not quite Olive, but almost‣ Royal Blue & Scarlet will give you a plum rather than a purple

Don’t forget to make a ‘color tartan’ as shown in this workshop; it’s a simple starting point that shows the color range created by using equal parts of your store cupboard dye range.

Mixing Proportions Ultimately, the best way to learn about color and color mixing is to get stuck in with thickened dye paints, as it’s easy to control the proportions of different colors when mixing, and the results are immediately visible – although they will change a little after rinsing. As you work, consider making a record on soda-soaked fabric, or even paper – although paper can’t be rinsed so you’ll only be getting a feel for what the colors are. Keep notes if you wish to, although I didn’t, preferring to get to grips with the principles and then using those principles to get the colors I wanted. Equally, tear off little bits of cloth from your experiments or works-in-progress and glue them into a reference book as this will give you a truer indication of the way the different dye mixtures work on cloth.

The first rule of thumb is never assume that the way a dye or paint color looks in the pot or when wet is the way it’ll look on paper, cloth and when dry. This is a tricky thing for your eyes and your head to manage, so always do a test smear on a bit of kitchen paper or white cloth, look at the color and try to imagine a slightly paler version of what you see.

When mixing, the results you’ll get will depend on the proportion of colors used, for example:

➡ A mix of Lemon Yellow & Magenta where the proportion of yellow is greater then Magenta will give you a bright Yellow-Orange

➡ A mix of Lemon Yellow & Turquoise where the proportion of yellow is greater than Turquoise will give you a bright lime or yellowy-green.

➡ A mix of Turquoise and Magenta where the proportion of turquoise is greater than magenta will give you a bright blue-violet.

➡ A mix of Golden Yellow and Scarlet where the proportion of scarlet is more than the golden yellow will give you a rich, red-orange.

➡ A mix of Golden Yellow and Royal Blue where the proportion of golden yellow is greater than the royal blue will give you a rich, yellowy green.

➡ A mix of Royal Blue and Scarlet where to proportion of scarlet is greater than the proportion of royal blue will give you a blueish-plum.


So, think about what colors you’re trying to achieve.

Are you looking for cold, bright, high-energy colors? If so, explore the cold primaries. Are you looking for rich, muted, warm colors? If so, explore the warm primaries.

Then, try mixing cold colors with warm colors to find out what else you can achieve. Experiment with proportions when mixing secondaries to get a multitude of greens, oranges and purples.

A key thing to remember is that if you use more than one color of dye when dyeing in the bucket or tray, they’ll blend and create new colors. As such, think carefully about the color combinations you’re going to use and what new colors will be created when they intermingle in the tray or bucket.

Remember as well that dyes are ‘transparent’ in character: the base color will have an impact on any subsequent colors used on top of it. For example:

• You’ve dyed a piece of cloth golden yellow.• You now want to print green leaves on it.

If you mixed the right shade of green and then printed it on top of the yellow, it wouldn’t strike to the color you see in the pot or on the ‘test swipe’; the green would become more yellow due to the yellow base it’s been printed on, and may even be barely visible. Instead:

1. Try printing with blue (and remember that a cold blue would give you a different green to a warm blue) and work on the fairly accurate assumption that the yellow base cloth would take the blue printing to green, or,

2. Mix a green that’s heavily weighted towards blue (so a blue-green) and print with that on the assumption that the yellow base cloth would make the blue-green printing a truer green.


Mixing Complex Colors

Here we’ll take a look at how to mix complex colors that are ‘off’ their true nature. The principle is the same whether you’re mixing for a dye vat or mixing dye paints; a small amount (ranging from a ‘smidgen’ to a half-part) of the complementary color is used to ‘dirty’ things up.

The end result is always subject to the proportions you use so try the following approaches:

➡ Start with a primary color and bit by-bit, add the complementary color (up to a half-part) and observe the color changes as you add a little bit more each time.

➡ Start with a secondary that is mixed from 1 part of equal proportions of two primaries and then, bit by-bit, add the complementary color (up to a half-part) and observe the color changes as you add a little bit more each time.

I always have my Black & Dark Brown dyes handy and use them with primaries and secondaries to generate complex, rich color effects. The Black I use has a blue undertone in its pale value, so I tend to use it as the dirtying agent for blues and reds. For yellows and reds, I’ll also use Dark Brown to get ochre’s and richer reds (or ‘dried blood’ color).

These different approaches will produce a never-ending range of complex colors and we’ve provided some exploratory approaches in the appendices – and you’ll find that you’ll never reach the end in your color adventures.

FINDING TRUE BLACK & GREY Finding Black or Grey when using acrylic or fabric paints is easy; the black is a true black and grey can be found by adding black paint to white paint. With dyes, we have no white dye with which to achieve grey and most black dyes have a bias towards another color. This bias can normally be established when mixing the ‘black’ in a weak strength as it often reveals its true color bias. For example the black I generally use tints down to a blue-green, not a true grey.

Complex Primaries: bit-by-bit, add up to half part of the complementary

to enrich ordirty up yellow;

add purple

to enrich ordirty up red;add green

to enrich ordirty up blue;add orange

Complex Secondaries; bit-by-bit, add up to a half part of the complementary

to enrich ordirty up purple;

add yellow

to enrich ordirty up green:

add red

to enrich orrust up orange:

add blue


The principles of achieving True Black are the same as any other color mixing approach, but essentially you need to get the proportions of all three primary colors right – to the point they cancel each other out and create black. Try the following:

1. Establish the bias of the black dye you have2. Add the complementary color of the bias shade until you cancel it out, but no more.

For example:• black that has a bias towards blue; add orange or rust orange• black that has a bias towards red; add green or olive green• black that has a bias towards purple; add yellow, or ochre

Currently, I find that equal parts of Dark Brown and Royal Blue, with at least 5 parts of Print Paste added (more if you want very pale grays) will generate a true gray. But, this recipe may not work if you’re not using the same dyes as me.

The appendices contains some recipes for you to explore in terms of finding both true and chromatic grays, so have fun with this.

EXPLORING NEUTRALS A neutral color contains all of the primary colors and is ‘neutral’ because it doesn’t take sides. Neutrals work with (almost) all other colors because of this and are therefore a useful addition to any color palette, particularly if they have a chromatic undertone. My preference when making neutrals is to use the following two approaches: the ‘easy way’ and the more personal way.

The ‘Easy Way’ The simplest way to get a taupe, mushroom or pale ‘brown’ is to add lots of print paste to the Dark Brown dye I keep in my store cupboard. When immersion dyeing, I simply use very small amounts of Dark Brown dye in the dye bath. So, start by seeing what an off-the-shelf brown dye gives you in its pale format.

The More Personal Way I like to start by mixing a small amount of Warm Orange:

1. I mix Scarlet in to Golden Yellow until I get the orange I want.2. I then add very small amounts of Turquoise or Royal Blue (or a combination of the

two) to this mix and at least 5 parts of Print Paste. I then test the color by scraping it on to a piece of white cloth.

