Magic Dyeing

Our meeting this month was organised as a members’ day with the
focus on ‘magic’ dyeing led by Meryl Phillips.

Meryl explained that the procion MX dyes could be stored in
diluted form but would only remain active for a few hours once
the fixing solutions of salt and soda ash were added. Only
three primary dye colours were needed and they would progress
through the fabric at different rates, the turquoise fastest, the
gold medium and the red very slowly.

Squares of cotton fabric were concertina folded in a variety of
ways. They might be folded into squares, rectangles, triangles or
scrunched and twisted in different ways. The parcel of fabric
was secured with elastic bands before the dye was dripped on
randomly from a teaspoon. The results did not look promising at
this stage! ‘Parcels’ were then placed in plastic bags and left for
24 hours before rinsing in cold water.

Members who did not wish to join in with the focus on the day were
free to follow their own projects.