Discharge Dying and Fabric Painting

Discharge dying means you are removing color.  Here I tried removing color on two different fabrics.  The one on the left was done using a bleach pen.  On the right I used Soft Scrub with Bleach - you can use the paste or gel.  Aside from bleach, you can use a thicker product called DeColourant.  Your choice of fabric is really important.  The fabric on the left has a white back side, and the fabric on the right is the same color through and through.  You can see which worked better.  I was striving to capture the veins on the leaf.  I got some of what I wanted on the backside of the fabric.  It may have turned out that way if I had let the bleach set a little longer.  After rinsing out the bleach, you saturate the fabric with vinegar or hydrogen peroxide to stop the reaction.  Then you rinse that out and press.

Here is the result when I painted a leaf with gold paint and laid that on fabric.  I was pleasantly surprised when the leaf structure showed up so nicely. 

The following was done using a maple leaf on white fabric.  This is my favorite.  Had the class been longer I would have added some yellow leaves.  The leaf in the upper left was my stencil.  A lady in the class asked if she could use my stencil, and wanted to know where I bought it.  I told her I just picked it up off the ground!  She looked confused until I opened up a book and gave her a (real) pressed leaf to experiment with - and to keep for her very own!  So fun to meet a kindred spirit who shares my enthusiasm for leaves.

This experiment didn't turn out as I hoped, but gave a different and interesting result. 

I love how the white on white pattern became blue on blue.  So often I see a pattern I like, but can't find it in the right color - this might be an option for that situation.

The instructor used Jacquard Paints Textile Color.  The paint has to dry 24 hours.  Then you use your iron to heat set it.  It is then flexible and washable.  The instructors said its a fun way to dress up a tote bag or kids' tee shirts.  I'm thinking it would also be useful in making art quilts - when you want a very specific look.

All in all, this class was a great way to spend a rainy Sunday afternoon!  :)