3. I assess the color and add more Blue if it needs muddying, and more Print Paste to get paler values.


Alternatives to this are: 1. Mix a small amount of green of choice.2. Add smidgens of Scarlet or Magenta (or a mix of the two)to it, bit by bit.3. Add at least 5 parts Print Paste.4. Test, and correct by adding more red as necessary. Add more print paste to get

paler values.Or,

1. Mix a small amount of purple or plum, using reds and blues of your choice.2. Add a smidgen of either (or both) yellows to it, bit by bit.3. Add at least 5 parts Print Paste.4. Test the color and correct by adding more yellow if necessary. Add more Print Paste

to get paler values.

Note: Any neutral can have a ‘chromatic’ element to it, or an undertone or bias towards another color. This undertone is achieved by you, depending on the different proportions of dye colors used.


Some Color Recipes

A variety of approaches for color mixing experiments are provided in the Appendices, but here are just a few favorites to get you started. Do remember that dyes from different manufacturers will vary, so the results will also vary.

• All mixed colors were made using the basic dye paint recipe on page 39.• The mixtures were stirred together in pots and then scraped on to soda-soaked cotton or

linen with a credit card. It’s worth noting the way the color is applied will make a difference to the end result as some methods will drive more dye into the fiber, and others less.

• If working with silk, then use silk instead of cellulose fibers, as you’ll find that the reds will behave differently – grabbing the silk – so you’re likely to use smaller amounts of red in any given mix.

• The fabric was then batched overnight and rinsed.• A ‘smidge’ is a very, very small amount!

You’ll soon get the hang of it and be warned – it’s addictive as there are endless combinations and you’ll never stop finding new hues.

• Rust Orange; try equal parts of Golden Yellow & Scarlet to make the Orange and add up to a half part of Royal Blue (or for a different rust orange, use Turquoise or a mix of both blues).

• Olive Green; try mixing equal parts Golden Yellow and Royal Blue and then add up to a half part Magenta or Scarlet (or a mix of both), or add Black to Golden Yellow, bit by bit.

• Chestnut Brown; 1 part Golden Yellow, half parts each of Scarlet and Royal.• Petrol Green; 1 part Turquoise with a smidge of Black and a smidge of Acid Lemon

(experiment with your ‘smidge’ amounts!)

Using Black & Dark Brown to Enrich I often use Black and/or Dark Brown as agents for generating rich color effects. I tend to use Black as the darkening (or dirtying) agent for blues and reds and Dark Brown as the darkening agent for yellows and reds. I make this decision based on my Black dye having a blue-green undertone. If it’s used with the yellows, it generates greens - great greens but certainly not ochre! If it’s used to darken magenta, it generates pinkish maroon/burgundy, while if you darken magenta with brown you’ll get a deep, rich red.


Try the following mixes:

The permutations are infinite and fiddling with the proportions is one of life’s great joys! Ultimately it’s important to remember that we all see and describe colors differently. The kind of terra-cotta, olive, aubergine, ruby, chestnut, ochre, rust orange, plum that you’re seeking will be different to someone else’s. As such, you need to experiment with proportions until you get the color you want.

Have fun when exploring color, and do try out the approaches provided in the appendices.

Rich Claret 2 parts Scarlet, 1 part Magenta, a half part of Black. Or, try 2 parts Magenta, 1 part Scarlet and a half part of black (fiddle with the proportions of black)

Blood try 2 parts Scarlet, 1 part Magenta and up to 1 part Dark Brown

Dried Blood try 2 parts Scarlet, 2 parts Dark Brown. You may want to add some Magenta

Aubergine try 2 parts Scarlet, 1 part Magenta, a half part Dark Brown and a half part Black (and try switching the Scarlet and Magenta proportions and fiddling with the Black and Brown proportions)

Chartreuse add Black to Acid Lemon, bit by bit


Layering Multiple Processes

There’s a lot to learn and a lot to consider when exploring how to create the cloth you want..,

• what color scheme(s) do you want? • what value range are you looking for within that scheme? • what imagery do you want?

This might be:➡ Lines➡ Shape & Motifs➡ Words or ‘graphics’➡ Patterns➡ Texture➡ Abstract, representational, contemporary, traditional, whimsical, energetic and so forth.

And within the imagery, you’ll need to consider size: varying the size of imagery will drive contrast and visual interest. Be careful of throwing too many different types of imagery at one piece of cloth, or too much variety of anything!

Getting Started If you’re new, inexperienced or simply unsure, start by building background. If you have more experience or a clear vision and plan, you might opt to start with background, or start with a strong compositional element. But, be careful and think before you commit.✴ Work with intent and don’t judge your work as you progress. Evaluate it and consider it,

but don’t judge it.✴ Research states that it takes 10,000 hours (over an average of 10 years) to achieve

mastery. So before you beat yourself up, consider how many hours you’ve put in.✴ Generally, it takes at least three processes before the potential starts to show, and the

cloth may go through an ‘ugly duckling’ stage before becoming a swan and reaching completion.

✴ It’s not a race. Better to achieve one piece you adore than 10 pieces you feel ambivalent about, or that are mediocre, rushed or ill-considered.

✴ Taking time to out to iron, pin up and consider the cloth at each stage is vital. Many people rush this contemplative stage of process as they’re in too much of a hurry to get to the bench. Taking time to look at your cloth, coming up with ideas and auditioning ways forward are invaluable in terms of building strong composition.

✴ Learning is key; you may not achieve your hearts desire immediately but with focus, attention and reflection, you should be more informed as to how to get there in future.


With some approaches, it may be necessary to batch and rinse the cloth in between stages. There are various reasons for this:

Soda exhaustion: the amount of soda ash present in the cloth can only handle a finite amount of dye. How much is dependent on the strength of the colors used, and the amount applied.., which is often dependent on the tool(s) used to apply it.

Fiber Saturation: fine fibers fill up more quickly than heavier fibers. So, a fine silk organza will take less dye to fill the fibre car park than a cotton sateen.

“Appearances can be deceiving”: how the cloth looks when wet or with live dye on it will be very different to how it looks when batched and rinsed. It can be worth batching and rinsing in between processes to truly understand what you’ve got.

The cloth has other plans: what you’ve created may not wish to stay within your plan. If your cloth wants to head off in another direction, you need to pay attention to this and consider different ways forward.

If in doubt, wash it out! At least you’ll understand what you have and be able to make more informed decisions.

If you do batch and rinse in between processes, remember to re-soak the cloth in soda solution and dry it before taking it further with dye paints. If you are switching to different media such as discharge paste or fabric paints, there’s no need to soda-soak the cloth.


