Saturday, April 02, 2011

Dyeing Silk Scarves with Spectra Art Tissue : Demo by Joanne


At the March Meeting, Joanne taught us how to dye silk scarves like these with Spectra Art Tissue and a spray bottle with water. This method is safe enough to use with kids.

Joanne provided a Kit (Kit Fee $5) containing 1 silk scarf, an assortment of tissue paper (SpectraArt Tissue Paper).

Other things to bring :

Spray bottle with H2O
paper plate
gallon-size zip-lock bag (to take it home)
rubber gloves
plastic drop cloth / garbage bags to protect the tables


To begin, you just tear the tissue paper into pieces the size you want to use.
Then just lay the tissue paper on the scarf. Spray it with water, so that the color migrates from the tissue to the silk. Keep layering the silk with tissue paper and spray it with water.

It doesn't take long ...




In this picture, you can see the "spent" tissue paper next to the newly dyed silk scarf. All the color has migrated to the silk--which is exactly what we wanted to happen. 

Let the silk scarf dry and then heat set the colors. Joanne used a warm dryer for 10 minutes. You could probably also use a warm iron, too.

Bring your scarves back next month so we can see how they turned out!

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Please note : If you try this technique and have problems, please re-read the instructions.  
There's NO vinegar and NO cold (or-hot)-water rinse in this technique.  The scarves are left to air dry on their own, then HEAT SET with DRY Heat (as from an iron or a dryer).  I have several scarves from this session (and later) and I've never had a problem with the colors running.   Just follow the directions ...   [Note added 9/22/2015]


March 2011 Show and Share


Betty beaded the hems of this silk scarf she dyed at Lynda's Christmas Break mess-making day last December.

Another one of Betty's scarves dyed at Lynda's Christmas Break play date in December.


Betty brought the basket she made after Lois' demo last October. Nice job!


Betty's beaded box.


Joanne's quilted table runner (?). A work in progress ...


Another one of Karen's beaded boxes. This is the one she keeps in her purse for pills. The beads seem stable with that type of wear and tear.


Lois's Ugly Block Challenge that she and a friend are doing together. She fractured the purple and green star block you can still make out in the corner (where Karen is pointing in the picture).


Karen's latest brooch, beaded and felted. Somehow Mop'n Glow was used on the felt, but I missed the details ...

Karen has also been Zentangling in her sketchbook. Check it out on her blog, Hanging by a Thread Studio.


Michele took a class called Beyond Meandering with Chris Lynn Kirsh at the Fox Valley Technical College's Sewing and Quilting Expo. This is a quilt sandwich to practice the designs.