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Snow dyeing fabric


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Kathy, when you pre soak in soda ash...what is the water to soda ash ratio you use? Have you ever used the dye that was left in the tub after snow dyeing to dye coordinating fabric by immersion?

Thanks

Don

 

Don - I use 3 or 4 Tbsp of Soda Ash in 8 cups of water for my pre-soak.  You can reuse the remaining soda ash liquid when you dye again, just cover the contain so it doesn't evaporate. 

 

I have not used the dye left over in the tub as I have been told by a very experienced dyer that the remaining dye is not as active and you would be 'staining' your fabric with it and not dyeing it.  She said it would wash out over time as the dye will not bond properly to the fabric.  So with that in mind why not give it a try for experimental purposes!  :)

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I have over-dyed my Low immersion pieces but not snow dyeing.

When you over-dye don't increase the dye too much or it will be too dark, just increase your dye quantity just a bit to get a darker results. You will end up with a more solid piece of fabric with less texture as well.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I would also like to see your results. I have done some snow and ice dyeing and love the results. Virginia doesn't get as much snow when I want it. Ha. I do have one question. Do you need to worry or think about the 4 hour exhaust time? And or after the ice/snow has melted should you warm up the fabric before the rinsing begins? Would this help in making the colors darker? Always wanted to experiment but never enough time. Any thoughtspost-1280-0-58473100-1390461711_thumb.jpg

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Ok, More Questions. UPDATED

I have the rubber gloves, Need

The Orvis, don't need

The synthopol, which of the 2 do I use? Maybe Synthopol?

And the Retayne Need

The fabric.. about 5 yards total of diff pieces. Need

I think I'd need about 3 of the tubs for that much? Need

Procion MX dyes How much for jewel tones *about* that is? Need

What and how much of what, is used to mix with the dye? Understand

Soda Ash Need

we are usig the icemaker to give us crushed ice. We heap Need

ice on it just as you do the snow? Leave it outdoors, or can we bring it bring it in to thaw!

in while we are gone to the Dr. appt.? Understand, now. lol

Several of the little tubs we get in the hospital. Need until Grands eat the pickles.

and rinsed but not washed fabric. Does it need to be washed? Or soaked in soda ash or.. etc

can just a rinse with a quilt, do the job. wash and soak to remove sizing and any lint residue.

I have OLD junky shoes, OLD Trashy socks and plenty of OLD slacks I can wear. need

Now, is there anything else besides the time and desire and plenty of patience while it thaws.

to dye fabric, that I need? I also have a back yard.. or

LOL, maybe this ancient deck would look better if I dribble

dye it, accidentally of course! :o))

We have the cold weather, it's still only 17F at 7:00. This morning it's 13F. brrrrr

I think it is up to 21 now.

so do I need anything else? I would hate to start and find

out I am short of something.

And the process,

wash the fabric.. do I use it wet, or start out dry? I am guessing it should be wet? Or wrung out?

then I either pre-rinse in Soda Ash,

put it in with the dye, or

put it in the rinse (or is that wash?) depends on what I'm going after in density

and dry. Is soda ash Always used??

I have searched and if there is a site that answers these questions, I've not found it, or I haven't read enough to find it under a diff name than I use.

Much Thanks,

Rita

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Rita all your questions can be answered in my Snow Dyeing tutorial here

I also have a tutorial on Ice Dyeing a Parfait  here.

 

Betty Ann when I rinse my fabric after the snow melts I use cool water with Blue Dawn detergent and then soak the fabric in very hot water and Retayne. 

 

Thanks for posting this...I'm printing it out so I don't lose it!

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My printer and computer won't talk to each other.

presoak?? cool, hot or warm water?

Which gives the brightest clearest colors, presoak, powdered dye or mixed, if mixed, what ratio?

I've read until my eyes are crossed (the last couple of days), and I really need to get to work on the QoV that is waiting.

Thanks for any replies,

Rita

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Yes you MUST pre-soak your fabric in Soda Ash before Snow Dyeing.  I use warm to hot water to help dissolve the Soda Ash powder.

When you are just doing Low water Immersion dyeing you can add the Soda ash into the dye bath or wait 20 minutes and mix it with a cup of hot water and then add to the dye bath.

The timing of the Soda Ash doesn't affect the brightness, it affects the texture and patterns of the dye on the fabric.  Salt is the magic ingredient that makes the colors bright. 

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Thank you tamarack, I love your blog. It looks like you have so much fun. I would love to join some of the dye party's that you have. A little far, might have to recruit some friends. It's Tuesday and snow is falling again. It is real dry so I might try mixing the dye into the snow. I hope we get enough, it's not fun picking out gravel.

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Well, still haven't gotten any picts in my flicker account.. but

 

The first batch I dyed, came out faded, greyed and ucky..

 

Keeping 2 of them, over-dyeing the other pieces.

My second batch came out just beautiful.

 

Now, am going to try a batch with blue and yellow and turquoise and yellow.

 

I'm needing an olive green, light to darker, and am guessing it will come best from

the blue with gold.. or gold with turquoise.  So my next two batches (at the same time)

will be using the yellow in one pan and gold in the other.   I'm using hospital wash

basins.. of course Himself saves everything.  rofl..lol

 

Will post picts soon, I hope yet this morning.

 

Rita

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