Magic Manutex Part 1

One of my most valued dye products is Manutex (sodium alginate) available from Creative Craft Supplies. This product looks abit like brown sugar but is a seaweed extract. In dyeing processes it is used for thickening dyes for direct painting and screen printing.
I consider it to be like a good cooking stock and use Ann Johnson's recipe, keep it in a marked container in the fridge and return it to room temperature before I use it. It will last for quite some time, months in fact but may eventually go 'off', evidenced by a 'bad' smell and the growth of mould. I don't have this happen as I use it regularly.
Here's the recipe:
Dissolve 6.5 tbsps urea in three cups boiling water then strain the urea water through a cloth to remove any grit that is often found in the urea.
Sprinkle six teaspoons Manutex into the urea water and stir briskly with a hand whisk constantly for three to five minutes, then a regular stir until it cools. By this time it will have achieved the thickness of a thick runny honey. It is now ready for use, or to go into the fridge.
When I need to paint or print, I simply pour some into a container, and stir in sufficient dry dye powder for my needs. Finally I stir in dry soda ash granules (one teaspoon per cup of Manutex dye mixture) to activate the dyes. This mixture now has a useable life span of about two hours so it is best to be prepared with the fabric about to be printed/painted, although more Soda Ash can be added to re-activate.
I usually leave the fabric to cold-batch overnight. Depending on the size of the piece I will hose it down on my driveway as mentioned in a previous blog. Then it is rinsed in the conventional manner, followed by a hot wash, and a spin in the washing machine before ironing dry.
Next week I will discuss some of the outcomes in using the Manutex mixture.


My Manutex container with dates of mixing


Progress photo of Layers showing clean lines as a result of painting with the Manutex mixture. No gutta or waxed lines here.


Progress showing the blending of colours on the piece shown last week which has now gone 'belly-up' – more about this at a later date!


Detail of Flying High

Next Blog: Magic Manutex Part 2

Weekly treats for life balance

How often do we use the words 'I'm too busy'? I am sure we are all guilty of this at times, particularly when it is used as an excuse not to do something or not be involved; it really means we would be prefer to be doing something else. Nothing at all wrong with that.
However when we use this as an excuse not to treat or spoil ourselves, then I think this is different matter and a concern. Everyone leads a busy lifestyle these days; there are things we need to do, and other things about which we make a choice. Keeping a balance between the two is never easy and I am sure everyone will agree that a life balance, however swayed, is very important.
I have always been a fan of visiting galleries, art house movies, garden visiting, and outings by myself or with friends. Enjoying coffee or lunch is the icing-on-the-cake, as well as an edible reality.
When visiting India last year, I purchased several small A6 size handmade paper books to give as gifts but decided to keep one for myself. I ruled pages into three segments and entered the date of a Monday in each. The first Monday was 20 August 2007.
Now each week I record the events and visits that I have treated myself. Some weeks there may be only one entry, but the next week may have three or four. A casual glance back through the records brings back many happy memories and reflections.
These outings feed my soul, educate me, and give me plenty to think about. I would like to think I am a more interesting person because of them.
Last week I showed you an image of a stone seat viewed on my walks in Spain. This piece is now underway and I have included a couple of progress images.


The cover image on my notebook


Six weeks in my notebook


Playing with the shapes of the seat and cutting them out of paper to view them lifesize and placed on the background of dyed silk


The start of colouring the shapes using Procion MX dyes mixed with a manutex printing paste

