Week 9 - Mordant Experiments and Iron Water Patterns

Section 1: Unexpected Results with Re-dyeing

I recently had an interesting result while re-dyeing fabric. Initially, I used a vinegar stencil paste to create cloud-like patterns. These areas turned white, while the rest of the fabric remained blue. However, the cloud shapes came out too faint, so I re-dyed the fabric.

To my surprise, the cloud patterns turned out darker than the surrounding fabric after the second dyeing. I suspect this was due to residual flour paste left on the fabric. My hypothesis is that the flour may have acted like a mordant—absorbing and holding more dye than the fabric itself.

To test this, I conducted two experiments:

Experiment 1: Flour Paste Only
I applied flour paste to create a pattern and intentionally left some residue on the fabric after rinsing. When I re-dyed it, the pattern areas did indeed absorb more dye and turned out darker, supporting my hypothesis. However, the result was quite uneven.

Experiment 2: Alum-Flour Mixture
Next, I mixed alum (a traditional mordant) with the flour paste to try for more controlled pigment absorption. While the alum-flour mix did deepen the dye uptake, the resulting patterns were less defined and harder to control compared to the flour-only version. It seems the alum altered the paste’s consistency or how it interacted with the fabric.

Refinement
Returning to the flour-only method, I repeated the process using a fresh dye bath instead of the old one I had initially used. This significantly improved the result—fewer inconsistencies and a clearer, darker pattern. I was concerned that washing might remove the pattern, but it held up well, confirming that the dye had set properly.

Section 2: Revisiting Iron Water Patterning

This week I also revisited an earlier technique involving iron water. Using a paintbrush, I painted iron water directly onto fabric to create more precise, controlled patterns. To stop the iron water from bleeding or spreading beyond the intended areas, I placed a felt pad (those used in traditional Chinese painting) under the fabric. This absorbed excess moisture, helping keep the iron water exactly where I wanted it.

That’s all for this week. Thanks for reading, and I’ll be back with an update next week!