Citric Acid is a weak organic acid used as an acidifier in dyeing. It will alter the pH level of the dye bath and is an odourless alternative to white vinegar when immersion dyeing protein fibres such as silk and wool with Acid Dyes. If you are painting or printing with Acid dyes, or using […]
Category Archives: Dyes & Dyeing
24
Aug
Aug
Thicken paints or dyes using the following methods to create unique hand printed textiles. RESISTAD WATER-BASED GUTTA Resistad is a concentrated, viscous water-based medium which can be used as a gutta resist in silk painting, or as a printing paste for screen printing, block printing, and stamping. To use as a printing paste, start with […]
08
Aug
Aug
The Pocket Color Wheel (yes color – it is made in the U.S.A.) is an essential tool for learning all about colour. The wheel consists of three cardboard discs which are joined in the centre. The middle wheel has the 12 main colours positioned equally around the edge while the discs either side have holes […]
27
Jul
Jul
Fiber Etch gel is designed to dissolve plant (cellulose) fibres such as cotton, viscose, linen and rayon. It is used for the “burn-out” process of devore and cutwork, while polyester, other synthetic fibres, wool and silk fibres remain intact. The fabric samples included black velvet, satin, cotton and batiste. These were each pinned onto a […]
15
Jun
Jun
A 90 denier monofilament yarn which shrinks by 40% when placed in water at 40°C, and dissolves completely at 70°C. This yarn offers weavers exciting possibilities for experimentation. The water soluble yarn can be used to support a low strength warp or weft yarn, stabilise open weaves and create accurately placed holes. The low temperature for […]
13
Jun
Jun
If you’ve never used dyes before, you may be concerned about their safety, especially when using them for large projects or in the classroom. How safe are Synthetic Dyes? The two most popular synthetic dyes include Acid dyes and Procion MX dyes. When correctly used, create a permanent bond with the fabric with excellent wash […]
06
Jun
Jun
Fabric artists today spend as much time taking colour out as putting it in. This gives their fabrics a richness that is only obtained by putting this extra thought into the finished article. White fabric can be dyed with a wealth of dyes such as Acid, Fibre Reactive Procion MX and Deka L dyes, natural […]
16
Jan
Jan
Our MD, Ian Bowers was delighted to receive this email today: ‘A very delayed note to say thank you for the natural dye kit you donated to the All Wales Event – Guilds in Wales – I was the recipient of the kit and had been saying that there wasn’t a lot of choice of […]
11
Nov
Nov
Why it is Important to Clean Materials Before Dyeing When buying fabric you may occasionally come across the term Prepared for Dyeing or PFD. This means that no starches, sizing or finishes have been used on the fabric. These treatments, including optical whiteners, will interfere with the absorption and therefore the effectiveness of dye. Although […]
11
Oct
Oct
Planning to do a lot of Batik or Encaustic Art? A thermostatically controlled wax melting pot is an essential addition to your tool kit. This wax melting pot is mains operated through a British 3 pin plug. Temperature Control The melting capacity of the Tixor Malam Wax Pot is 300ml and the adjustable thermostat can be […]