Next Blog: Magic Manutex

Signatures on completed works

Okay, the latest piece is finished. Well, almost, but how does one add their signature or some type of identification and date? Painters have it reasonably easy and use a flourish across the lower right corner which claims the painting as theirs. It is not quite that easy with textiles; the nature of the fabric is not always conducive to an artistic scrawl, and textile people are often shy about such proclamations. Embroiderers can sneak a stitched name, or initials, within existing stitching where it will sit quite comfortably.
This is of course a decision for each to make and once decided, I think we would all feel the need to repeat the same signature treatment on all future work. For my own work, I don't like the idea of any signature interfering with the design and, heaven forbid, spelling my name wrong at this final stage would leave me very upset. I frequently type my own name incorrectly so it can be a real risk.
Last year a friend and I travelled north from Lower Hutt on one of those relaxed trips which included stopovers at several of those places one normally drives past with a promise that 'next time' I will definitely stop and visit. We made it into the antique shop on the Highway One corner at Bulls. There I discovered a tray of metal printing blocks and casually began to pull out the letters that formed my name. Needless to say I purchased a series that made up my name and each of the numerals, with the exception of a seven which I couldn't find. Now I use these to stamp my name on the back bottom (left when viewed from the back) hem of my pieces. I like the shapes. I already have a set of rubber stamps which would do the same thing but these metal letters I feel are abit more classy.
I have yet to find that seven but I am not too concerned. I won't need it until 2017.

The metal letter blocks, in reverse of course. The gaps are for the repeat 'a' of which there are three in my name.


A completed signature


I came across this stone seat on my walks in Spain Lifestyle Journeys I am thinking of designing my next piece on its shapes.

Next Blog: Weekly treats for life balance

Building myself a new website

I have a confession to make. I am a closet computer buff. This technology has had me extending myself to discover more of its capabilities for quite sometime now. This can be extremely frustrating at times, and I often feel I take the longest journey possible to get to where I want to be but I just can't let it beat me.
Recently I felt I needed to re-model my website. I like having a website but hiring a professional website builder can be expensive. This is how I first started with a website some years ago, and I have always been able to add/delete/alter its content. This is rather like unlocking the door to a house, going inside and shifting/adding/removing some of the furniture, then locking the door again on the way out. So I already have some skills in websites. With the desire for a new website, I decided that this time I was going to build 'the house' itself. And, I did.
An internet search revealed a number of website building programmes which allowed one to build their own website, for free. I chose VodaHost.com, from the USA. I had my new website content prepared, and downloaded their programme. A very comprehensive series of tutorials 'walked' me through each stage of the process. It was still one of the biggest learning curves I have experienced, but I finally had my nine website pages prepared. I then had to transfer my domain name from my NZ server, to VodaHost in the USA. This was achieved but then I couldn't work out why my email was not working, until I re-read all my instructions and of course I had to re-instate my email with my USA server! Dumb, I know, but true!
VodaHost has a very supportive customer programme and respond quickly and efficiently. I have installed their SpamAssassin and a comprehensive site meter. There are heaps of other features I can select from and install, when I feel the need for another challenge. And best of all, their annual fee is a fraction of what it had been costing me in the past.
My website is still www.dianaparkes.co.nz. Take a look, open up the nine pages and click on the smaller images for enlargements and their details.
Inbetween times I have been steadily working away on things textile. Here is an image of three metres of double weave crinkle silk recently dyed for a client.


Partway through, soya wax and discharge printing, dye


Overall discharge as I decided that the colours were too strong. Then I outlined the leaf design


Leaf shapes highlighted with additional colour

Next Blog: Signatures on completed works

Butter Yellow, Butter Yellow and more Butter Yellow

Recently I was given the task of dyeing almost 20 metres of white silk for five bridesmaid's dresses as the colour was not available in the shops. The colour, and garment style, was chosen from a wedding magazine but the photo had been spot-lighted and this bounced back off the fabric making it somewhat difficult to determine exactly what was the colour.
Most fortunately, more than the actual fabric required had been purchased, so I was able to sample colours to get to the correct colour ie butter yellow. I made it with the fourth sample. The first sample was very much to see how the colours appeared on this particular silk, as one dye bath colour can vary on different fabrics (see Blog 31 August). The second sample was still too strong; the third was better but too 'cold'. At this point I decided to reduce the yellow dye and add an ecru dye. The ecru dye is an odd colour and insignificant on its own but will 'warm' and give some depth to a pale colour. The fourth sample was successful; we were both satisfied.
Then, of course, I had to repeat this with the bulk of the silk. There was far too much fabric to dye all in one dye bath by one individual, so it was cut into four sections and the cut ends overlocked to prevent fraying during the dye processes. I always keep very good records when I know I have to repeat a colour. The weight of each length was recorded and the dye, water, salt and soda ash quantities, plus the time frames for working through the processes were carefully determined. The fourth sample was the 'copy' to repeat. I religiously repeated this four more times, physically working the dye baths so that the resulting colour had no resisted areas, and adding the chemical solutions in small increments. After rinsing and washing all lengths were ironed dry to give a professional finish.
Well, I did it! And I was delighted that the four pieces, and along with the original successful sample all matched beautifully. What a relief, whew..... The butter yellow fabric will now go to the dressmaker for her input. I am sure it will be a wonderful wedding.


