Gather all of your supplies. While I used Jacquard Acid Dyes, you could use food grade dyes like Wilton's or Koolaid. Just make sure to follow the dye instructions for the specific dye you are using. Acid dyes only require a little heat via steaming or microwave to set. I have laid out newspaper over a vinyl table cloth to protect my table. I then used some blue painter's tape to stick some sheets of saran wrap down.
Mix your dyes to your liking. I mix and test the dye on a sheet of paper towel until I get the desired color. The red dye does not dissolve well in cold water, but comes out once it is heated. In order to check the color for orange and purple, I would microwave the dipped paper towel for 15 seconds and assess the color.
These are 35" x 108" Habotai Silk Scarves from Dharma Trading Company. You may want to dampen these before you roll them up just to get rid of the creases caused by being folded in the packages. I neglected to do this and the creases caused some dye to pool. I think dampening them with a spray bottle would be helpful. Roll the pieces up so that you have a 35" long roll and place on a sheet of saran wrap.
Grab a yard stick and mark out six equal sections for your dye placement. Carefully spoon dye one color at a time, working your way toward purple. Some bleeding will occur, don't worry. Just don't over-apply the dye. Too much liquid will cause excessive bleeding amongst colors. Some people like to tie off segments with string or rubber bands, but I like the gentle transition of colors that occurs without sectioning.
Once your dyes are applied, wrap the saran wrap over the silk and secure. Spiral the silk, being careful not to agitate the silk much lest color mixing occur. Place on a plate and put into the microwave. Heat for around five minutes or until very hot and steamy. Let cool before rinsing with cool water and hanging to dry.
The finished Habotai silk.
Finished Organza Silk.
In action.
Peek-a-boo! Good luck!
Night Sky using Jacquard gold fabric paint and potato stamps. I pot-dyed the silk using a mix of sky blue, turquoise, pink and black acid dyes to make a deep night time blue.
I think I'll add some shooting stars in there, too.
