Remarkable Reversal

 I've been disappointed sometimes when I get color shifts after neutralizing or washing my rusted silk.  See an example here from June 24, 2012 (only the after pic comes up). I never quite knew what was the culprit.  I've experimented with different types of soap, different amounts of baking soda, shorter or longer soaks, etc.  But I did not approach this problem scientifically.  If I'm making scarves, I'm not about to sacrifice one to being cut up to satisfy my curiosity.  I live with the results, and just complain about it afterwards, ha!


Here are two shots of the same scarf just unwrapped yesterday.  In the  post prior to this one you can see it hanging among other pieces on the clothesline where these photos were taken.  The silk is dry.  I was really pleased with the gray and black tones and hoped to preserve the light creamy and gray background.  I took the scarf inside to neutralize the rust and wash it.

 

Similar sections of the scarf--as you can see I have pink tones now.  I used about 2 T of baking soda, probably more than needed but I finished off an old box that had been sitting open and added some fresh in dishpan of water.  Click on the images to enlarge.  BTW, I used Dr. Bonner's hemp soap to wash.  It's not that I don't like pink--I do like the many variations of color that I can get with one method. Sometimes the color turns much darker almost maroon.  But this time I wanted the lighter grayer tones.

While I was doing this bit of laundry, I was also on Facebook where a message from a friend about the neutralization process had me going back to something that Kimberly Baxter Packwood had written to me when she and I were sorting out some ideas several months ago.  I am definitely not a chemist (and Kim has degrees in chemistry and textile science) so she KNOWS these things.  She was explaining about ph / salt vs acid.  Baking soda is considered a salt and has a higher ph than 7.  Then I found her comment about sometimes being able to reverse a color shift.

after the vinegar

A little lightbulb started blinking in my brain.  I fixed up a solution of vinegar and water--don't ask, I didn't measure.  Dipped the cloth in and viola!  The pink dispappeared!  Mind you this was after washing and pressing it.  I immediately did same with the other pieces as all were showing up pink.  I was able to restore the original color.  



The black areas have a definite purplish cast, but the overall gray tones are saved.

Not sure it will work everytime because there are other variables to consider of course, but I'm a happy camper today.  Makes me wonder if scarves I did ages ago can be transformed.

BTW, when you check out Kimberly's blog, you'll find she is a very busy lady.  She has been writing books and blogs for years on natural dyeing, and a host of other interests.  Thanks Kim for the inspiration!

Lucky me

A week or so ago I was in Alton to meet some people at the Jacoby gallery.  Did some antiquing afterwards and came across this tin box.  Could not believe my luck or the price!  $27 bucks.  I plan to use it for curing fabric before washing.
I'm still trying to figure out where I read (years ago) that the Japanese use tin lined boxes for curing naturally dyed fabric (indigo?) up to 2 years.  My friend Kimberly Baxter Packwood suggested that with humidity, the tin would act as a mordant which I suspected.  I don't want anything to mildew while in storage, so hope to keep it dry--which is perhaps why it takes so long for the curing process.


I have allowed berry dyed fabric to cure 2 months or more before washing--no need to do that with walnut or rusting.  But TWO years is LONG time to wait.   So if using color I need to plan way ahead.  The interior is just as shiny as can be.  The outside is a lovely patina and the lid is red.  I forgot to photograph it closed.

Sunday night I wrapped up a few pieces to rust overnight so that I could reveal them to some visitors coming to the studio on Monday.  It was dark and sprinkling rain!  Had to borrow my neighbor's head lamp when I discovered mine is broken.  Being in a hurry to get out of the rain, I was working fast.  This long scarf was wrapped on my auger.  I piled on green tea and squirted liquid tannin before wrapping and here is the result.  Not washed or pressed yet and hoping to avoid any color shift in that delicate pinkish color.   Love the zebra stripes and wondering if I can come close to replicating this design in future.

If anyone has a source for information regarding curing fabric in tin boxes, I would appreciate your sharing it.

Some tidbits

The showcard is off to the printers--will be so excited to see it in hand.  We are all working like crazy to get things done.  I know I have much to do yet and less than a month left!  In fact I need to get back to the sewing machine right now.  I've just started following the Illinois SDA blog--see the link in the sidebar.  If you are an Illinois SDA member I hope you'll start following it as well.  We want to spread the word.  The National SDA buzz has posted information and a link to Innovations 2011 too.  The ball is rolling...  (BTW, Missouri has a SDA blog too, but nary a mention of Innovations.  Boo hoo.) 

On another note:  I got a pleasant surprise the other day when a friend from the Netherlands shared with me ARTeries: Rust Never Sleeps on Mr. Stitch,  a contemporary embroidery and needlecraft blog.  The author is Canadian artist and blogger Arlee Barr who also writes her own blog.  Arlee penned some very nice comments about my art with rust and featured some images as well.  I'm in good company with the other artists mentioned, two I know--Lois Jarvis and Kimberly Baxter Packwood  were in a quilt show I curated a few years ago at Greenville College.  There are some spectacular things being done with oxidation.  Thank you Arlee--nice rusty work you do too!

Now it's back to the grindstone for me!