For my FMP I really wanted to explore some different and unusual dyeing methods.I have trailed 4 different dyeing methods, I wrote about how I created my fabric sample using each methods in Dry brush painting with acrylics onto fabrics, Dyeing fabric with salt , Ice dyeing and Experimenting dyeing fabrics using dye, sand and rocks.
I found that the first two dyeing methods I trialed did not really work how I had hoped, this was dry brush painting with acrylics and Dyeing fabric with salt. The dry brush painting was very blotchy and I did not achieve a lovely brushed effect, also another key factor I found about this method is once the acrylic has dried the fabric became very tough and rough and would not be a nice fabric to create a garment from. The other method that also did not have the results I expected was Dyeing fabric with salt, I thought that by using salt the sample would be specked as the salt would resist the dye. However, this did not happen and once the sample had dried and the salt has become crystallised, I rinsed the salt off of both samples and there was no pattern on the fabric it was just dyed a red and orange colour. I personally found these two methods unsuccessful, however there are two main factors that put me off of both methods even if the had worked which was for the brush painting with acrylics what the fabric felt like and for the salt dyeing the amount of salt that I would waste. I will definitely not be using either of these methods for my final piece.
The last two dyeing methods I experimented with was Ice dyeing and Experimenting dyeing fabrics using dye, sand and rocks both of these methods worked and I loved the outcomes of both fabric samples. I had never done Ice dyeing before so was really interested in experimenting with the method I found it pretty simple and straightforward to do. I absolutely love the final sample for my Ice dyeing, in particular that water marks in the fabric from the ice melting and then drying on the fabric, also other how the powdered dyes mix as the ice melt. The final sample I created from experimenting dyeing fabrics using dye, sand and rocks had a slightly similar affect to the Ice dyeing. However for this method I diluted the powdered dyes, where as in ice dyeing I used them in the powdered format. I also for this method I had to pour the dyes on so I had more control of how much colour I used, where I poured it and how it mixed, this final sample had blotches of colour as it didn’t mix with the other coloured dyes. I don’t think that the sand and rocks did anything but I cannot say that for certain, one factor I found hard about this method was trying to rinse off and remove all the sand from the fabric as it seemed to get stuck in the fabric.
I do love both of the samples and the process of both Ice dyeing and experimenting dyeing fabrics using dye, sand and rocks. However after comparing both of the process together I think that I preferred the ice dyeing process and sample slightly more than dyeing with sand and rocks. I will therefore be using the method of ice dyeing to dye the fabric for my final piece skirt.
Unpicking Fashion 