The big sugar experiment

My second attempt at sugar syrup resist dyeing was boring and another failure in my opinion.

Rather than give up, I decided to go big.  First I re-read the directions.  Perhaps my big problem is that I am not adding the soda ash solution till late.  So, I will soak and dry my material first.  Second, maybe my sugar solution is too weak. I debated making another sugar syrup but thought, gee, I have lots of forms of sugar syrups around the house so why re-invent the wheel??  So here goes the big sugar experiment.

First I took a yard of fabric and ripped it into 4 pieces.  I  labeled them for the type of syrup I will use-- sugar, corn syrup, pancake syrup, and molasses.  Then I soaked the 4 quarters in a soda ash solution and hung them to dry.  I wish it were a sunnier, drier day.  While I was waiting for the fabric to dry I mixed 3 dye colors-- basic blue, fire engine red, and fushia.

Here is the whisk that I used to make the prints.   I found it in an antique shop while on vacation.  I love hunting through antique shops for odd print tools. 


And here are the 4 types of syrups printed on the fabric.

Pancake Syrup

Sugar Syrup

Molasses

Corn Syrup

And here the 4 pieces washed, dried, and ironed.

Pancake Syrup

Sugar Syrup

Molasses

Corn Syrup

Lessons Learned 

1. Using previously soda ash soaked fabric is important to get the benefit of the "first strike" of the dye.
2. Any heavy sugar syrup will act as a resist and the dark color of molasses or dark corn syrup does not stain the fabric.
3. The pancake syrup fabric looks different because I moved it and rolled it to batch. The other three pieces I left in place to batch.  They have a much more distinct pattern to them.  One is not necessarily better than the other but it will be good to remember that I can get the two different results.

Finally, results I can be satisfied with and a technique I could use again!!  Yeah!