Starting with Fabric Painting/Dyeing
Fabulous Fabric Art
The key to successful fabric painting is understanding when to apply paint and when to use dyes. Paints, sometimes called textile colors, will adhere to just about any surface. Dyes, on the other hand are absorbed into the fabrics’ fibers. Because dyes are designed for certain types of fibers, it’s important to match your dye to your fabric. There are three essential types of fiber–plant, animal and synthetic. Plant fibers include cotton, flax, rayon and linen. Animal fibers include silk, wool, feathers and cashmere. There are innumerable synthetic fibers.
Getting Started in Fabric Painting
There are many ways to apply paints to textiles. Fabric markers are the easiest method. Simply draw or write on the cloth as you would on paper. Fabric paints are also available in easy-to-use squeeze bottles with applicator tips, or in jars. Jar colors offer the most flexibility as you can use your choice of a wide variety of brushes. Jars usually contain more paint by volume, making them ideal for larger works.
Fabric Dyeing
Preparing the Fabric for Dyeing:
1) Weigh the fabrics that you plan to dye, separating the wool from the cotton and silk. You will use this weight to determine how much salt and fixer you will need for your pre-wash.
2) Wash any new items thoroughly to remove the sizing. Be sure that your fabrics are free of grease spots.
3) Pre-soak the materials in the following solution. If you have more or less material than a pound, adjust the proportions of salt and fixer to match.
Pre-Wash Solution Recipe:
For every pound of cotton or silk, mix one cup of salt and 1/2 cup of soda fixer (sold commercially) in two gallons of warm water (or enough water to cover the fabric.) Add fabric and soak for 30 minutes.
For every pound of wool, mix 1/2 cup of salt and two cups of vinegar in two gallons of warm water (or enough to cover the fabric). Add fabric and soak for 30 minutes.
Getting Started in Fabric Dyeing
Dyes for fabric come in liquid and powdered form, in bottles and jars. Dye sticks are great for drawing designs directly on fabric. Powdered dyes diluted with water are good in dye bath techniques such as batik or tie-dyeing. Some dye techniques employ the use of resists. Impenetrable to dyes, resists aid in blocking off areas of fabric. For example, a stained glass look can be achieved using wax as a resist, as in batik dyeing. Melted color crayon and/or paraffin wax is applied to the fabric according to design, leaving no wax in areas meant to be black. Applied wax is cooled in a tub of cold water and fabric is crushed and wrung with hands to create a crackled effect. Next the fabric is dyed black. When the wax is removed the crayon colors transfer and a beautiful cloth remains. The most popular resist is gutta which easily divides areas of color. Dilutents offer yet another vehicle for creativity. They thin the consistency of dyes and can aid in blending the hard edges dyes sometimes create.
Fabric Art Hints
Paint or dye application is much easier if the fabric is taut and pinned on a frame. A wood frame is easy to use to use with push pins. In order to make the finished painted or dyed fabric permanent and fade resistant, a method known as fixing is required. One way of fixing textile paints is to heat the backside of the fabric with a hot iron. Fixing can be done at home by steaming on top of a stove or by applying chemical fixing solutions. Most often a manufacturer's label provides proper fixing information.