Working with Thickened Dye Paints: 10 Learning Projects

Introduction In this section I’ve put together 10 classic learning projects to help you get started when using thickened dye paints. Some of the results will please you, some won’t but be careful you don’t reject an approach just because it hasn’t worked perfectly first time around – it takes practice to achieve mastery and get what you want, when you want it. Many of these approaches can be combined and all of what you create can potentially be developed and moved on. Some of the considerations you’ll need to make in order to do this might include:

⇨ The dominance of any individual color used, and/or the dominance of the secondary colors that have been created. What color and value is going to be needed to achieve figure-ground, or a doorway into the picture?

⇨ Whether the imagery used to create the background needs related imagery to go with it, or something different.

⇨ Placement: What kind of balance or movement are you to looking to generate?⇨ What’s now needed on the cloth to develop its visual impact/interest?

If this is something you want to explore further, consider investing in ‘Finding Your Own Visual Language’, which has a great section on composition.

Ultimately, there’s no end to what you can do, just keep asking yourself “what if”. Take the time to really look. Engage with your work, work consciously and observe, don’t judge.

Whatever you do, learn and enjoy the process!


1. Layering Value

This exercise involves printing the cloth three times with the same tool in three different values of a single color, moving from pale, to medium to dark. To get organized, prepare as follows.

Tools & cloth ‣ Consider what kind of ‘look’ you want this initial background to have; linear, textural,

organic, geometric, angular, soft etc.‣ Pick a tool that will give you what you want to achieve in terms of the way things will

(might!) look once three layers have been built up.‣ Soda soak and dry your cloth, ready for work. You can start with white cloth, or

something pre-dyed to a very pale value.

Mixing Three Values of Thickened Dye How much dye you’ll need in each value will depend on the size of the piece of cloth you’ll be working, but the following notes tell you how to prepare the different values and you can adjust the quantities up or down as needed. You can of course also change the value jumps – this is just a starting point for you.

You’ll need a supply of print paste and a thickened dye mixed to 1 tablespoon per 250ml. You can choose a primary or mix any color of choice, as long as it’s made from ‘Mother’ dye paints.

‣ Dark: This initial pot will be your strongest color and I tend to refer to this as the ‘Mother’, so label the container ‘Mother’, or if you prefer, ‘Dark’.

‣ Medium: Take about 3 tbsp of the Mother dye paint and add 24 tbsp of print paste; a 1:8 ratio. Mix well and label this ‘medium value’.

‣ Pale: Take 1 tbsp of the Mother dye paint and add 24 tbsp of print paste; a 1:24 ratio. Mix well and label this pot ‘pale’.

Applying the Thickened Dyes

1. Start with the Pale pot. Aim to apply the dye using your chosen tool all over the cloth but don’t worry too much about getting an even distribution; some variation can add interest. Remember to work off the edges. Don’t worry about ‘ghosting’ if Screen or Thermofax Printing.

2. Move to the ‘Medium’ pot. Using the same tool, apply the medium value of dye all over the cloth, paying attention to working off the edges as before, and again — don’t worry about ghosting if Screen or Thermofax Printing.

3. Finish with the ‘Mother’. Complete a third layer using the ‘Mother’ or strongest value.4. Batch your cloth for a minimum of 4 hours (ideally overnight), then rinse, dry, iron and pin it

up for a good look and analysis of your results.


2. Layering Color(s)

This exercise has many variations and involves printing a background with two or three colors. Your color choices are enormous, but some examples might include:

• A Single Hue: for example, you may want a background of blue, but that background can contain many different blues, for example:• Turquoise, Royal Blue, Navy (which can be made by mixing equal parts of Royal &

Black) • Petrol, Teal, Cerulean (which can generally be made by mixing equal parts of Turquoise

and Royal Blue).

• Analogous color scheme: an analogous color scheme has colors in it that are next to each other on the Color Star. For example,

Yellow and OrangeRed and PurpleBlue and Green

And remember, you have two yellows, two reds and two blues which will generate many, many different Secondary Colors.

• Complementary color scheme: pick colors that are opposite to each other on the Color Star. For example:

Blue and OrangePetrol/Teal and Rust OrangeRed and Green (to avoid a ‘Christmas’ look, you could try an acid, lime green with a magenta-based strong pink).Yellow and Purple

• Triadic color scheme: In this project you will print with all three primaries (Red, Yellow and Blue), or all three Secondaries (Orange, Purple and Green).

Chose your color scheme and mix the thickened dyes in your chosen range of colors. To apply:

1. Consider your colors and start with the one that’s likely to be most easily bullied by the other colors. For example, yellow tends to be more quickly adulterated than red (particularly if the red is magenta). So start with the yellow and move on to apply the other color(s). Alternatively, start with the color that you wish to have the most dominance in the piece as you’ll then be able to apply other colors on top with due consideration.

2. Apply three to six layers, then batch the cloth. 3. Rinse, iron and pin up to contemplate your next move.


3. Line into Texture

This exercise allows you to explore how a simple line design can create texture if heavily over-worked. Choose a tool that will give you the kind of line you want, this could be:

‣ The thin end of a credit card, fine-bladed scraper, a ruler, a thin length of wooden or aluminum battening. Anything like this will be great for straight lines with slightly ‘characterful’ edges, depending on your technique.

‣ A strip of 250 micron laminating plastic, put through the laminating machine without paper and then cut to the desired length. This is pliable, so you can bend it into a curve. If you want to maintain the same curve, tape a bit of wire along one edge, then bend it.

‣ A Thermofax Print with a linear motif.‣ A silk screen on to which you’ve created a set of lines, which could be straight,

curvy, rough or smooth edged.‣ A needle nose bottle.‣ A roller.

Choose your color scheme, which could be:

✤ A single color, in one or several values✤ Two colors, in one or several values of one color, or both colors.✤ Three colors; in the same value or several values of some, or all.

1. Using your tool of choice, apply the dye all over the cloth, making sure you work off the edges. If using different values or colors, think about which value or color you start with.

2. You may need to apply as many as six layers and you need to consider batching the cloth, rinsing it and putting it back in to the soda vat every 2-3 layers.

3. Keep looking at what you’re achieving, remembering that the purpose of this exercise is to generate background texture by printing with simple line imagery.

4. When done, batch the cloth, rinse it, iron it and then pin it up to consider it.


4. Shape into Texture

This exercise will allow you to explore how background can be created by over-printing a shape or strong image. You can work with one color in several values, several colors and values – your choice.

1. Prepare a silkscreen with a fairly large, shape-based design or use a suitable thermofax. The shape could be organic (e.g. a leaf, a flower, a petal, a twig, a squiggle) or geometric/structural (e.g. circle, square, rectangle, rhomboid). The edges of the shape could be crisp (e.g. straight-edged) or rough (e.g. torn edge).

2. Pin out your dry, soda-soaked cloth.3. Print the shape imagery all over the cloth, remembering to work off the edges. For this first

layer, don’t overlap the prints to avoid ghosting. You might try:Straight rows: pin a length of cotton from one side of the cloth to the other. This will act as your straight edge for your first row. Thereafter, either use the first row as your guide, or re-pin the cotton to guide the next row.Curved rows; print in a row, but use your eye to create a curve.Random; just print where you feel like it, turning the screen as you progress to rotate the imagery.

