One of the youtube tutorials said that once the alcohol had dried you should put it in the dryer at a high heat to set the colour. I have not tried this myself yet.

I followed the link about the sharpies and alcohol, there were a few more you tube videos too! That is soo coooll!!
I did notice that one of the sites mentioned something about not washing them with detergent. I guess soda ash wouldn't do anything, since these are not procion dyes. (sigh) more fun things to try!!!
Kathy

I watched a video about dyeing with Sharpie makers today, Lorchen, and wondered if you heat set it and then wash it, or the other way around. If you washed it first would the colors stay since the markers are supposed to be permanent (I think)? It sure is an interesting dye concept. May have to try it.

Question the the "Collective TQS Brain": I have seen quite a number of little videos about this dyeing with Sharpies and alcohol, but it didn't say in any of them if you have to fix the colour afterwards or not.

Yes, definitely one to do with my son. He's been doing a science project on dying fabric using natural and 'un-natural' dies, so this is a good one for the un-natural dies! None of the natural ones have worked according to the instructions we used from the internet, which was disappointing.

Rita, that was so "stinkin' cool"!

Doesn't Denise Labadie do something like this in Show 106?

I was looking at a website that uses sharpies with rubbing alcohol to make interesting patterns on fabric today. Here's the link if anybody is interested.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYr4SK9L79I&feature=related

Dawna - you got us hooked on this today at your house!!

Sue & Megan

Thank you so much everyone!! You found just what I was talking about. I am using the Procion dyes on cotton, but now that so many of you talked about silk dyeing, I remembered that what I saw was silk, not cotton. I'm going to try it and I'll let you know how it goes.


dd

You can also go to http://www.dharmatrading.com and look at their tutorials. They have one for silk dyeing with salt, the same technique should work for cotton, too. Good luck and have fun

I saw a show years ago with Georgia Bonesteel and the guest was doing that with Setacolor out in the sun. A google search showed this site: http://www.opulencesilksanddyes.com/Instruction_Main_Page/Fabric_Paint___Pigment_Instruc/Setacolor_Sun_Painting/setacolor_sun_painting.html

Frances

The salt I have heard others use is Kosher salt or rock salt.

Hi Dawna, I've used salt before when dyeing. After the dye and soda ash were on the fabric, I strewed kosher salt over the surface and let it sit to dry. The salt pulled some of the water out of the surrounding areas, and made the blotchiness/streaking effect. Not sure why the effect would wash out after rinsing- maybe after the excess dye was out, the effect was much less than before rinsing? Kathy

I don't know what kind of dyes you're using, but I know the salt effects from silk painting, but have never done it with MX Procion dyes.
I found a website discussing the subject and that might interest you, so here is the link
http://www.pburch.net/dyeing/dyeblog/C763608095/E20061101093208/
I'm quite sure that the photos show what you try do do. Good luck.