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Notes On Points of Transformation
- Choosing fabric - It is important when dying with Procion dyes to use fabric made from all natural fibers (eg: 100% cotton, rayon, wool or hemp). Non-natural (polyester, acrylic) thread will not take dye. Fabric mixes (cotton/poly) will dye light in relation to the amount of natural fiber in the mix.
Another thing to consider in the choosing of the fabric is the tightness of the weave. My favorite weave is t-shirt knit fabric. Tighter fabrics, such as muslin, do not as readily soak up the dye, and the dye will tend to run. The upside to this is that muslin will give you some very cool special effects. And although the fabric takes wax exceptionally well, the batik dying is very hard to control (tends to spread).
- type of fabric
- tightness of weave
- Washing fabric - It is always a good idea to pre-wash fabric as most fabric contains sizing and other additives to enhance appearance. Tumble dry (to keep fabric soft, but use no softener) and store in plastic bags until you are ready to use it.
- pre-wash & dry
- Water - Yes, your tap water will affect the chemical processes. Experimentation is the only solution. Soft water is safest. Too much chlorine will have a negative impact as will too high mineral content (eg: iron).
- chemicals in water
- temperature of water
- Soda ash soak - The amount of soda ash you use will subtley affect the dye-fabric interaction process. I use no less than one cup of soda ash per gallon of water. Soda ash can be recycled to a certain extent, however it does become contaminated by leeching impurities out of the fabric. There is a supersaturation level where you will experience crystalization of the soda ash. This will make it more difficult to work with the fabric, however, you will likely encounter some interesting visual effects in the mix.
The time fabric spends soaking in the soda ash water will also have an effect. A couple hours is the minimum, while overnight seems to be a maximum. I don't leave fabric in the soda ash mix for more than a day, or so, for fear of compromising the integrity of the fabric. Do not overcrowd your soaking bucket. Make sure soda ash is completely dissolved - pebbles left undissolved will likely burn holes in the fabric. And for goodness sake use rubber gloves.
- concentration of soda ash
- undissolved soda ash
- amount of fabric per bucket
- time fabric soaks in mixture
- Mixing dye - Here again, the chemical content of the water comes into play. I like to mix the dye as strong as I can make it without it clotting up on the surface of the fabric. This will likely involve experimentation on the part of the artist. Some colors, such as orange and green, require less dye (1 tsp per 4 oz of water) - while others, such as turquoise and black, require significantly more dye (3 tsp per 4 oz of water). Dye measurement can be deceiving as dye volume and dye weight vary from color to color (heavier & lighter dye granules). Dye must be thoroughly dissolved lest you run the risk of dye clots clogging up dye bottles.
- dye concentration & consistency
- Cleanliness - While cleanliness isn't a particular stage in the dye process, it is one of the major factors that seperate the professionals from the amateurs. It helps to use a white work surface for the folding and tying. It helps to use a different work surface for working with dye and wax. Wash your hands between every step. Be absolutely neat when mixing dye (dye particles spread out far and are messy when hydrated). Be very careful when handling dyed fabric not to leave fingerprints. Be very careful when opening dyed shirts not to smear dye or touch one part of fabric to another.
- take care when mixing dye
- seperate work surfaces
- clean work surfaces
- wash hands often
- fingerprints
- open shirts carefully
- Folding - (see pattern variables) - The most obvious transformation point (TP) in folding is the choosing and folding of designs. There are a number of additional TPs to consider during this step such as designs within designs and the drawing of patterns on the fabric to assist in the folding of designs.
Something to consider is the moisture content of the fabric. If you are working assembly line fashion and are tossing the folded & tied items into a bag or container, be aware that water is affected by gravity (it drains to the bottom), meaning items will probably have differing moisture contents.
- choice of pattern
- implementation of design
- Tying - There are varying methods of ties and resists. I prefer using heavy duty 100% cotton string, but alternatives could be any kind of string or twine, rubber bands, zip-ties and clamps - or not using any ties at all. This last is particularly effective when making spirals, but can be used with nearly any not-to-detailed design. Being that I do a combination of tie-dye and batik, the placing and amount of white space is of paramount importance to the finished product. The more ties used, and the tightness of the ties, will determine the white space - I will generally use between 8 and 15 ties.
A good exit strategy will alleviate headaches and sloppiness. Knots will require cutting the strings with a scissors and increase the odds of sloppiness. I like tuck my strings under the wrapping and leave about 1/4" sticking out for the unwrapping.
- type of tie
- method of tying (or lack thereof)
- method of untying (to be used)
- white space
- 1st Dying - (see pattern variables) - Needless to say, be careful handling dye around white fabric. Some "oopses" can be covered up, others cannot. It helps to work from darkest colors to lightest colors because you can overlap without covering up. Squirt bottle malfunctions and general sloppiness usually detract from the finished product. Moisture content in the undyed item will greatly affect how readily dye is absorbed into the fabric.
- moisture content in folded items
- dye application
- color order
- color patterns
- front to back interplay
- Opening tie-dyes - Preparation and foresight are the keys to opening dyes. Spread newspapers (or whatever) out on the floor ahead of time. Beware of newsprint, footprints & fingerprints. Remove the ties (and plastic wrap, if you wrap 'em) very, very carefully. Unfold and open dyed items very, very carefully. Lay the opened item on the newspapers, very carefully and Do Not move item once it is laid down. Don't walk on your stuff. After the dyes have dried, they are significantly safer to handle.
- degree of preparation
- tie removal
- opening of the dye
- aftercare
- Washing - Preparation (deja vu) is key. Soft water helps. Synthropol helps. Washing outside with a few 55 gallon containers helps. Two rinse buckets helps. Several 5 gallon buckets and a hose are helpful. Move fast and keep items being washed in a constant state of movement until the majority of free dye particles are rinsed out. I like washing outside so I can make more of a mess. Don't drip water on any dry unwashed items. Keep washing until the rinse water is no more than a little murky.
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