I am back

Kathrine Tyrrell has recently published on Making a Mark some great posts on a colour and colour wheels as she has been developing a matrix of theories about colour space and in an earlier post Kathrine wrote a colour round up. Related to this is yet another article Hues - a systems perspective. Each piece has links and further references so they really are worth exploring and thinking about.

As people know I am on a self imposed fiber diet but yesterday “Fiber Day” was held at the bus depot markets and I lashed out. Believe it or not all of these silk yarns I will use as embroidery threads and in the past I have used up skeins just like this! They are skeined and dyed for weavers but years ago I found often weavers yarns were ideal to stitch with. I also purchased some undyed yarns for my next dye pot.

On another note, thanks for all your well wishes while I was away. Mum is now no longer in critical care but moved to high care. She will not come out of high care and the doctors can not do anything more for her other than make her as comfortable as possible. So for us it is a sad time. Probably the yarn is a sign of ‘comfort’ shopping.

 

Shibori

I have been poking around the World Shibori Network site and discovering all sorts of interesting things about shibori. I have heard of shibori referred to as stitch dye, fold dye, pole wrap dye and of course tie dye but these bound resist techniques are all techniques taken to the highest level in Shibori. The site houses a techniques section which covers the various types of folds, ties and stitches available to a shibori artist.

Many different types of shibori exist around the world and it really is worth exploring a little more online about this beautiful textile practice and the associated techniques.

I think readers may enjoy this video. If you do there are 4 others about shibori and shibori techniques to be found here. (Look in the left side bar for links)

 

Fibre and Stitch is out!

It’s the 28th here and soon around the globe the date will tick over. With the holiday season just around the corner many of us are running around with long to do lists, and organising gifts, holiday plans or the worst part for me is cleaning! But you may like to take some time out for yourself, put your feet up, and read Fibre and Stitch as the second issue is out. What is in it this month? Loads of goodies.

There was a lot of chatter around the net about the first issue of Fibre and Stitch and I don’t think subscribers will be disappointed with the 70 page second issue. The magazine aims at textile practitioners who are interested in techniques that include, printing, painting, dyeing, and manipulating fiber to create complex textures for use as a foundation for, or along side contemporary embellishing techniques. If you are a traditionalist this is not a magazine for you.

This issue has two articles that were immediately printed and pasted into my notebook for future reference as they contain useful and informative information. In the first installment of a series on using text on textiles Sue Bleiweiss has written a detailed article on working with pens and markers. There is some very useful information in this article including how particular brands behave when washed. Margaret Roberts demonstrates how to print on fabric using an ink jet printer in Ink Jet Textiles and compares various products on the market.

There is a distinct book theme running throughout this issue. Carol Clasper in from Sketch to Stitch illustrates how she made her own sketchbook using Evolon and Punchinella which is otherwise known as sequin waste. This is a highly illustrated and detailed 7 page article that gets the creative juices going. In Keeping Tabs Teri Stegmiller creates a functional and ususual book using tabbed index cards. Gina Ferrari really sparked my interest with her small origami folded books which have decorated bonded covers as a Christmas gift problem might just be solved with this project. Another gift idea was provided by Carol Mcfee who shows us in clearly illustrated article how to make a concertina book with hand made papers. Sara Lechner in Book-Bag to go, creates an usual bag from wool roving and an embellisher and Linda Feldman show us how to make a fabric photo album

Non woven forms of fabric construction and manipulation is an area of texiles that enjoying a growth of interest. Felting is of course a time honoured manner of taking a a fiber and manipulating it until it is a textile. In this issue Marie Johansen looks a needle felting to make a contemporary small bag. By far the most interesting article to me is Sue Bleiweiss’s technique of using different shrinkage rates in fibers to create fabrics with interesting surface textures.

For those who enjoy free machine embroidery Carol Mcfee uses water soluble fabric to create a treasure box. Also contemporary thread painting for free motion embroiderers Terry White thoroughly explores pattern in Cover it with Stitches. Margaret Roberts shows you how to create small folding screens.

As you can sense I think the magazine is great with loads of ideas, inspiration and eye candy for anyone who interested in contemporary textiles. I was thinking I just need to find time to try them all when I read Sues “letter from the editor” as she has a few time management tips. Mmmmm… I guess its time for me to get on with day…

 

Dyeing with Bleach

Lots of contemporary quilters explore dyeing and surface design techniques to create their own one off fabrics. Contemporary embroiderers also dye and print the back grounds of their work. Dyeing with Bleach is a tutorial from Threads Magazine on using household bleach to produce patterns on natural fabrics.

There is a variety of ways to remove color (the technical term is discharge) from dyed fabric, but for controlled results on all kinds of fabric you generally need lots of experience and testing, plus some highly toxic chemicals. I find it much safer, and certainly a lot more fun, to simply experiment with the less-predictable but still compelling effects of applying ordinary household bleach to dark, natural-fiber fabrics, either by spraying or brushing the bleach on flat fabric (Resist-and-spray technique), or by dipping the fabric in it, after protecting part of the surface in some way from contact with the bleach (Wrap-and-dip and Pipe-wrapping techniques).

 

A tutorial on using Gum Arabic as a resist

Gum Arabic is a water soluble, non-toxic, and colourless. In fact gum Arabic is a food additive often used in processed foods as a thickener. It comes from the tree sap of Acacia nilotica. For these reasons providing you use it sensibly it is safe to use at home.

