![]() ![]() You can buy from a supplier who specifies that their fabrics are ‘prepared for dyeing’ (PFD), which means they should be free of any surface treatments that could stop the cyanotype solution adhering to the fibres.Ĭlothing such as t-shirts may well have a surface dressing on them and should be washed before use. Whatever you choose must be clean and free of any surface treatments, including fabric conditioners. Alkaline conditions can damage your cyanotype badly so the final rinse wants to be in neutral/ slightly acidic water.Įxample: 100g fabric needs 10g soda ash in 4000g water= 4 litres ![]() Simmer the silk in the solution for 30 minutes. Allow to cool then rinse VERY well, adding a splash of vinegar to the final rinse if you live in a hard water area. To remove the sericin from silk use the recipe from Yoshiko Wada’s book ‘Memory on Cloth’ – p194. Weigh the fabric you want to scour then take 10% of that weight in soda ash(washing soda) and dissolve in 40 times that weight in water (1ml = 1g). ![]() I haven’t by any means tried every fibre available so if you are in doubt, do a test piece and see what happens. Unfortunately the starch washed away during the processing, taking the cyanotype image with it. One Internet site suggested spraying starch on synthetic fibres to anchor the cyanotype solution on to the fabric. The light-sensitive solution won’t penetrate any of the synthetic fibres I’ve tried it looks fine when you put it on the fabric and when it’s been exposed but it disappears when it’s washed. Choosing your fabricĬyanotypes work on a variety of surfaces but, being a textile artist, I use natural fibre fabrics, usually silk or cotton but also linen, hemp, rayon and silk/viscose velvet sometimes. Use sensible precautions but don’t become so paranoid that you can’t enjoy a wonderful process. This is a very simple process which has been used for over 150 years but, to ensure that you and the environment are kept safe, please handle the chemicals carefully and read the health and safety advice in Appendix I before you begin. Photography / Ruth Brown and Mary Monckton An excerpt from Ruth Brown’s book Cyanotypes on Fabric where Ruth explains how to prepare the fabric for printing. ![]()
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