Saturday, August 18, 2012

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!
 






6 comments:

  1. I really like these fabrics. You got a nice pattern from your "new" whisk. I guess I'll have to do some antique shopping. Good to know that all the other sugar syrups you tried work. It seems to me that using those would be MUCH easier than cooking up the syrup myself.

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  2. These pieces are great! I tried to make the sugarsirupe myself but it stays too 'runny' so I will check the pancake sirupe today and paint both of them, thanks for sharing!

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  3. Great post! I love your whisk... looks like something I remember from my childhood. I think it was used as a bar tool to pour mixed drinks without getting ice in the mix. Made great marks, and I too am pleased that you tried different sugars. Always good to have choices!

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  4. I'm glad you finally got results you are pleased with! The fabrics look great and your tool makes a wonderful stamp.

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  5. Thanks for experimenting with the other types of sugar syrups. I like the effects you got and I'm more eager to try this than more soy wax right now. Easy clean up is so much better!

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  6. These aren't boring at all -- I found that dried soda soaked fabrics gave the best results also.

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