This year I decided to try out some small silk scarves for eco-printing. Last year we had some great results from dried hibiscus (the kind you can buy in bulk for tea), so we used dried hibiscus, fresh marigolds, dahlias and dried dyer's chamomile. The marigolds and hibiscus made some great marks! For the basics, see this previous post. I let them unwrap them the same day this year, which is good for the instant feedback, but the results are definitely better the longer you leave them in the hot water. And letting the whole thing dry on the stick/pvc pipe is great (but not neccesary).
Before: to prepare the scarves with alum sulfate I weighed them, measured out 10% of their weight in alum, dissolved it in a pot of hot water and gently simmered the scarves in the pot for at least 15 minutes before rinsing them out. If you are using cotton be sure and boil them for an hour or so, and if you can let them cool in the pot that's even better. The rinse is important- don't skip it!
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