Summer 1996
| volume 1, issue 3 | |
Summer 1996 |
MESSAGE
"Busy" is what I think of when I hear the word summer. There are
so many distractions that make life worth living. Strolls in the park, relaxing
with an ice tea on the porch, driving with the top down, etc..... The common
theme in this issue is Summer. I shall introduce wonderful events, activities,
and products for everyone to make the most of this great weather we have.
After this winter, the more association with summer the better.
Cheers,
Dyeing
Colour is back! What better time to liven up all those neutral coloured
clothing you've amassed that were so 'in' these past years. Using Procion
'MX' or Country Classic, you can spruce up those plain drab colours with
a burst of colour. Following simple instruction and choosing from over 30
different colours, you cannot go wrong. So pull out all those dull beige
shirts, skirts, pants and dresses and revitalize them. There is so much
more to dyeing than tie-dyeing. Of course if tie-dye is what you want, we
shall be glad to show you also.
| Sun Printing A representative at Pebeo once told me a story about how sun printing was discovered by accident many years ago. He mentioned that one sunny day in the Caribbean, a customer was drying some of their fabric out in the sun. Upon returning to check up on the fabric, the customer found that some large fig leaves fell on top of the fabric. Expecting a disaster, the customer found that the fig leaf had miraculously bleached out an image of itself onto the fabric. Even if you don't believe this story, it works! All you need to do is wet your fabric with water, sponge or brush some thinned out Setacolour, lay whatever stencil, leaf or object on top of the fabric and the image will bleach out of the fabric. |
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I have been offering on-the-road workshops for a few years now. I usually
take the opportunity to see the country. My favorite hobby is driving in
the summer. Having the wind blow in your face is a very relaxing feeling.
It is a win-win situation for all. I am more than willing to come out this
summer to your community, guild, or town to demonstrate, run workshops or
even speak about everything under the sun with textiles and textile arts.
So drop me a line if you would like to know more about these programs.
Retayne is a solour fixative for commercially dyed cotton fabrics.
Do you have cotton garments or fabrics that you bought that just keep bleeding?
Retayne is a liquid chemical that you add to the wash cycle to permanently
fix those colours.
It can also be used as insurance for suspect items before you wash them
for the first time. This is really important for those who quilt. A 4 oz
bottle will help fix over 30 yards of cotton for $5.00.
Contrary to what was announced in the last newsletter, we have found more
of our ever popular Chinese Cotton in white. It is now availble in two widths
- 45" and 56" wide ($4.95 and $6.25 a yard respectively). Hurry
and you can still receive the 15% discount*.
Remember that the 15% discount* for cotton will be over at the end of July.
*minimum 3 yards per selection
We have found this great hand cleaner specially made to take out dyes. It
is a paste that you use like regular soap. It will definitely save you,
when there are dinner parties or other engagements that dyed hands wouldn't
be appropriate.
Sold in a 100mL tube - $5.95
Starting September 1st, 1996 there will be a modest price increase on the
Procion 'H' dyes. The new prices are the following;
60 mL $ 3.95
120 mL $ 5.95
250 mL $ 8.95
500 mL $14.95
1.0 L $24.95
Q: What is the best way to set up a steamer at home?
A: There has got to be a hundred variations to steaming to set your
dyes. Over the years, we have fiddled with the setup multiple time. I think
we may finally have the perfect home steamer.
Fixation by Steaming
Steam is necessary for fixation of most silk painting dyes like Procion
'H' and Pebeo Soie. Dry heat will not work, nor will a steam iron. The dyes
require an enclosed volume of steam to induce the chemical reaction necessary
to bond the dye to the fibre. Steaming treatments are carried out at 100
degrees Celsius (212oF).
In the steam environment, the printed or dyed areas absorb moisture and
form a concentrated dye bath from which the dying of the fibre takes place.
The function of the resist or thickener is to localize the dye, both in
production aspects and here in the fixation. It prevents bleeding. The steam
should be free to move around and in abundant supply. When the steam is
too moist there is a possibility of bleeding. Too long a steaming will also
result in colour transferring through the newsprint. If the steam is too
dry, the lack of moisture retards the dyes from setting properly. Slight
air-contamination is not dangerous, however, a rush of cold air may create
condensation which drips on the fabric.
For steamingdiagrams
This tip is for all the screen printers out there. For those who can not
afford to have film outputted at a service bureau, we found that photocopying
two copies onto acetate is dark enough to expose properly. After copying
the image align the copies together and use as normal.
