| Fabric Bleaching |
From "Ask DIY"
episode ADI-503 |
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Q: I'm updating my dining room, but I can't afford new curtains. Any suggestions for a new look at no extra cost. A: (from expert crafter Debbie Stapely) One interesting motif is to use bleach to create a pattern on solid curtain material. Though you want to keep undiluted bleach away from colored fabrics in the laundry room, for crafting it can be used to create some interesting effects. Here are some suggestions. - Important: Since you'll be working with undiluted bleach, wear old clothes in which it won't matter as much in the event of an accidental spill or splash of the bleach onto your clothing. Protect your tabletop surface from the bleach with plastic.
- Important: This technique should only be attempted on fabrics of 100-percent natural fibers -- such as cotton, linen or silk.
- Important: Since the bleaching effect is permanent, and since there can be variations in the effect among different fabrics (depending on the original base color of the fabrics and dyes that are used to color them), it's important to test the bleaching effect first on your intended fabric, using a sample swatch or a spot located in an inconspicuous area of your material. Use a small paint brush to apply a small amount of undiluted bleach onto your fabric swatches (figure A) and observe the effects before you begin work on the entire piece of material.
- Tip: Wash and dry your fabric ahead of time. Some fabrics come pretreated with a sizing formula that may partially repel the bleach as you attempt to brush it on.
- Once you've washed your fabric and tested the bleach effect, use paint brushes to create decorative patterns of your own design onto the material -- such as the leaf patterns shown in our demonstration (figure B). It may take a few seconds or minutes for the bleach to take effect, and for the pattern to begin to show up.
- A sort of "reverse tie-dye" effect can be achieved by using undiluted bleach on a dark fabric (figure C). To achieve this effect in a striped pattern, fold the material into pleats.
- Use bulldog clips to hold the pleat-folds in the material (figure D).
- Use a paint brush or sponge-brush to apply bleach along the edges of the folds (figure E). Wait a few minutes until the bleaching effect becomes visible, then wash the material.
- A variation on this motif is to create irregular patterns by scrunching up the material, and dabbing the bleach along the irregular edges of the crumpled fabric (figure F).
- Once the bleach has had time to take effect, flatten out the fabric to reveal the pattern (figure G). If you want, you can go back and repeat the process to create additional pattern.
- To create the familiar tie-dye effect, use rubber bands to scrunch and gather the fabric, and apply bleach around the areas bound by the rubber band.
- To create the circular patterns as shown in our demonstration, alternating large and small circles were painted on individually using a sponge brush for the larger circles (figure H) and a small, round pouncing brush for the smaller ones.
RESOURCES :
Curtains: A Design Source Book
Model: 1841721727
Author: Caroline Clifton-Mogg
(May, 2001)
Ryland Peters & Small
Complete Book of Window Treatments & Curtains
Model: 0806906138
Author: Carol Parks
Lark Books, March 1995
Lark Books / Altamont Press
Website: www.larkbooks.com
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