dragonskin fold

[ktaltre]

This is a simple V accordion fold with the shirt turned inside out - folded in half with the front to the inside.
What makes it a "dragon" is one applies different colors to each side of the color bands.

I've been using 5 colors on one side and 4 completely different colors on the other side. You could use less or more colors.

Here's a shirt that is also a V fold, but I curved the V and scrunched the neck area.


The "Dragon" is a Tom and Martine way of applying the color from their DVD.
k. taltre

[tiedyejudy]

Gorgeous work, k!  I have tried to do some of these, based on that premise, and they do come out much richer than when you apply the same colors on each side.  But I'm wondering what the reason is for folding inside out?  Do you know?

Thanks for sharing,

Judy

[2D4]

Wonderful color selection and great control. I like the subtle blends from each side.

Jo

[ktaltre]

My reasoning for turning the shirt inside out and folding with the front to the inside is that the outside front of the shirt is then closer to the dye application. Instead of being fartherest from the dye application. Think about it..........
Anyone else have a thought about inside out? More patterning perhaps?
Also several tiedye sources, Tom&Martine, and others, say to do it that way, so I do.
Thick, dense cotton knit doesn't dye so well using inside out folded in half shirts or even just folded in half right side out. I have a collection of such womens shirts and always have trouble applying enough dye.
I have almost always put the same color on both sides of a tie, but putting different colors on each side means you can have more colors on a piece - woohoo! More Colors! I'm getting braver.
k. taltre

[Jaja]

Good work! Your shirts are nicely, neatly dyed.

[Hippy Dippy]

I'm curious.  Did you allow the shirts to dry after the soda ash soak, or did you dye them damp?

[ktaltre]

My soda ash is in the bottle with the dye.
I tie my shirts damp and dye them damp also.
I make dye concentrates (2 tablespoons dye-1 tablespoon urea-one cup water) and keep them in my dye fridge.
One cup of dye concentrate and one cup soda ash water will make a very strong color.
I have special one cup bottles with good fitting lids so I can shake the mix up really well.
I then mix the dye with soda ash water as I need it. I usually use 2 ounce squirt bottles to apply the dyes.
I'm getting good at knowing how much or how little dye it takes to dye a given tie, so there's little waste if any.
k. taltre

[dianaj]

Hello everyone,

I was wondering if a lot of you add your soda ash to the dye?  I just started dying last summer and  I never did this because I like to store my dye in the fridge.

 I've found however that if I wrap a shirt with artificial sinew and then soak it in soda ash the sinew stretches out and my shirt does not stay tightly wrapped.  I never been able to make a shirt as good as yours.

How do you all handle this?

[ktaltre]

There's a book about dyeing by Ann Johnston, "Color by Accident" that gives instructions on mixing dye concentrates.
You Don't mix the soda ash into the dye mix to store the dye in the fridge. You mix the soda ash water into the dye when you are going to use it.
M. Fowler mixed the soda ash ash water into his dye mixes and used them up right away. Many other tie dyers use the soda soak method. Some tie and soak, some soak and then tie. I like to keep dye concentrates in the fridge and mix the dye and soda ash water as I work.
I think most people mix their dyes when they are going to use them and apply the dye on soda soaked fabric.
k. taltre

[mustdye]

I'm a soda soaker...

With your sinew binds coming loose...are you tieing up a dry shirt ?

I tie my shirts when they are wet from water. I use the spin cycle to remove excess liquid.

[dianaj]

Usually I tie my  shirts after dampening them with a spray bottle.  I still don't have the dexterity to keep my folds from popping open unless the shirt is damp or even wet in some places.

Thanks for your help,

Diana

[2D4]

For "regular" tie dye, I soak in soda ash, spin out a bit in the washer, fold then dye.

Jo

[Marg]

Love 'em! Those are really really nice! Thanks for sharing and inspiring! Marg

[deb]

I dug thru my Goodwill stash yesterday afternoon and made one, which is currently washing out with a couple other experiments, so no pics yet. Hubby thought it was really cool, though, and my kids went "Ooooh!" so thanks for the inspiration!

I used browns on one side and brighter colors on the other. Folds were pretty big so it's kinda chunky, plus it's a kids' tee, so the pattern isn't as detailed, but I was pleased.

[zeppenwolf]

Holy carp!

That first one has me feeling inadequate by a mile.

Could I convince you to post a picture of the back of it?