Sunday, July 10, 2011

Undyeing and Other Adventures

I parfait  dyed three pieces of cotton/lycra knit this week intending them for tees.  It was a parfait recipe I've used before, and loved the results.  I didn't have such good luck this time.

The bottom layer was golden yellow, and it is already sewn into a top- the same pattern as the lime green I did last weekend.  The middle layer was supposed to be a red violet, and it turned out a yucky dull purple.  The top was blue, with splotches of greeny yellow and pink.  Yuck!!!  Can you tell I was unhappy, I didn't even take pictures.

Then I decided to dump the purple and blue into a pot with Rit color remover.  One of them turned into an okay yellow/green.  I decided it could be improved with some printing, so I pulled out some stencils I got from QA a few months ago.  I'm using metallic Tsukineko inks I got at HMQS, and mixing them with aloe vera gel for screenprinting.  One layer done so far!



I'll do another layer with squares and champagne ink, then evaluate.

The blue piece was still ugly in my eyes.  Yesterday I decided to get out the Thiox, and see what it would do.  It swam in a Thiox bath for over an hour, with me adding additional Thiox every ffifteen minutes.  In the pot, it looked successful, almost no color.  Once the air hit it, the blue returned.  I cannot believe this fabric has been in two discharge baths!!


About the best I can say at this point is that at least the ugly pink splotches are gone.  I still am not happy with it, though.  I think the next step is another dye bath, I think in turquoise.  Unless someone else has a better idea??

I'm still working away on my beading.  This multi-strand necklace is coming along nicely, if I could quilt dropping beads off!!


Another work week beckons.  I've got my salad for the week done, breakfast burritos made, and my turkey sausage out of the oven.  Hope your week is a good one!!

1 comment:

Debra Dixon said...

I love that shade of blue. What is wrong? don't like the shade?