Altering Fabric

As some of you kind readers know, I like to play at dyeing fabric.   So when I was shopping and discovered a product called deColourant, I had to try it.    I have been wanting to do some discharging of color, but I can be so sloppy that I was afraid to try it with household bleach.

(note: discharging is simply removing color from the fabric)

After I ordered the deColourant, I did some research on using it. Yes, I know I should have done that first, but I was impetuous this time.  I found that it is supposed to work nicely with rubber stamps.  Cool, I could use some of my hand carved stamps to print designs on the fabrics.  It can also be brushed on.  And it is designed for natural fiber such as cotton.

So I got a piece of dark purple fabric to play with.  I think it is cotton, but I would not swear to that.  I put down some wax paper under the fabric and stamped and painted on the fabric with the deColourant.  Then comes the hard part.  You have to wait for it to dry.  I played it smart and left the house.

When I got back it was dry. The patterns were stark white and felt like --uh- toothpaste dried on the front of you shirt that you find after you get to work. It was kind of stiff and grainy. The next step is to iron over it until the color is lifted to your liking.  It mentions on the label that you can use steam for extra lift. So I started ironing. The white started to disappear and the effect looked weak.  I started steaming - with the iron of course.  I wasn't sure if it was where I wanted it or not.  Still, I took it to the sink and washed it out. Then I decided to iron it mostly dry.  The designs did show.

I hung it to dry - and promptly forgot it.  This evening I took a picture.  Due to the flash you can see the shiny white board it is hanging on thru the cloth.  But you can see how the designs came out also

 The brick lay pattern and dots were just painted on with a stiff bristle brush.  I love the pale warm purple tones and interesting edges that show in this.

 The leaves were added with a stamp that I carved. So was that little flower on the right.

The last picture is probably a little more true in color, although it is not quite that light.
This was fun. I will definitely try it again.  Next time I will likely use a lighter color of fabric just to see what happens.

I guess I am still a little boy when it comes to playing in this type of thing. Being childlike in creativity is a good thing.  Let your inner child loose and tell me what happens.