4. Let the first layer of printing dry a little; use a hairdryer if you have to, or have a cup of tea/do something else for a while.

5. Now print the image again. You might consider:

• If you’ve printed in rows the first time, do this again but go ‘in between’ the first set of rows or plan to overlap the rows to create density.

• If you’ve printed randomly and changed the angle of the screen, continue to do so.• Consider the result of this second layer and decide if you want to print a third layer.

Batch, rinse, iron and pin up the cloth to consider the results. Notice what worked well for you, and what didn’t.


5. Layering Scale

This exercise allows you to explore perspective by layering the same design in three different sizes and three different values.

1. You will need 3 tools capable of generating the same style of mark in 3 different sizes (small, medium and large). For example:

• Three small Silkscreens or Thermofax prints, each one having the same essential ‘imagery’ on it, but in three different sizes.

• Three squeeze bottles; take two small squeeze bottles and cut one nozzle for a VERY fine hole and another with a larger hole. Your third or largest ‘nozzle’ could be something like the catering sauce/ketchup bottles I use to store my dye paints, or simply cut a small squeeze bottle to have the third, widest nozzle.

• Three lengths of wood in different thicknesses.

2. Now decide whether you’re going to work in one color and three values, or a mix of colors in the same of different values. There’s no right or wrong – the results will simply be different.

• Using the palest value, start by applying the smallest shape/thinnest line all over the cloth, paying attention to work off the edges.

• Move on the apply the second or mid-size image/line using the mid-value.• Finish by applying the third (largest size) in the darkest value.• Batch, rinse and iron the piece before pinning it up to contemplate your next move.

6. Using Soy Wax Resist prior to Printing

For this exercise (and indeed any others), you may want to work on cloth that’s been pre-dyed in a pale value. You can pre-dye in the bucket, the washing machine or by scraping on thickened dye.Make sure you’re working on dry, soda-soaked cloth. The steps are:

1. Heat up your wax pot and the tool(s) you’re going to be using the wax with.2. Lay smooth, un-creased plastic on to the work bench.3. Pin your cloth on top of the plastic. Don’t worry about pin holes in the plastic – very

little wax will go through them and if it does, you can always wash your drop cloth at 60°C / 140°F.

4. Apply the soy wax, remembering that the dye won’t be able to reach the cloth wherever you’ve put wax. You could:‣ Apply a single, largish image in one area – in which case, think about the balance of

the piece.‣ Apply a delicate ‘tracery’ of marks all over the cloth. With this approach, once the

wax is removed, the imagery applied on top if it will be appear to be ‘fractured’ or broken up.

‣ Apply a strong vertical in a straight or meandering line.‣ Apply a strong horizontal in a straight or meandering line.


‣ Apply an even distribution of shapes all over – or as a group somewhere.

5. When the wax has dried, peel the cloth off the plastic and clear the plastic off the work bench (keep it rolled and crease-free).

6. Pin the cloth down onto the work bench.7. Using any color and/or value combination of your choice, apply the dye with your

chosen tool of choice. Just work all over the cloth, going on top of the soy wax resist.8. Batch the cloth, rinse and make sure you end with hot enough water to remove the soy

wax (60°C / 140°F or higher).

7. Paper or Plastic Directly on Cloth

You can use paper or plastic stencils or cut shapes, masking tape, freezer paper and other materials to achieve selective patterns or a resist on your cloth. Here are some to consider:

Brown paper, decorators’ paper, newsprint, copy paper, all of which are easily accessible, cheap and have no ‘glue’ element to them

Masking tape: Essentially, strips of paper with a non-aggressive glue. There’s no need to invest in super-expensive tape, but it is useful to have a range of widths, say from a quarter inch to 3” wide. If you can find it, there’s also ‘curvy’ masking tape which can be useful when making curvy-linear designs.

Freezer paper: Used to wrap food before freezing. It has a silicone-type shiny side to it which acts as a temporary bonding agent or ‘glue’ when ironed on to the cloth. Freezer paper is sometimes available as ‘Butchers paper’, which is brown rather than white. In North America, it’s available in all supermarkets. In Great Britain and Europe, it can be found in quilt shops.

Sticky-backed plastic/cover film, such as you’d use to cover a book, usually available from stationery shops or art supplies shops

Sheet plastic: Plastic that’s fairly sturdy (rather then thin and flimsy), say 2mm thick. You can usually find this in the decorating section of large supermarkets, or at a garden centre.

Acetate: as used in old-style overhead projectors – a thin, stiff, clear plastic usually available from stationery shops.

Using any kind of paper, tape or plastic directly on the cloth is an easy way to start layering and once it’s been laid and temporarily adhered to the cloth, you can apply dye in any way you choose; sponge roller (better than a scraping as it won’t push dye under the edge of the paper), Thermofax print, silkscreen, needle nose bottle, crumpled baking parchment etc. etc. Just remember that working on paper in any way will mean that dye will get on to the paper and if a screen is placed down on that wet dye it may lift the paper when you pick it up again, and dye will get on the back of the screen, causing what’s known as ‘ghosting’ on the next print.

Remember to work on dry, soda-soaked cloth. When using paper or tape, you can work with it as a resist (negative image) or as a stencil (positive image).


8. Resists for ‘Negative’ Imagery

Using paper, tape or plastic as a resist means the shape or motif is cut out and laid directly on the cloth, acting as a barrier and preventing the dye paints from reaching the cloth.

1. Place the resist onto your cloth, making sure things are positioned as you want. Then for:

• Masking tape: Simply stick it to the cloth.• Plain paper, sheet plastic or acetate: Use folded-over bits of masking tape on the

underside to keep things in place.

2. Having positioned things to your satisfaction, apply the dye paint(s) in your chosen manner.

3. When finished, remove the resist elements. Resists made from sheet plastic or acetate can often be carefully washed and re-used.

9. Stencils to Create Positive Imagery

Stencils allow for the selective application of dye on your cloth through the gap or hole areas. You can purchase or create your own stencils by tearing or cutting random shapes or patterns. Consider working on a heavier or waxed paper or thin plastic sheet and draw the shapes with a pen before cutting or tearing.

1. Place the stencil onto your cloth, making sure things are positioned as you want. Then for:

• Freezer paper: Place shiny side down, cover with baking parchment as a protective layer and using an iron set to cotton (but no steam), iron it on to the cloth. Be careful not to leave the iron in any one place for too long, or you may scorch the soda-soaked cloth.

• Cover film/sticky-backed plastic: You’ll need to peel off the protective layer of paper to expose the glue (this can be tricky so keep the design simple). Adhere to the cloth by placing and pressing down.

2. If working with stencil material that has a glue or ‘sticky’ side, make sure you design with the ‘sticky’ side downwards, as that’s how you’ll stick it to the cloth.

