Whatever Is That?

Every so often there appears something that looks like mold on the surface of the print -- a kind of white residue. This image is before washing. Not to be concerned, it is the soda ash migrating to the surface. It's all out when washed. (Just in case you had this show up in your own works). 
 

Soda Ash Spooky

Before washout the cloudy white residue is the soda ash migrating to the surface of the print. I knew all would be well, so here's the washout. Printing with thickened dyes is a mind game, sometimes. It looks darker wet, the white tint is soda ash, some dyes are wimps. Voices in my head!
 

Shared Scene

I know that there are at least eight other people who have a stack of soda-soaked fabric ready to print. There's a video in this blog (search under "video" for it) on how I do it, complete with tips. These are folded and ready to go. Monday is Just Silkscreens, and I'm sticking to that. 
 

How I Soda Soak Fabric

When I teach printing fabric, I ask that students come with their fabric soda soaked and ready to print. Here's a three minute take on how I get my fabric ready for printing with thickened dyes.

Easy Does It

Students in my printing classes are asked to "soda-soak" their fabric before they get to class. My short cut -- bucket of soda ash solution with 2 gallons and about 4 yards soaks for 15 minutes. Ring and drop in second tub to drain. Next day, hang damp. No drip! Check where I'll be this year for printing https://www.patpauly.com/calendar  which is practically everywhere.

Soda Soak

I was wandering through Walmart (rare for me) and I passed the pool chemical aisle. Sure enough, they've got the 100% soda ash I use for soda soaking my fabric. This works, just look for the ingredients to be 100% sodium carbonate and you're good.

Hanging Out

OK. Not the most exciting thing here to see. But it finally dawned on me, and realize I've done this for about 500 yards of fabric, I can hang with one pin. Old dogs can indeed learn new tricks. And yes, I already said this isn't exciting. I know, but for me, yes. 

New Tricks to Learn

I'm getting ready to print more fabric. My order of 100 meters of pfd is here, and after soda ash soak, these yard cuts are piled in my utility sink to "drip". I'll hang them later. Thanks to Ellen in Florida for this tip. Such a good idea, and no more major drips on my basement floor.

Grabbing Tyvek Labels

I've got my fabric ready to be soda-soaked for teaching in Florida. But first I want to sew on a tyvek label -- here I'm using an old post office envelope for priority mail -- that has my name on it. This is my big request to those who will be taking the class. I'm grumpy if they're not labeled!

Are We Soaked?

Before we start class tomorrow I've asked everyone to soda soak their fabric. I'm happy to find this on the shelf at Home Depot, but not soon enough to let every one know. Ok, next time. Tomorrow -- Print! The class is in Auburn, New York at the Schweinfurth Art Center. Best get to bed!

Have a Ball

Balled up and rung out, these will wait till tomorrow. Where there are flags flying for the fourth, my hanging will be on the clothesline. These yards of soda soaked cotton will definitely get colors, maybe red, white and blue.

Halloween Dreams?

My 100 meter roll of pdf cotton arrived (in one day), and it was too heavy to haul to the studio. So, I've cut it into yards that are ready to take to soda soak. Let's hope for sun and warm tomorrow to line dry.

No Rain Means Get Hanging

I've soda soaked some cotton, some Marimekko printed linen, and some silk crepe de chine to print this weekend. Chances are, it'll rain this weekend. But I won't care. I'll be printing.

Casualty of Soda Soaking

Hanging soda soaked fabric out to dry here, and the wind flicks those drops of soda ash on to the yard. Will squirt those down before I sit.

Cleaning Up

Some perfectly fine thickened dye needed to be cleaned up (and done with printing for a while) so I added soda ash to the dyes, and printed to untreated (unsoaked in soda ash) fabric. All's well, I'm here to report.

Bermuda Triangle of Soda Soaking

Getting ready for a "Surface Design Surprise" workshop next week and getting some fabric pre-soaked in soda ash. Glad we had great drying weather. And if you get stuck in this triangle, there is an exit sign on the right.