ExTex 5 session 6 - Transfer Printing with Disperse Dyes. December 3rd and 4th.

 

I just love the layers of colour you can get with disperse dyes/transfer paints.

This will be my last proper post this year. 

I am slowly getting my new house sorted on the west coast of County Clare, Ireland. It seems odd to write that sentence. 2 years ago I had only just started to think about the move - and now - here I am, gazing out to sea. It is so good when a plan comes together.

 

 At the beginning of each session we look at what the group have done for homework. This is always great fun, haivng a catch up is very important.

 I never cease to be amazed at the students creativity.

Right, back to the teaching. . .

I love transfer printing with disperse dyes. The dyes are made to colour synthetic fabric. In this session we used acetate satin, polyester satin and a suede like microfibre. I find it is a good idea to try a variety of fabrics including matt and and shiny.

The dyes are painted onto copy/computer printer paper. Once dry they are ironed onto the synthetic fabric - making sure to use baking parchment to protect your iron and your ironing surface. You need a whole roll of parchment, don't be stingy with it.

The painted papers can then be torn and cut up.

It can take a minute or so to get the dye to transfer onto the fabric when using an iron. You just have to be patient. Lay baking parchment onto your ironing surface, then place your fabric, right side up onto the baking parchment. The painted paper can then be ironed, painted side down onto the fabric. ALWAYS use a sheet of baking parchment between your work and the iron and NEVER use the same iron that you use to iron clothes. If you still do!!! One tiny mark of disperse dye will activate every time you heat it for a long time. Never take the chance.

Once the dye is ironed onto the synthetic fabric it is light fast and washable.
One of the things I love best about these dyes is that they are translucent, so you can over print several times to achieve beautiful shadowy effects.
You will find that you will get at least 3 prints from one piece of paper. Each time you iron it - the print will be paler.

The papers can be torn and cut and then layered.

If you are layering up torn or cut pieces of paper, don't overlap the paper, you will waste the dye on the back of the paper underneath.

The IDC studio where I teach this course has a heat press. This will give you fast and very bright prints.

 

Some of the prints using resists and layers.

Once the group had got a selection of printed fabrics each, we got out the soldering irons. Synthetic fabrics can be cut through with a soldering iron and heat distressed with a heat gun.


Each student chose a background fabric and a fabric to use as the applique pieces. Appliqué is the technique of applying one fabric on top of another. It can be attached with hand or machine stitch - or the cut shapes can be ironed on with Bondaweb 

The applique shapes were cut, with the soldering irons, from a fabric that had Bondaweb ironed onto the back. It is important to keep the backing paper on the Bondaweb, do not remove it. The paper on the back is a good guide to see how hard you pressing with the soldering iron. If you press too hard, you will cut through the paper. This amount of pressure is not necessary. If the fabric is not cutting and you have waited for the soldering to come to temperature, you need to slow down and wait for the fabric to melt as you cut. 
Once the shapes have been cut, they can be ironed into place on your backing fabric - not forgetting to use baking parchment!

Some great layered shapes.

Cutting out shapes with the soldering iron.

Cut and layered shapes ironed onto the background fabric.

You can also zap your prints with a heat gun as you have printed onto synthetic fabric.

The group did really well, I look forward to seeing what they get up to for homework.

I have no more teaching now until January with the 7th session of Experimental Textiles and the last session of ExTeXtra.

***

Me sitting on the wall in my garden. My house has a wonderful view of the Atlantic Ocean. I hate my photo being taken, this was the best one . . 

I needed a new shot for my website.

My good friend Jayne is staying with me for the weekend. Jayne sorts out my websites and any other technical things - she also helps me think!!

We are now planning my online teaching. We have a lot to learn about platforms and all that malarky. We hope to launch the first online workshop July 2017. 

If you are interested in being added to my database, please email me with 'database' in the subject. Don't worry - I won't hound you and I will never share your information.

***

For those of you in New Zealand, I do hope the earth has stopped moving.

Here are the dates and venues for my teaching on the North Island in April 2017.

There are still spaces on the Taranaki workshops. The others are full, but there are waiting lists.

April 1^st  - 3rd

'A New Starting Point', my newspaper based workshop. 

Tulis Textiles at One Tree Point  

Contact - Kerry Glen  

kerry@tulis.co.nz

***

April 8th and 9th

'The Journey into Printing Blocks'.
Ngaruawahia

and

April 11th - 13th 

'New Layered Surfaces for Stitch'.

Ngaruawahia

Contact - Margherita Allen 

jmrallan@xtra.co.nz

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April 18th and 19th

'Hot Textiles' 

Taranaki

and

April 20th and 21st

'On the Surface'

Taranaki

Contact - Wendy Sorrensen 

Wendz@ihug.co.nz

 Any queries about the courses contact me - info@kimthittichai.com
Enquiries about venues - please contact the relevant organiser.

***

So that's it for the teaching - I hope all your festive preparation is going well.
Don't get too stressed . . .


XXX

Hello Jill - 46 days to go - Whooppee!!!
Hello Diana - glad all is well, will eventually reply, my love to you both. 
Hi Tod, hope you like the pic, will try to send some once Jayne has gone.

XXX