More Dyeing - a project and some WIMS (works in mind)

A couple of weeks ago I dyed a rayon challis skirt and top from Dharma (NAYY) using their new procion mx color mixture called Caribbean Blue. The color was a bit duller than I like and a not quite as blue as the blue rayon skirt I sewed last month. The color was also a bit blotchy. I like un-even dye results but I don't like large splotches.

Last night I put the fabric in a bath with ProChem's Brightest Blue procion mx mixture. I used more wather than the first dye bath since I want more even results. I left container in the tub overnight. I did some initial rinsing this morning and think I will like the results. I will run the top and skirt through the washing machine tomorrow and see if I like it as well when all the dye is rinsed out and the fabric is dry. Fabric looks a couple of shades darker when wet so I wait until the fabric is dry for final decisions.

One of the fun things about dyeing is that a fabric can always go in another dye bath if you don't like the results. The rayon skirt and blouse aren't my first time overdying a less than successful result. 3 years ago I had a teal blouse that took 4 dye baths until I liked the color. I started with a color mixture called teal with a horrible yellow green result. I then over-dyed with Turquoise MX-G twice and then Blue MX-G with the final result a wonderful deep teal. The final color had a wonderful depth with some color variation. I also have a rayon challis that I dyed, discharged and overdyed. The result is a dark navy on the green side. The fabric is pretty but I haven't decided what to make with it.

I have several ideas for more dye projects - there is a reason for the title of my blog. :-)

2 years ago I did a sample of rayon challis with 2 low water immersion baths, one with lavender and one with lilac (both procion mx mixtures from ProChem). The result was a fabric that is a perfect for a top to match a skirt I want to make from a 4-ply silk in my stash. When I start looking at transitional clothes next month I will be considering a using the silk and dyeing the rayon challis.

I have several ideas for screen prints. One is to sprinkle a variety of star and triangle shapped confetti on an overhead and copy the overhead. I will use this to create a screen. I want to try something that can be an overall design without having to register design repeats. I think this idea should work. I am also thinking the it would be fun to mask off outlines of shapes on fabric and print an overall pattern within the outlines. Another idea is some rough brushstroke like patterns that can be printed over a un-evenly dyed fabric.

I have several PhotoEZ screens I made a while ago that haven't been used or have only been used for samples. I want to dye some silk charmeuse with an almost plaid design using purple one direction and turquoise the other in a shiborri pattern that will leave a pattern with lines in it. Where the 2 colors cross the fabric will be blue. Over the turquosise and purple dye I will print some blue japanese inspiried images. I made a sample with a ColorHue silk dye thickened with shaving cream. I loved the results. I had some problems getting the turquoise right when I tried to dye the silk last fall, it is time to try again. I have plenty of silk, I just need some times.

I have 2 fabrics waiting for a swim in a discharge bath. One fabric I will bleach - the fabric is dyed with red mx 8b. This color (called fushia by ProChem and Dhharma) discharges to a yellow green I don't like with thiox. The other fabric is a mixture that uses either red mx 8b or red mx 5b (Dharma's light red, ProChem's mixing red). I will probably toss both pieces together. Last month I bought new gas/vapor cartridges for my respirator so I am set to discharge dye without irritating my respiratory system.