Sunday, August 28, 2011

Paler than pale....

This week I have been dyeing some silk a very very pale colour for a client. I have been asked to do this quite often and initially it was quite a struggle to get the colour pale enough.
Because the weights of the dyes and other chemicals are so small, and critical, I do this by increasing the amount of dye and chemicals. Then when actually doing the dyeing I use only half, or maybe, a quarter of all volumes that I have mixed. This seems to work very well and is repeatable after having done the test samples etc. Obviously there is dye wastage but it is so little, it is not worth worrying about.

In the photo the fabric on the left is hand embroidered with matching thread and sequins. It is done by the yardage, and I presuming it would have been hand stitched in India. It is equisite. Both fabrics are to be laid over a silver slipper satin which brings them to 'life'. My dyed oiece on the right.



1 comment:

  1. Wonderful match Diana. I presume you base your initial colour on your extensive "library" of sample dying. And I understand (I think) about getting paler colour by using more water in the bath...
    My question is - if your initial attempt is not intense enough can you go on and on over-dyeing with slightly stronger solutions until it gets to be correct, or is there a point where - even though it is too pale still - the fabric has absorbed as much colour as it will take?

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