Silk Scarf Dyeing

This is one of the most delightful activities that we did this year. The results are stunning and the cost is rather minimal. To prepare for the activity we spent one session dyeing some porous paper with bleeding tissue. This gave the residents an idea of what colors they'd like to use on their silk scarf before we did the actual scarves. Everyone did a couple of color combinations and we had a chance to admire each others work and see how different colors worked or didn't work together.

A suggestion - We used mainly red, orange and yellow or blue, purple and green as color combinations. These usually work well together. Also be aware that the final product is slightly paler once the scarf is rinsed at the end, so don't be shy with the color intensity.

For supplies you'll need silk scarves, which I purchased from dharmatrading.com. Dharma Trading seemed to have the best prices. We used the 8"x54" size. You'll also need Spectra bleeding tissue, which I purchased from Dick Blick on line. I've tried two other brands of bleeding tissue and they didn't bleed.

Then you'll need some spray bottles to spritz the scarves with water as you're placing the bleeding tissue. Next you'll need foam board, available at home building stores, that are just slightly larger than the scarves. This was the costly part of the project. We purchased three large sheets which my husband cut to size (bless his helpful heart) gashing himself only once with the blade he was using. And finally you'll need straight pins, preferably with the glass ball heads for easier handling and insertion.

Note: you could also use a fabric stretcher, but you'll need one for each participant and that would be even more costly.

SO HERE'S HOW YOU DO IT

Soak the scarves in a 50-50 solution of white vinegar and water for at least 30 minutes.

Select the tissue you're going to use and set it nearby at the ready. You can do this while the scarves are soaking.

Next, gently ring most of the solution out of the scarf and pin the damp scarves to the foam boards, inserting the pins at an angle. Make sure the heads of the pins are not over the scarf or they'll hold the tissue away from the scarf.

Place torn or cut pieces of tissue onto the scarf, overlapping in areas. You can do strips or squares or random sized pieces torn into irregular shapes.

Spray with lots of water and allow the tissue color to sink into the scarf. You could use a gloved hand to lightly pat the wet paper firmly onto the scarf. Be aware that the wet tissue will color other things that it touches, like hands and sleeves.

When you're satisfied with the results let the scarf dry completely. We used hand-held hair dryers and blew each scarf dry in about 5 to 10 minutes. This method of drying also blows the tissue off the scarf.

Are we almost there!!??

Yes, we're almost there. It's time to let your scarf rest for 24 hours. You did all the work and the scarf gets to rest. Go figure.

After the 24 hours it will be time to soak again. Make a solution of vinegar water, 1/4 cup vinegar to 1 quart of water. Soak scarves in this solution for 30 minutes. I made two batches of this solution and soaked the green/blue scarves in one bucket and the red/orange in the other. They didn't bleed into each other.

Finally, after 30 minutes, you'll need to rinse the scarves under cold running water until the water runs clear. This takes about 4 to 5 days. OK, that's a slight exaggeration, but do allow a goodly amount of time. This is not a 15 minute event you can quickly accomplish before you're off to enjoy skydiving or cycling across your favorite state in winter.

Final finally involves hand washing the scarf in soapy water. A few drops of dish washing liquid with warm water works wonders and is also alliteratively fun to say. Roll the scarf in a towel to take out the extra moisture and iron while still damp.

Voila and tra la la! You now have a beautiful scarf. After creating our first scarves everyone was so excited with the results that we did a second one the following week.