For those who even want to save the cost of acetate, photocopy the image
on regular 20lb bond. Touch up the area to make sure the black is black.
Use a pigment based marker. Then spread linseed oil over the copy. This
will turn your paper transparent. Let dry and you have a ready to use film.
Two unique places that you may find interesting. Both the Canadian Designer
Co-op in Kingston and True Places in Mississauga are run by vibrant and
energetic artists who help showcase and promote true art with a distinctive
Canadian flair. Besides the usual array of high quality works by many local
artists and designers, they have wide range of workshops for all ages (especially
kids). The Designer Co-op stresses more textile and clothing design while
True Places is a kaledescope of arts from metal, ceramics, textiles and
glass. You can reach Carrie at the Co-op (613-544-0641) or Kar/Vanessa at
True Places (905-855-3220) for more info.
Anyone who has ever tried marbling knows the feeling you get when your colours
sink. The easiest way to make any colour float (G&S Marble Colours,
Setacolor, or acrylics) is to dilute your colours with our colourless extender.
Specially formuated to thin out the colours enough to allow them to float.
We have recently improved the product to float even more easily to assure
you that even the heaviest inks will float.
Stuck for a gift idea? Always wanted to start a distant friend or relative
to the wonderful world of textile arts? G&S Dye have painstakingly put
together some wonderful starter kits for everyone. All our kits are complete
with instructions and the materials required. We give simple to follow instructions,
with an assurance that you will produce a great finished product.
Kits available for purchase;
| 1. Silk Painting with Fabric Paints | $ 19.95 |
| 2. Marbling on Fabrics or Paper | $ 19.95 |
| 3. Microwave Silk Scarf Dyeing | $ 14.95 |
| 4. Dyeing Kit for Immersion or Tie-Dye | $ 25.00 |
| 5. Procion 'H' Starter Kit | $ 25.00 |
| 6. ParoDraw Heat Transfer with T-shirt | $ 10.95 |
CHIFFON, GEORGETTE, LINEN & RAMIE
Light and breezy are synonymous with spring and summer. What better way
than to promote our chiffon/georgette fabrics and scarves. Along with light
weight ramie and linen, you will be covered all summer long when it comes
to comfortable fabrics for comfortable clothes.
What can you do with georgette or chiffon fabric? Besides being a staple
in wedding gowns, chiffon and georgette are great accents for light weight
evening dresses. You could also use them for layered skirts or blouses (use
a heavier georgette). Rita (our advanced silk painting teacher) and another
local artist (Debbie O'Rourke) use them to make exquisite banners for windows.
They transmit just the right amount of light through them. Use your imagination
and try them out.
As for linen and ramie, think of those cool and comfortable pants, shirts
and lightweight jackets you could make. Always know for their wrinkling,
they now have become a sign of comfort. Available in a wide range of colours
and weights.
Till September 21, 1996 (last day of summer) all our chiffon, georgette,
linen and ramie yardage (3 yds minimum per cut) are 20% off. All chiffon
scarves (36"x36" square, 14"x72" oblong and 22"x72"
oblong) are also 20% off.
Call for samples.
Batik, Tie Dyeing, Stenciling, Silk Screen, Block Printing - $11.95 This is a comprehensive book on many techniques using Procion Dyes for several types of surface design. Available in soft cover with over 350 illustrations and very reasonably priced. |
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Natural Dyes and Home Dyeing - $8.95 All the information you will need to extract dyestuffs from common trees, flowers, lichens, and weeds. The heart of this book is 52 recipes for dyes made from natural, easily obtained dyestuffs. - 154 pages |
Color Changing Hue - $31.95 Clearly illustrated lessons show a simplified approach to fabric painting. A discussion of fabrics and how they interact with paint is followed by instructions on techniques and 20 projects using painted fabrics are presented. 99 pages |
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Textile Design - $59.95 This is a detailed guide on how to produce original textile designs. Complete explanations for seeking design inspiration to preparing a design for printing, make this an essential book for all who work with fabric. 160 pages |
Painting Fabric - $23.95 How to use the new paints to introduce color to clothes cushions, curtains - 15 easy to make projects with more than 120 step-by-step colour illustrations. 96 pages |
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Batik and Tie-Dye Techniques - $13.50 This soft cover book covers in detail two of the most popular techniques using Procion Dyes. With over 100 photos and 28 diagrams, it is also an excellent value. |
