Spray Dye Fabric Technique
June 10, 2009 | By
I was looking for a sturdy fabric print the other day that I could use to create some reusable grocery bags and couldn't find the print I was picturing. So I decided to make my own fabric print using spray dyes, canvas and leaves. I'm sharing the process with you, so you can do it too!
To make your own spray dye fabric designs, you will need:
•Pre-washed fabric of choice (I prefer muslin or canvas.)
•Spray dyes (Be sure they are color fast if you will be using the fabric to make a garment or item that will be subjected to the elements.)
•Leaves, flat flowers like daisies, or fern fronds to use to create reverse stencil patterns
•Newspaper or drop cloth to protect your work surface
•Weights, such as clean rocks or books
•Plastic gloves (Unless you like rainbow colored hands!)
•Iron
Place the newspaper or drop cloth on a flat surface. I used my front porch so I'd have plenty of ventilation. Then, spread the fabric on the protected surface and place the weights on the corners to keep it flat. Place leaves, ferns fronds, or flower blossoms on the fabric in a pleasing pattern. (The fern fronds worked best face down. They tended to curl if they were face up.)
Pull on your gloves and stand about three feet away from the fabric. Spray your main dye color on the fabric. Then, go back over several areas of the fabric with a contrasting or complementary dye color. In my samples, I used blue and green because I wanted a soothing print that would evoke nature. If you are going for a colorful print, you may want to add a third color to parts of your fabric to really make your design pop.
Carefully remove the fern fronds, leaves, or flowers and allow the fabric to dry. After your fabric print is dry, make sure you heat set the dye with your iron. Now you have a lovely piece of custom designed fabric.
Quick Tip: If you want a bonus print, press the dye covered side of the the leaves or other items down onto a second piece of fabric as you remove them. This way, you'll create a piece of stamped fabric that coordinates with your reverse stencil design.
Katelyn is a mixed media artist who works from a farmhouse in rural Maryland. Her art blog is a work in progress at Crafty Blogger.
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