3. Depending on the size of your cloth, you may need to tape several pieces of paper/plastic together to get a size sufficient to cover the cloth and achieve a good design.

4. You can tear or cut freehand, or draw the design on first. If you work carefully, you can reserve the cut/tear-outs to use as resists.

5. Having positioned things to your satisfaction, apply the dye paint(s) in your chosen manner.


6. When finished, remove the stencils. Paper stencils are difficult to re-use as they tend to buckle, but a stencil made from sheet plastic or acetate can often be carefully washed and re-used.

10. Combining approaches

• Cut or tear imagery to create a positive image stencil, but keep the cut outs that come from making the stencil.

• Apply dye paints.• Remove the stencil and let this first layer get almost dry, but not quite.• Now apply the cut-outs as resists and adhere them (under baking parchment) if ironing on

freezer paper).• Apply a second layer of dye with your chosen tool, or choose a different tool and

considering using a different color or a darker value of the same color. • Remove the resists.• Or, do things the other way around… start with the resists and move on to the stencil!

Whichever method you use, finish by batching, then rinse, iron and have a look at the results. Look for successes, unexpected good and bad results, and things you might do differently next time.


Color Mixing Guidelines

Making the Color Tartan

1. For Dark Brown and Black Gradients, Mix a weaker version of Black and Dark Brown (say between 1 part dye and between 6 and 10 parts Print Paste. These extra two columns will inform you in terms of how these weaker versions effect all of the other colors.

2. Covering the Mother Column: Once you’ve taken the color horizontally across their rows, cover the ‘Mother’ column with paper towel so you don’t accidentally go over them when you run the colors vertically. This will mean that the Mother column shows you a single ‘layer’ of that color and where they cross horizontally and vertically, you’ll see a double layer of color.


2 1

Changing Yellows

YELLOW BASEGOING GREEN:

GOING ORANGE

GOING OCHRE

CHANGING VALUE:

Add any Blue, Black, Dark

Brown or any combination

thereof

Add Magenta or Scarlet or anycombinationof the two

Add Purple, Dark Brown or Red Brown, or any combination

thereof

Add print paste at any stage of

your mixing experiments to lower the value

of the color.

In paler values, you’ll also see if the color has an

undertone or bias.

1 part Acid Lemon

Choose whether you’re exploring Greens, Oranges or Ochres and start by using the relevant colors shown above.

Add smidgens and build up to a half part, and consider even going as far as an equal part.

For Saffron, I find: 3 parts Golden Yellow + 1 part Red Brown = a great result.

1 part Golden Yellow

1 part Acid Lemon

1 part Golden Yellow

1 part Acid Lemon +

1/2 part Golden Yellow

1 part Golden Yellow +

1/2 part Acid Lemon

Any combinationof both Yellows


Changing Red

RED BASE

GOING ORANGE

GOING PURPLE TO PLUM

GOING AUBERGINE TO DRIED BLOOD

CHANGING VALUE

Add Acid or Golden Yellow or any combination of the two

Add Turquoise or Royal Blue or anycombinationof the two

Add Black orDark Brown orany combinationof the two

Add print paste at any stage of your mixing experiments to lower the value of the color.

In paler values, you’ll also see if the color has an undertone or bias.

1 part Magenta

Choose whether you’re exploring Oranges, Purples/Plums or Aubergine to Dried Blood and start by using the relevant colors shown above.


1 part Scarlet

1 part Magenta +1 part Scarlet

1 part Magenta +1/2 part Scarlet

1 Part Scarlet +

1/2 Part Magenta

Any combinationof both Reds


Changing Blue

BLUE BASE

GOING PURPLE TO

PLUM

GOING TEAL TO PETROL

GOING NAVY TO MURKY

BLUE

CHANGING VALUE

Add Magenta or Scarlet or any combination of

the two

Add Black for Teals and Black plus a smidge of Acid Lemon for

Petrols

Add Black for Navy or

Dark Brown for Murky Blues



of the color.


undertone or bias.

1 part Turquoise

Choose whether you’re exploring Purple/Plums, Teal/Petrol or Navy or Murky Blues, and start by using the relevant colors shown above.


1 part Royal Blue

1 part Turquoise +

1 part Royal Blue

1 part Turquoise +

1/2 part Royal Blue

1 part Royal Blue +

1/2 Part Turquoise

Any combinationof both Blues


Making & Changing Orange

ORANGE BASE

GOING RUST

GOING BURNTORANGE

GOING MURKYORANGE

CHANGING VALUE

Add Turquoise or Royal Blue

or any combination

Add Red Brown AddDark Brown

or Black Add print paste at any stage of


of the color.


undertone or bias.

Equal Parts Magenta &Acid Lemon Choose whether you’re exploring Rust, Burnt

Oranges or Murky Oranges, and start by using the relevant colors shown above. Add smidgens and build up to a half part, and consider even going as far as an equal part.

I like also like to take an off-the-shelf Rust Orange and mix:

3 parts Rust Orange + 1 part Red-Brown

Equal PartsMagenta &

Golden Yellow

Equal parts Scarlet &

Acid Lemon

Equal parts Scarlet &

Golden Yellow

1 part Magenta +1/2 Part Scarlet +

2 Parts Lemon Yellow

1 Part Magenta +1/2 Part Scarlet +

2 Parts Golden Yellow

1 Part Scarlet +1/2 Part Magenta +


1 Part Scarlet +1/2 Part Magenta +



Making & Changing Purple

PURPLE OR PLUM BASE

Murking Up: Option #1

Murking Up: Option #2

Burgundy CHANGING VALUE

Add either of the Yellows or a combination

thereof

Use Dark Brown or Red Brown for a fresher

‘murk’

Use Black with Magenta



of the color.


undertone or bias.

Bright(er) Purples: 1 part Magenta +

1 to 1.5 parts Turquoise

- or - 1 part Magenta +

1/2 part Turquoise + 1/4 part Royal Blue

Choose how you want to explore purples and plums, and start manipulating by using the relevant colors shown above.


Rich(er) Purples: 1 part Magenta + 1 part Royal Blue

Plums: 1 part Scarlet +1 part Turquoise

- or - 1 part Scarlet +

1 part Royal Blue


Making & Changing Green

GREEN BASE

Chartreuse Olive Murking It Up

CHANGING VALUE

Use Black with Acid Lemon

Use Magenta or Scarlet to murk

things up

Use Dark Brown to khaki things

up Add print paste at any stage of


of the color.


undertone or bias.

1 part Acid Lemon+ up to 1 part

Turquoise

Choose how you want to explore Greens, and start manipulating by using the relevant colors shown above.