The four samples, the top one being the chosen one


Ironing a silk length dry after dyeing


The four lengths, and the sample, awaiting collection

Next Blog: Building myself a new website

Washing, but not you or your laundry

Washing fabric for creative work, whatever it is destined for, is a common practice and specific care is required to achieve a good outcome. Here are a couple of my best practices.
First of all, unbleached calico (muslin for those in the USA). This basic cotton fabric is a mainstay in every textile lover's stash. I might confess here that I do love the musky earthy smell of unwashed calico, odd I know, but perhaps it is the promise for what it might become. I buy this in bulk and because it comes heavily coated in a fabric dressing it needs to be washed well before use and I prefer to do this in about 10 metre lengths. Calico does need plenty of washing to remove that dressing, and my method is to soak the 10 metre length in a hot bath overnight (I did take a photo of this when doing my last lot but it qualified for this year's most boring photo!). Next morning the bath water is ugh! Rather like dirty pond water. The soaked calico then goes through a hot wash, no detergent, in the washing machine. Then it is draped over the washing line, not pegged so as to avoid peg marks, before being rolled on to a tube. Each piece then gets ironed before it is used.
Secondly, and this may not be relevant to everyone. When working on my WholeCloth Banners I often paint on a (manutex) thickened dye which, at this point does not cover all the white fabric. This is left to cold-batch (more about this at a later date) but will need to be washed to remove any surplus dye. I often want the white fabric to remain white and not get back-stained during the washing. Although the applied dye may be dry at this point, I still handle the fabric carefully and spread it out on my driveway. Then with a strong jet on the garden hose,I blast the fabric. Any surplus dye simply lifts off and floats away. Then the fabric is given its normal wash, and ironed dry ready to start the next procedure.
This week's photos show the beginnings of a piece stretched on a frame with design structure lines applied using Procion MX dye and manutex; plus two uncompleted pieces, dye painted and washed (one still on the driveway), with their white areas remaining unblemished.

Lots of white fabric here

No backstaining at all...

I've just been hosed!

Next Blog: Butter Yellow, Butter Yellow and more Butter Yellow

The World of Wearable Arts (WOW)

The 20th season of The World of Wearable Arts has once again delighted the 35000 plus enthusiastic audience. Whilst acknowledging the input of those in the Nelson region, the shift to Wellington has certainly allowed the show to 'fly'. I recall Suzie Moncrieff saying in a radio interview that in Nelson performers could only come up from under the raised performance area, while in the TSB Arena they can now also come down from the gantries in the ceiling. And fly they do! The performers and the behind-the-scene team are incredibly slick and play a major part in carrying the show. And the overall winning entry never seems to fail, it always deserve the honour; and the viewer's choice does the same – who could resist Perfect Pins!
With any event that continues over a lengthy period of time, the 'goal posts' need to rise to keep that spark which is its very essence. What we considered had the wow factor five years ago, might not pull the same punch this year. Trends and creative design skills constantly shift and reflect the maturity of not only its designers (people who submit garments for selection) but also the designers of the supporting acts. Getting these all to come together is surely a mighty challenge.
It has now been confirmed that WOW will be continuing for another four years in Wellington. I can't imagine anyone being upset with this!
The images following here have no connection with WOW whatsoever, they are simply details from a piece completed this week. I am pleased with the outcome. However, I often wonder whether this satisfaction reflects relief that I have finally resolved and completed the piece, rather than the quality of the outcome. If I still feel the same satisfaction in a few months time when I re-visit the piece, then my feelings are justifed. Time is always the best judge.




Next Blog: Washing, but not you or your laundry