Future scarf dying plans

Some ideas to explore in future dying sessions:

Add small pieces of redcabbage to water and bring to a boil.  Lower to a simmer until cabbage is pale. Split the cabbage water into two pots. Add a fixative (alum brightens colors, and iron darkens them).
Add silk scarf and soak for 30mins to one pot.  Remove the scarf and add in baking soda turning the mixture a greeny-blue-the more basic the dye bath, the more blue.  Add silk scarf & soak for 30mins.
In the second pot add some vinegar, turning the mixture a dark pink-the more acidic the dye bath, the more pink.  Add a silk scarf and soak for 30 mins. Cabbage is a litmus test of soil properties.
The saltier the soil, the deeper blues that come from it. Cabbage grown in more acidic soils tend towards pink.Red and purple cabbage creates varying dye colors depending on the mordants* and modifiers used.
Soak fabric for from 20 minutes to overnight. Rinse in a pH neutral soap and cool water; hang to dry. Red cabbage dye can fade over time, but you can easily re-dye your wrap seasonally, reconnecting with your garment while refreshing its natural color.


For a scarf dyed blue with black beans (cold dye bath):

Put about 2 cups of black beans in a bucket for a long (6.5'" scarf).  Generously cover them with water, and let them soak overnight. Place your scarf in a second bucket. In the morning, strain the bean water into that second bucket over the scarf. Generously cover the beans with clean water, and let them soak all day long. In the evening, strain the bean water into that second bucket over the scarf. Generously cover the beans with clean water, and let them soak. The next morning, strain the bean water into that second bucket over the scarf. Generously cover the beans with clean water, and let them soak. Keep repeating, every 12 hours or so, until the scarf has soaked for about 3 days. It will start to smell a little, but nothing unbearable Remove the scarf, rinse it well, until the water runs clean and no more dye comes out.  Let it air dry.


For a multicoloured  blue-green dip dye scarf:

The colour of the black bean soaking water may start out looking very grey/green. A splash of distilled white vinegar, changes the color a brilliant purple.  Part of the ends can be over dyed with this new color by immersing one end and then the other in the purple dye.  Adding a little bicarbonate of soda will shift the pH again, changing the color to a brilliant green.  The very centre of the scarf can then be over dyed it with this colour.

To tie and dye, tightly wrap rubber bands wherever you want to create a design folding and tying using techniques such as these:

KNOT TYING
	Hold the cloth at both ends and twist into a long rope form
	Tie this long rope into a knot and tighten as much as you can without damaging the cloth. Knot tying works best on long sleeves and light-weight material. You can tie as many knots as you have room for. Rubber bands or string can be tied over the knots to reinforce them as well as provide fine lines in the pattern.
SPIRALS
	Lay your material on a flat surface. Place your thumb and a couple of fingers together on the cloth at the point which will be the center of the design. Using the weight of your fingers to hold the cloth in place, start twisting. After each twist, flatten the material with the palm of your hand to keep the folds from rising. With your other hand, bring the loose ends into the circle and continue to twist until the whole thing looks like a fat pancake.
	Now take rubber bands, and without disturbing the shape of the pancake slide the bands under the cloth so that they intersect at the center. Use as many as necessary to retain the circular shape, about twice the number shown in the illustration at right for most tie-dyes. If you decide to immerse, instead of squirting, just set the cloth gently in the dye bath, do not stir. For an interesting effect, prevent the cloth from submerging, either by using less water or by placing the cloth on a prop to hold it out of the dye a little. Some materials will float automatically. Then sprinkle a different color dye in powder form over the top of the cloth, being careful not to get any in the other dye solution.
ELECTRIC BUNCHING
	Gather cloth together in small bunches until it is shaped like a ball. Try to expose as much of the cloth to the surface as possible. This effect works best on thin materials.
	Wrap the string or rubber bands loosely around the ball in as many directions necessary to retain the ball shape, and set gently in the dye bath. Do not stir. Just turn over once in a while.
ROSETTES
	A Rosette is many little circles, touching or overlapping each other. Using a pencil or your mind's eye, make a few dots on the cloth in any pattern. Each dot will be the center of a small circle.
	With the thumb and forefinger pick up dot after dot and transfer to the other hand.
	Wrap string or rubber bands several times around the base of all the circles which have been gathered together. Continue to wrap to the tip and back, making sure your ties are very tight.
STRIPES
	Roll the cloth very loosely, forming a long tube. The stripes will be at right angles to the tube.
	Tie at one intervals or as far apart as you want the stripes to run. Loop rubber bands or wrap string around the tube a few times and knot. Make sure the ties are very tight. Now you can either immerse or squirt the dye on, alternating your colors,
DIAMONDS OVALS SQUARES
	Fold the cloth once along an imaginary line which will run through the intended form. See possibilities below. Try hearts too.
	Draw half of the intended design with a pencil or with your mind's eye, starting and ending on the crease.
	Form pleats, starting at one end of your line. Try to keep that line in the center between your hands while pleating until you come to the end of your line.
	Wrap string or rubber bands around all the gathered pleats several times, and tie a secure knot. Now you can continue wrapping to the tip and back, or tie an Electric Ball or anything else you can think of.
CIRCLES
	The circle design is relatively simple to create, yet it is easily one of the most dramatic. Just pick up the cloth with thumb and forefinger at the point you choose to be the center of the circle.
	With the other hand, try to arrange fairly neat and evenly spaced pleats around the central axis like a closed umbrella. Smooth the cloth down, and hold tightly at the base. Now let go of the top.
	With string or rubber bands, tie a strong anchor-knot around the base. Continue wrapping to the tip and back again and secure at the base. Make sure the ties are very tight.VARIATIONS: 1) Tie only part of the circle. 2) Tie at one inch intervals. 3) Poke the center or tip down inside the rest of the circle before tying.
PLEATS
	Lay cloth on flat surface. Place thumbs of both hands together firmly on the cloth. Position fingers about an inch or two in front of your thumbs, and pinch the fabric to raise a fold. Continue to pinch up more pleats until you reach the end of the cloth. You can change directions as often as you want by gathering more material in one hand than in the other.
	Be careful not to lose any pleats. Loop rubber bands or string very tightly around all the pleats several times and knot. You can use as many ties as you want. This useful technique is also employed in tying ovals, squares, diamonds or any shape you can imagine which has symmetry.

Arashi Shibori: Pole Dyeing Method

Step 1: fold the scarf in half twice
Step 2: place thick wood stick at the bottom edge of the scarf
Step 3: roll loosely with ease around a thick wood stick
Step 4: scrunch the fabric down as far on the stick as you can
Step 5: rubber band tightly 5 times, this causes randomness in the pattern once dyed