DreamSpace Arts

I have a process that is such fun to do, I almost cannot help myself when I’m playing and have just a little of this and a little of that left over. It usually happens when I’m using MX dyes on silk scarves in the microwave.  (I’ll post on that one later).

Here’s what you do: (Now make sure you follow these intricate instructions very carefully!) ~_~

Take a piece of indeterminate length of prewashed, wet cloth and sort of arrange it in a shallow pan (I use a really shallow plastic dishpan). I’ll try to get pictures and add them the next time I do this.

Now, if you have any dye liquid left over after another project (about a cup or so, mixed up according to the LWI recipe I’ve already posted)

Randomly slop the dye liquid over the fabric here and there, mixing colors merrily as the Spirit moves you, but not too much or you’ll get muddy overlap.

While it’s still wet with dye, get out your masks (extremely important!!!) and put them on.  Open up a jar of dye powder in your choice of color and with a plastic teaspoon, take a teeny bit on the end of the spoon and sprinkle it gently over the top of the wet fabric.

Cover the dishpan with a plastic bag or piece of plastic to keep in the heat and place the whole shebang where it’s warm for at least 6 hours.

Finish the process as usual with the rinsing and the Synthrapol.

I find the colors come alive when you iron it dry but that’s just me.

Here’s a sample.

Beware! This process is very addictive. Heh heh heh!

Low water immersion (LWI) is a process that is a little different from the tiedye and the vat dye processes we also use.

I’ve never seen anyone else with quite my process, which I swear I got from Dharma’s catalog, but it’s not there now and hasn’t been for years. By the way – I usually break this down and only mix up a third of the recipe per color. I get phenomenal colors and wonderful patterns.  I’ve been doing this since 1998 and have been reluctant to try anything else.

3 gallons of hot tap water
3 cups non-iodized salt
1/3 cup soda ash
9 T Urea
1 squirt calsolene oil
Dye according to label directions (in Tablespoons single, double or quad)

Shake well, and pour over wet, pre-washed  fabric, let sit 24 hours without disturbing. Then rinse the fabric cold to hot water till the water runs clear then wash with Synthrapol and dry.

I stuff wet fabric into buckets of all shapes and sizes to get interesting effects. I can get 2 yards of Nature’s Way by Roclon into a plastic ice cream bucket (1 gallon container?)

What do you think of the process? I’d love comments.

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