Thursday, October 13, 2011

Brown vs bleach

Along with the two black t-shirts and a couple yards of black cotton, the other thing to get discharged yesterday was a brown t-shirt that I'd been thinking about doing something to. It had a small stain right in the middle, like where food had been dropped...yep, I'm clumsy...which just refused to budge to any laundry chemical. Discharging it yesterday was a spur of the moment decision, but one that I am very glad to have made.


The top shot is of the front, bottom is the back. Haven't decided what color was dyed over, but there's a bit of olive green and very pale mauve/gray/lilac-ish something along with the glorious deep purple. Knowing as little as I do about the chemical make-up of commerical dyes, all those colors could go into making brown for all I know. This really is one case where ignorance is bliss because this shirt made my morning yesterday.

In case you're wondering what else has been happening in the studio, maybe this shot will give you an idea.

3 comments:

  1. My chemistry is awful and like you I would be most excited to discover olive green and deep purple! Its such a voyage of discovery...

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  2. Fiona - It is a voyage of discovery! Lovely phrase.

    I never knew that fabrics get over-dyed until I took the workshop that taught the discharging process. Most blacks are dyed over an orange or rust...for saturation of color or simply that the orange wouldn't sell? Talked to someone who's black discharged to hot pink one time. That would definitely be a surprise!

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  3. Hi Jennifer, I really like your work- especially the rust experiments. As one who has been acquiring rusty objects to use on fabric on their own and with oak galls, have you had any luck fixing the rust? I'm thinking about clothing, and speaking of clothing, I've had some trepidation picking up rusty metal from yard/farm sales not knowing what chemicals they might have been exposed to. Better to leave them than risk transferring anything toxic to the skin? I'm thinking we have enough environmental stressors around us and with children using anything questionable would be completely inhibiting. Thanks, Gary

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