Fabric swap

I can now post my latest fabric alteration results as I have heard they have been arriving at their destinations overseas. For March the designated technique was discharge.

I already had some discharge paste so I tried that first but found the results very disappointing. I then purchased some decolourant plus and found the effects just as poor, if not worse!

Back to bleach. I bought a new bottle of strong gel bleach, I don’t usually have it in the house being a natural cleaner type of person (i.e. vinegar is the strongest I go).

Excellent results straight off and very quick to activate on the navy broadcloth.

I rinsed in vinegar and water to de-activate the bleach and then washed in a little synthrapol.

Bleach discharge

April was a ‘choose your own adventure’ and I had an indigo kit I had purchased so decided to try that out. Unfortunately I think the dye powder or chemicals were too old (I did buy on sale) so there was no reaction when mixed. I will try again with fresh materials at a later date. As I had already tied, banded, clamped etc the fabrics, I made up a dye bath of Procion dark navy and used that for the dyeing instead. It is great fun unwrapping the parcels to see what effects you have. Strangely the colour on the silks was more purplish.

Swap fabrics

Silk clamped with washer and metal door handle

Silk rubber banded with plastic capping

On the weekend was Mother’s day so here is the delicious ‘smoothie bowl’ my darling daughter made to follow the cooked eggs, bacon, spinach, tomato and mushrooms on sourdough.

And the winter weather has hit, and it is still autumn. This was the effect of hailstorms overnight Tuesday:

The outdoor table

The garden