Marbling With Procion (Swirl Dyeing)
by Pam Oswald
Marbling With Procion (Swirl Dyeing)
A big thanks to Pam Oswald at TheIndigoOnion.com for this fantastic tutorial!
Shopping list:
- Large pan to presoak fabrics
- Soda Ash
- Rubber Gloves
- Shaving cream (Barbasol with aloe works best)
- Procion Dyes
- Cotton Fabric
- Flat pan to pour dye base
- Plastic Drop Cloth
Let's get started!
Dissolve 1 cup soda ash in 1 gallon hot water.
Soak fabric 20-60 minutes in the soda ash solution.
Wring out well and hang dry. Line drying works best, but hangers on a shower rod will work just as well.
Mix dye with small amount of cold water. Mix on the heavy side for very bright and vibrant colors.
Mix dye together with approximately 1/2 cup shaving cream until smooth and creamy (but still able to pour into your bottles). Use a spout bowl to mix and judge consistency by your ability to pour into your squirt bottles.
Once in bottles, set the mixture aside while you mix your base.
Use approximately 3/4 to 1 cup water with 1/2 to 3/4 can of shaving cream. Mix until it's smooth and creamy with a consistency much like melted marshmallow.
Pour onto pan, and work out to sides by tipping pan back and forth, letting gravity do the work.
Shake your dyes well and start laying out your color scheme, remembering dyes will mix a bit when swirled.
Once your colors are laid out, use a stick, paint brush, wooden spoon, or other similar object to make your design.
Once you have the look you want, get your fabric/item to be dyed. Start at one end and carefully lay out fabric, gently smoothing air bubbles and wrinkles. Once laid out, let your fabric sit for 20-30 minutes.
Peel up and lay out on plastic, keeping the shaving cream side up. Cover with another sheet of plastic. (This keeps the fabric moist and the dyes reacting).
After a minimum of 2 hours you can rinse your fabric. Remember, when using Procion, time equals color.
Rinse well, wash in Dharma Dyers Detergent, and voila! Your own marbled fabric!
