Wondering Wednesday : Keeping Dye

How long can you keep transfer dyes, once they have been made up into solution?  Well... the answer seems to be, indefinitely.  Providing, that is, that you keep them in a jar, preferably in a cool place.  I have even found that, if you let the dye dry out, you can add more water and redissolve the remains...but I think that's taking economy a little far!!  I keep my dye solutions in coffee jars (we drink rather a lot of coffee around here...).

The image is of a transfer dyed quilt entitled 'It's Coming To Get You!'. 

Tip Of The Week.

When ironing transfer dyes onto spun bonded fabric, remember to cover your ironing board with something to pick up the dye that will inevitably pass through the holes.  I use Lutradur XL, but Evolon or polycotton would do as well.  I then cut the XL up into postcard sizes, and use it as the basis for postcards using lighter weight spunbonded fabrics. 

Wondering Wednesday : Ageing Spunbonded Fabrics

Sandy Snowden, a new reader here (welcome, Sandy, and everyone else who has joined us in the last week or so...), has asked a question about colouring spunbonds; she says;

"what is the best way to get an aged/tea dyed tint to the spunbonded fabrics. Not really into the garish transfer dyed colours. I tried something last year which didn’t work, and eventually soaked it in STRONG coffee. That did knock the brilliant white out a bit, but you couldn’t even say it was ecru."

First of all, though transfer dyes are strong when mixed at full strength, you should experiment with the proportions of water to dye powder to produce more gentle colours.  And remember that you can iron the dye out of the paper at least three times; I have got marks out of transfer dyed paper after five ironings.  As you iron the paper repeatedly, the colour becomes more and more faded, until it appears pastel in nature.  So if you use the early prints for something else, the later prints will give you the faded look you are seeking.

There is, in fact, a different technique in Lovely Lutradur for giving lutradur an aged appearance, so I won't repeat it here. Lastly, consider rust dyeing.  The image above is of Lutradur 30 which has been rust dyed.  Using Ferrous Sulphate to rust dye the lutradur would probably be the better bet to give an overall colour.  There are instructions for that technique in 'Exquisite Evolon' which would also work for the spunbonded fabrics. 

Hope that helps.  If anyone else has suggestions, please feel free to add them in the comments section!

Remember, you can always ask a question for Wondering Wednesday; send it to me here