Tutorial: What is Needed for Painting on Fabric with Dyes

 

A fat quarter newly out of the dye studio

Dyeing fabric with Procion Fibre reactive dyes requires a bit of measuring and mixing. Dharma Trading online company has what you need as well as information about direct dye painting. Click here for their site.

Click here for another one of my blog posts about painting with dye concentrates. here is another post about drawing on top of splashed dyes.

Measuring lemon yellow dye powder.

The products and mixtures that are needed for the direct application method of applying dyes. The green bottle in the upper left is mixed urea water and beside it is a print paste. The three packages on the back wall are sodium alginate powder for thickening the dyes, soda ash powder for presoaking fabric and urea pellets for mixing the dyes. The four dye powders I use are lemon yellow, fuchsia, turquoise, and better black. I use glass jars for mixing the dye concentrates and for storing them in the fridge (be sure to label well)

 The apple, pear and grapes were painted using dye concentrates. Please not I did not thickened the dyes for this application, preferring a loose look.

 Well you can't spend everyday in the dye studio or what would you ever have for inspiration?

My border collie on a walk in the desert.

Jeeping in the desert.

Jeeping in the desert when it didn't go so well???

Next post will include the winner of the draw with her hand painted fabrics and a newly completed commission of hand dye painted fabrics.