1 part Acid Lemon+ up to 1 part Royal

Blue

1 part Golden Yellow+ up to 1 part

Turquoise

1 part Golden Yellow+ up to 1 part

Royal Blue

Equal PartsGolden & Lemon

Yellows+ up to 1 part

Turquoise


Yellows+ up to 1 part

Royal Blue


Yellows+ 1/2 part Royal Blue + 1/2 part Turquoise

Different proportions of

Golden and LemonDifferent proportions of Turquoise & Royal


Gray Matters (Recipes from Video)

Here are the recipes used on my ‘Gray Matters’ video workshop. You saw the chart of grays on the video (& see next page). Here are some key bullets:

• All ‘mother’ colors should be mixed as to the recipe on page 38 in the ‘Chemical Water & Print Paste’ section, namely: 1 Tbsp of dye powder to 250ml ‘base’, which can be chemical water or print paste, although thickened dyes are easier to work with when sampling.

• I use the term ‘part’ rather than a specific measure to describe the quantity and a ‘smidgen’ is a very small amount! (Again — see video demonstration)

• Start with the color(s), and then add print paste to it, as you’ll need a lot more print paste than color.

• These ‘recipes’ are simply a starting point and by altering the given proportions, you’ll alter the color, so feel free to experiment!

Color 1 Color 2 Color 3 Print Paste

1 part Black Start by establishing what kind of gray you get from Black.

1 part +++, up to 128 parts

1 part Royal Blue 1 Part Dark Brown n/a 1 part +++, up to 128 parts

1 part Black 1/2 part Dark Brown n/a 1 part +++, up to 128 parts

1 part Black 1 part Dark Brown n/a 1 part +++, up to 128 parts

1 part Black 1/4 part Rust Orange n/a 1 part +++, up to 128 parts

1 part Black Up to a Quarter part Rust Orange

Up to a 1/4 part Red-Brown 1 part +++, up to 128 parts

1 part Black 1 part Dark Brown 1/2 part Royal Blue 1 part +++, up to 128 parts

1 part Black Smidge of Acid Lemon

Smidgen of Magenta 1 part +++, up to 128 parts

1 part Black Smidge of Golden Yellow

Smidgen of Scarlet 1 part +++, up to 128 parts

1 part Black 1 part Dark Brown 1 part Royal Blue 1 part +++, up to 128 parts

1 part Black 1/4 part Red-Brown n/a 1 part +++, up to 128 parts

1 Part Black 1 part Red-Brown 1/4 part Golden Yellow 1 part +++, up to 128 parts


Grey Matters Chart


Mark-Making on Cloth: Suggested Exercises

These exercises are designed to help you explore the potential of different mark-making tools. All to often, we observe students becoming addicted or reliant on silk screens or Thermofax prints, forgetting that simple, often ‘found’ tools are just as capable of creating wonderful imagery on cloth.

Found tools are generally:‣ cheap or free (we found them, right?)‣ easy to store‣ often multi-functional in that each tool can create many marks, or types of marks‣ easy to clean / reusable‣ personal, as the mark is truly a reflection of the individual’s hand

The instructions aren’t set in stone, just some ideas to get you started. As you work, feel free to use each tool in as many different ways as you can.

We suggest you work on A4 or Letter size pieces of cloth, prepared according to the media you’re using, which could be thickened dye paints, discharge paste or screen inks/fabric paints. The samples I undertook were all done with black thickened dye paints and unless otherwise specified, I suggest you start by working purely in black to make sure you’re focused on the quality of mark rather than being distracted by color. Basically, as I did in the video.

Some tools will require that you adjust the consistency of the media. When this is advisable, I’ll let you know and explain how.

When you’ve finished reading through the exercises, decide where to start, choose the media you think you’re most likely to want to work with and use cloth you’re likely to use the most in the future.


The Credit or Hotel Room Card: Scraping & Stamping Scraping is a wonderful way of creating a textured background. Once you’ve got to grips with it, endless variations of color and value can be combined. You will need:

• an old credit, hotel room, or store loyalty card; or, • strips of laminating plastic: (prepare by feeding a sheet of thick lamination plastic

through the machine (without paper), then cut it to whatever length you want; or,• plastic paint scrapers; and,• a cat litter tray or shallow tub wide enough to fit the scraper

Exercise 1: Pressure & Directionality 1. Put some media into the litter tray or shallow tub – about 50ml - you can always top

up as you need to.2. Using a credit card, scoop out some media and scrape it on to your cloth. Explore:

1. varying amounts of media2. the angle of the credit card3. pressure4. directionality (straight, angled/curved, horizontal, vertical - or both).

Exercise 2: Color Mixing & Streaky Marks 1. Using your cat litter tray, in 3 corners place about a tablespoon of thickened dye

paint in 3 colors of your choice.2. In the 4th corner, put 3 tablespoons of print paste.3. Keep the main body of the tray clear as a mixing palette.4. Clip a bit of print paste, then a color of your choice.5. Roughly mix them in the tray and then scrape on to your sample.6. Keep doing this, varying the colors and the amounts of print paste.7. Remember that the greater the ratio of print paste to dye paint, the paler the value.8. Experiment with color mixing by taking a little of 2 or all 3 colors and selectively

blend them together.9. Try to generate streaky marks.

Exercise 3: Texture and Patterns 1. Dribble a ‘bead’ of dye paint in the bottom of the tray.2. Dip the edge of the card into this bead and then stamp with it.3. Explore stamping simple lines on top of each to generate texture.4. Explore pattern making with line.


Alternative Tools for Scraping In addition to the scraping tools already mentioned, try having a go with:

‣ small squeegees such as grouting tools or spreaders‣ old pieces of plastic pipe (such as plumbers pipe) – also good for stamping messy

circles.

Exercise 1: Dragging & Stippling A great tool for dragging and stippling is a hand-sized piece of plastic door mat or artificial turf. You can usually find plastic door matting that looks like astro-turf at most DIY/Hardware stores. One doormat will be more than ample for one person, so share the cost with a friend or two. Here’s how to get started:

1. Cut the door mat into various shapes and sizes: squares, circles, triangle, strips whatever. Remember you’ll be holding it so avoid making it too big, or too small and fiddly.

2. It can be useful to glue the pieces on to bit of old wood or acrylic sheet, which will give you the option of gluing on a handle, or using a suction grip handle.

3. Spread a not-too-thick layer of dye paint at one end of a litter tray.4. Dip the astro turf in it, moving it over the media to ensure an even pick up.5. Now tap off excess media at the other end of the tray.

Now proceed to make marks on your sample:6. Drag the Astroturf to create streaks7. Use a stippling or stamping action to create dots and blobs8. Work in straight lines, sweeps, curves angles – whatever takes your fancy.9. Re-load as necessary and pay attention to how different amounts of media,

pressure and the speed at which you work effect the quality of the marks you get.


Monoprinting: Texture & Imagery These exercises allow you to explore texture and imagery through several approaches to monoprinting. You’ll need:

• A small piece of acrylic plate/Perspex; square, rectangular or any shape you like. I suggest you start with a size of between 10-15cm on the longest side. A suction handle is useful as a temporary handle or, glue a small piece of wood to one side of the Perspex.