Neki of A movable feast has posted a tutorial on how to use a Gum Arabic the next time you do any resist dyeing try some experimenting.

 

How to use transfer dyes to print on synthetic fabric.

Did you know you can can dye, print and paint synthetic fabrics with transfer dyes? Well, you can and this morning I thought I would put together this tutorial on how to use a stencil technique to print on synthetic fabrics. These dyes are also known as disperse dyes and they are not difficult to use. You simply follow the instructions to dye fabric.

What many people don’t know is that you can use these dyes in printing techniques. For instance you can paint these dyes on paper and use a hot iron to transfer them to synthetic fabrics. This means you can make paper stencils easily and build up patterns and images on fabric.

First mix the dyes in cold water. They do not disolve easily so stir them well. I use quite a heavy concentrate of one to two teaspoons of powder to a cup of water. Mix up a selection of colours.

Paint and print on paper. (I recycle and use the back of computer print outs) You can draw pictures, symbols, geometrical motifs or what ever pops into your head. Or create lots of papers that are simply drips and dribbles on the paper.

If you place a sponge soaked with dye in a shallow tray you can use this as a stamp pad and print images on paper. You can use cotton reels, carved vegetables, bits of net, bottle corks, card board rings, and anything you can think of to create a print.

Paint, print, dribble, splatter and have fun on a selection of pages and let them dry.

This is an image of the paper print and the fabric after transfering.

Make yourself a few stencils. I desinged these using Adobe lllustrator but all you need is simple shape that can act as a paper stencil.

I am using unpainted paper to make my stencils as I like working with subjects in the negative, but you can make the stencils out of dyed paper too. Place them face down (if they are dyed paper) on synthetic fabric

Cover the stencils with a sheet of painted paper. Make sure you place the sheet dye side down. With the iron set on hot, iron the paper for between 20 and 30 seconds. Move the iron carefully, as you do not want to shift the stencil underneath, otherwise you will get an impression of darker dye where the steam holes of the iron was. Lift the edge of the paper to see if it is tranferring. Keep ironing until the image has transfered

When you lift the paper off you have a dyed fabric.

Remove the stencil and you can see the design clearly.

You build up quite large areas on piece of fabric by using this method. You can also build up imagery of multiple layers of colour, by using multiple papers. Transfer one colour, remove the sheet and then do another and so on until deep interesting textures and colours are built up.

You can use all sorts of things as stencils such as paper doylies and lace.

The image above is the painted paper after it has been used. The paper doyley has acted as a stencil. Below is a close up of the print on the fabric.

Remember that these dyes are desinged to be used on synthetic fabrics. I obtain my transfer dyes from Kraftkolour. I am not associated with this business in any way. I am just a happy customer of a decade or so.

Hope you enjoy this technique. If you do, or think it is interesting, spread the word on your blog or if you are on a discussion list let them know, as I have not found this technique documented online or even in books! But it is simple as pie and a lot of fun.

 

Tutorial on using Bubble Jet Set

Amy Jenkins has loaded a step by step tutorial on Printing on Fabric with Bubble Jet on her flickr account. Using this process you can prepare fabric that can then be printed on a home printer which means you can printout computer images and graphics on fabric. For anyone who has not tried this process you can see how simple it is.

 

Fabric dyeing 101

This is a fabulous resource for anyone interested in creating hand dyed fabrics. Old and new hands to the craft of dyeing will find Fabric dyeing 101 a really useful resource. Melissa has converted her teaching notes to a blog format. Use the site map in the side bar to navigate through the sections. Everything is covered from health and safety, setting up a work area, preparing and mixing dyes, producing solid colour, mottled, colour graduated, tie dyed, and painted fabrics, curing fabrics, calculating how much dye, rinsing out, washing, and a glossary. Recipes and tips abound even a blank recipe sheet. Don’t slide by this link it is an exceptionally useful resource.

 

History of dyestuffs

Have you ever wondered where and when purple dyes were invented or how it came about? What about fushia? Or have you ever tried to dye a good solid black?

Colorantshistory.org has published a History of the International Dyestuff Industry. This is a comprehensive article which is well worth reading and keeping as a reference.

While on the site you may wish to browse the memorabilia associated with dyes and the vintage advertising.

Thanks for the link goes to Layers of Meaning

 

Foiling, printing, stamping and combining flowers with fabric techniques

I have been poking about the net digging up a little information on surface design techniques for textiles. Here are few links I have dug up.

Ruth Issett has provided instructions on using oil and wax crayons on fabric in Make your Mark use Markal Paintstiks to create rich surfaces for embroidery. The article illustrates masking, rubbing and mark making techniques on fabric, all of which make an interesting jumping off point for projects.

Stamping Fabric covers applying stamps to textiles using easily obtained supplies and fabric paints and inks.

Pamela Watts describes a technique for combining fresh flowers with stitching by sandwiching them between bondaweb.

Adding a metallic foil to fabric can turn a surface that is quite mundane into something special. This technique uses paper-backed fusible webbing to adhere the foil to fabric.

Finally this article by Janice Hay on creating interesting patterns on fabric by embellishing a mono-printed foundation fabric should provoke some ideas too.

All of them are on my list of things to try on fabric postcards.