Rusting Away

The November meeting of the GeeTAG group was led by yours truly and I decided to investigate all the different techniques I could find on rusty effects on textiles (apart from just paint).

After a search on the internet and my growing library of textile books I spent a couple of weeks making samples. Many of the techniques were from Sarah Lawrence’s excellent little booklet: It’s just rusty stuff.

Firstly was collecting all the bits of rusty stuff hanging around the shed-bolts, wrought iron hangers, chains etc, wrapping in or placing on fabric and spraying with white vinegar:

old cotton sheeting,

 

 

op shop silk shirt,

Abaca tissue

 

Coffee dyed cotton sheeting,

rose hip dyed cotton sheeting (before and after vinegar)

Then it was time to add rusting powder:

rose hip tea dyed cotton with rusty objects sprayed with vinegar, a variety of stamps using acrylic wax, Golden fluid matt medium, PVA, Jo Sonja textile medium and Atelier Binder medium . Each worked equally well!!

A variety of papers-khadi, painted & unpainted brown paper, gold tissue paper, black holey tissue paper, stitched together by machine, matt medium brushed on, rusting powder sprinkled, sprayed with walnut ink and moonshadow mist.

Evolon with dressmaking tissue bonded, rusty objects and sprayed with vinegar, a little green tea to colour (which I was drinking at the time!) stamped using a variety of different mediums, rusting powder and sprayed with vinegar.

Aluminum foil with tissue paper bonded, painted with acrylic paints, matt medium brushed on, rusting powder sprinkled, sprayed with vinegar and walnut ink.

This interesting technique was from Lynda Monk’s book: Fabulous Surfaces

Lutrador and pelmet vilene painted with procion dyes

with foil bonded

with dressmaking tissue adhered using mediums

And finally the fun and very quick acting chemical rust (recipe here)

Lots of samples to choose from-maybe I will make a rusty book.