• A piece of thick, non-creased plastic (such as polyurethane), large enough to cover your workbench. Heavy plastic tablecloths are good, but try to find one in white as color and pattern will be too distracting (and avoid any with a textured finish – you want a smooth surface).

• A small piece of un-creased plastic, about 40cm square.• A bristle or foam brush or a rubber roller to apply the media.• Some etching tolls such as an afro-comb, grouting tool, sculptors’ rubber ‘shaper’,

thin pieces of plastic, a fork or similar.

Exercise 1: General Texture 1. Lay the glassine over your workbench.2. Mark out the size of the piece of cloth you’re working on using small pieces of

masking tape; there’s no point in applying media to a bigger surface area than you need to.

3. Squirt or spoon dye paint on to the plastic and spread it out using a bristle or foam brush, or a rubber roller. Be careful of very thick ‘squidgy’ areas.

4. Be aware that what you see on the ‘plate’ is what will end up on your cloth – but in reverse.

5. For this first attempt, don’t get too picky or anal, just be aware of the different thicknesses of paint – play until you get something you think you’ll be satisfied with.

6. Lay down your piece of cloth and gently smooth it out – be aware of the pressure you exert; strong pressure will spread thicker areas of paint, but may be necessary on thinner area of paint. The more times you do this, the more you’ll understand what’s going to happen – which is true of any tool – practice with awareness generates mastery and the ability to get what you want, when you want it.

7. Lift up the cloth and hang it up to dry off a little.8. Once the cloth has dried out a little, leave the sample as is, or do another layer on

top.

Note: Some plastics cause the dye paint to split out into bubbles due to surface tension – this can create marvelous effects. If you want to exacerbate this, try misting the dye paint with chemical water once it’s on the glassine, or mist the glassine before applying the paint.


Exercise 2:Texture with Imagery/Marks 9. Lay the plastic down on your workbench.10.Mark out the size of the piece of cloth you’re working on using small pieces of

masking tape; there’s no point in applying media to a bigger surface area than you need to.

11.Squirt or spoon dye paint on to the plastic and spread it out using a bristle or foam brush, or a rubber roller.

12.Take an ‘etching/lifting’ tool of your choice and use it to make marks by lifting out areas of paint by using a comb or Astroturf to make scratches in it – or do both.

13.Be aware that what you see on the ‘plate’ is what will end up on your cloth – but in reverse – so if you want writing, you’ll have to write backwards!

14.Lay down your piece of cloth and gently smooth it out – be aware of the pressure you exert; strong pressure will spread thicker areas of paint, but may be necessary to transfer thinner area of paint.

15.Lift up the cloth and hang it up to dry off a little.16.Variations/further explorations:

➡ Using black thickened dye, do 3 layers of monoprinting on one piece of cloth – don’t worry about letting it dry out in between passes.

➡ Undertake some samples of multi-layered monoprinting using a different color for each layer, sticking with simple texture and/or adding marks/imagery.

➡ Start experimenting with more than one color on the plate, working in single or multiple layers, working with pure texture and/or imagery.

Exercise 3: Hand Printing with Rigid Plates 1. Pin your cloth out on to your workbench.2. Spoon/Squirt some black thickened dye into a pot wide enough to use the brush of

your choice.3. Take your acrylic shape and paint it with dye. Be aware that the thickness of the

layer will generate different results when you come to stamp with the plate. Plus, the tool you use to paint on the dye will create different effects,(i.e., bristle brush vs. foam brush).

4. Place the plate down on to the cloth; experiment with how much pressure you use (hint: it will create different results).

5. Repeat until the cloth is covered.6. Things to explore:

➡make marks on the plate with a shaper or comb etc.➡squish 2 plates together, then pull them apart – this creates strange, interesting marks➡do an initial layer with simple texture from the brush, then over-print with a second

layer with marks on the plate.➡do two layers in two different colors, or even three layers in three different colors.➡work haphazardly or in neat rows.


Exercise 4: Hand Printing with Sheet Plastic 1. An alternative to rigid plates is sheet plastic – something that’s not too flimsy.2. Cut out a square (or rectangle) of about 40cm square or 40 by 60cm.3. Paint on your media using a foam or bristle brush – DON”T work right to the edge,

try and feather the four edges.4. Place the dye painted side down on to the cloth and smooth down gently. Lift off.5. Repaint the plate and keep going. If you’ve done a good job with feathering your

edges, the joins will hardly be visible.6. (Optional) Lift out marks or use combs as outlined in Exercise 2.

Exercise 5: Rollers (Texture) For this exercise, you’ll need:

• two litter trays, or a couple of old vinyl floor tiles, or a piece of acrylic plate• a rubber roller, such as those used for spreading out media when monoprinting• if you can source other rollers, then do so – there are some faux natural sponge

ones available at DIY stores and many craft shops sell sponge rollers with different textures on them.

1. Squirt or spoon a bead of black thickened dye towards one end of a cat litter tray/plate and spread it out using a spatula or credit card.

2. Run your roller over the spread-out dye paint, making sure it’s evenly coated.3. Use a second litter tray/plate to take off any excess media or even out any blobby

areas from the roller (blobby bits will create blobby marks).4. Use the roller on your cloth. Pay attention to:

➡ The amount of pressure as you roll; more pressure at the beginning will lay down heavier areas of dye and the roller will run out of media faster.

➡ Less pressure at the beginning of the roll and more at the end generally means the mark is longer and more even.

5. Do one sample of a single layer, then consider exploring the following options:➡ undertake 2 to 4 layers on top of each other➡ explore cross hatching; roll vertically and then horizontally➡ experiment with the length of each roll; short vs long➡ do several layers using different colors


Exercise 6: Needle Nose Bottles for Lines, Writing and Doodling For these exercises you’ll need:

• thickened and liquid dye paints in Black• a small jug, preferably one with a narrow spout or a large syringe• a needle nose bottle with a very narrow tip

The consistency of the thickened dye paint might need to be adjusted for use in a needle nose bottle. Thickened dye paints are too thick and liquid dye paints are too thin. Mixing thick with thin will give you the right consistency. Here’s how to prepare the mixture:

a. Spoon about 5 tablespoons of thickened dye into a jug or beaker.b. Bit by bit, add approximately 3 tablespoons of liquid dye and beat vigorously until there

are no lumps. This will maintain the value of the dye paint, but make it runnier.c. Alternatively, you could beat in Chemical Water, which will weaken the strength of the

dye whilst making it runnier.d. You’re aiming to generate a mixture somewhere between single and double cream, or

runny honey. e. Transfer the media to a needle-nose bottle. If pouring from a jug doesn’t work, transfer

the mixture to a wide-mouthed squeeze bottle and fill the needle-nose bottle from that, or use a syringe.

There are a million ways to use a needle-nose and here are some key ones. Undertake individual samples first, then start combining approaches or working up layers:

1. Draw freehand straight lines right across your A4 piece of cloth.2. Use a wooden batten or plastic ruler to draw straight lines.3. Work in one direction or many; horizontal, vertical or both, angled and so forth.4. Write or scribble; and don’t get obsessed with trying to achieve your best handwriting, just

write a stream of consciousness! If you don’t want something legible, work really fast or do pretend writing.

5. Draw or sketch; the needle-nose is great for quirky little sketches or doing landscapes that include trees and grasses

6. Doodle; random doodling lines (think vermicelli quilting).7. General mark-making; dots, dashes, hash marks, circles, squares and so forth.

Using a needle-nose bottle takes practice (as with most tools). Some general points to consider include:

➡ don’t squeeze too hard➡ start off the cloth to avoid little blobs at the end of each line – although this can be

desirable!


➡ stay in contact with the cloth to avoid laying down ‘sausages’ which will subsequently spread…

➡ unless you want sausages that spread (and the spread can be exacerbated by working wet on wet, or by spraying with Chemical water or liquid dye paint)

➡ the faster you work, the thinner the line.

Having made several samples, consider doing some that have several layers on top of each other.

Exercise 7: Dry Brushing Dry-brushing can create fabulous backgrounds. You’ll need:

• 3 bristle paintbrushes of about 5 to 8cm in width. Distress these brushes by snipping into them as they do with a fringe at the hairdressers – you’re aiming to make the edge tatty.

• Liquid dye paint in a 3 colors• 3 pots of a size to fit the brushes you’re using.

This is a slow meditative process and not for the impatient. You’ll need to work in stages, letting each application dry out before applying the next, so have something else to do in the meantime. To proceed:

1. Choose your first color and dip the brush in; don’t saturate it, just get the tip of the bristles wet. Shake or tap off any excess.

2. Start off the edge, gently and with a light touch, brush the cloth – you’re aim is to lay down streaks of color.

3. Observe that at the beginning of the stroke, you’re probably laying down more color – this can be controlled with practice!

4. Continue until you’ve covered the cloth and leave it flat to dry.5. Choose color number 2 and repeat the process.6. Choose color number 3 and repeat the process.7. At this stage, you can now start to make decisions on whether to keep using the

colors in the same order, or whether to do a double application of a certain color or colors. The joy of this approach is that whilst the colors will blend to give you new shades, the original colors will also be visible.

It will take many, many passes to saturate the cloth – I said it was a process for the patient!

This technique is great for watery effects or skies and variations include:• working in curves or swirls• working horizontally and then vertically to create fantastic plaids• working with overlapping shapes, numbers or letterforms


Exercise 8: Spattering As with dry-brushing, you’ll need to work patiently in stages, letting each layer dry out before applying the next. You’ll need 3 to 5 colors, altered to a single cream consistency:

1. Take some thickened dye and put it in a pot.2. Stirring as you go, add the same color of liquid dye until the paint is the consistency

of single cream.3. Repeat with colors 2 and 3.4. Dip a distressed bristle brush into the paint – don’t saturate it too much.5. Take another paintbrush and hold it horizontally about 30cm above your cloth.6. Knock the loaded paintbrush against it to generate spatter. Cover the cloth with a

first layer and then let it dry.7. Repeat the process, alternating across the colors and letting each layer dry out

before applying the next.8. You can choose to keep going until you have no white left, or leave some white

areas.

And remember, you could work outside and really go nuts; hurling, dribbling and flicking the dye paint at the cloth in the style of Jackson Pollock.

(Optional Exercise) Exploring Layering with Acetates One way to explore how any mark, line or texture works when layered on itself is to use acetates. Although it’ll never give you quite the same effect as doing it for real, it will at least give you an indication.

I’ve suggested you work on Letter or A4 size pieces of cloth as this will make your sampling process faster, and it will enable you to scan or photocopy the results easily.So, assuming you’ve done that, take your samples and photocopy or scan them on to acetates, do 2 acetates per piece. Now explore:

➡ Layering up the same imagery onto itself by placing one or both acetates on top of the original piece of cloth.

➡ Combing different types of imagery

What Next? Having undertaken some samples, pin ALL of them up and consider the results. You won’t respond to all of them – that’s normal. With those that resonate with you, move on to use the same technique on a larger piece of cloth to generate a starting background. Color and value choices are yours.


Further Watching and Reading

Surface Design Books

Many books are available on surface design and the use of different media, including the following:

Holly Brackman: The Surface Designers’ Handbook, Interweave Press, 2008Jane Dunnewold: Art Cloth; A Guide to Surface Design for Fabric, Interweave Press, 2010. Rayna Gilman: Create Your Own Hand-printed Cloth, C&T Publishing, 2008Ruth Issett: Color on Paper & Fabric, Batsford Press, 1998Ann Johnston: Color by Accident (1997) and Color by Design (2001), Self PublishedSherrill Kahn: Creating with Paint, Martingale & Company, 2001Jean Ray Laury: Imagery on Fabric, C&T Publishing, 1992.

Online Workshops and DVDs

Studio Galli has published more than 40 creative media and surface design DVDs, some of which are available in multiple languages and others which are published as a part of a printed book.

Many new titles are available in both DVD and streaming online.

Please visit — www.gallipublishing.com — for further details.


Resources and Suppliers

In terms of general supplies, dyes, paints, chemicals and tools, the following companies will be able to provide you with what you need. If it’s a web-based company, many ship worldwide but you may need to factor in import duty when comparing prices. Please search by company name if the weblink is inactive or has changed.

North America Dick Blick www.dickblick.com DIY Print Supply (thermofaxes) www.diyprintsupply.comXpresscreen (thermofaxes)Susan (thermofaxes)Dharma Trading Company www.dharmatrading.com G&S Dye (Canada) www.gsdye.comMaiwa (Canada) www.maiwa.comProChemical & Dye www.prochemical.com

United Kingdom Art Van Go www.artvango.co.uk The Bramble Patch www.thebramblepatch.co.ukFibrecrafts/George Weil www.fibrecrafts.co.ukRainbow Silks www.rainbowsilks.co.ukThermofax Screens www.thermofaxscreens.co.ukWhaleys Fabrics www.whaleys.co.ukKemtex Educational Supplies www.kemtex.co.uk

European Continent Galerie-Smend www.smend.de Jeromin www.jeromin-shop.de Quiltstar (provides a thermofax service) www.quiltstar.deQuilt und Textile www.quiltundtextilkunst.deSpektrum Textil www.spektrumtextil.dkZijdelings www.zijdelings.com

New Zealand & Australia Batik Oetoro www.dyeman.comKraftKolour www.kraftkolour.com.auThermofax Supplies www.nehoc.com.auNew Zealand Quilter www.nzquilter.co.nzSilkSational www.silksational.com.au The Thread Studio www.thethreadstudio.com


http://www.diyprintsupply.com

http://www.thermofaxscreens.co.uk

http://www.whaleys.co.uk

exploring fiber reactive dyes

Documents