Rust dyeing fabric

Article and pictures by Maggie Howe

As soon as you start rust dyeing, you’ll be scouting garage product sales, collectibles stores and auctions for uniquely-shaped or –patterned rusty things.

My mother and I have a small herb farm in central Iowa. We purchased it years back. Much like numerous older facilities, it was included with outbuildings filled with old junk, and an ancient, abandoned trash burning pile.

We’ve spent years gradually cleaning the farm, and over time unearthed many rusty objects particularly frying pans, weathervanes, and exactly what appears like unlimited buckets of fingernails, line, resources and bolts.

We always view these rusty products as an annoyance, nevertheless now that I’ve found the fun art and art of rust dyeing, i like finding these rusty “treasures.”

What Exactly Is Rust Dyeing?
Rust dyeing is a simple, fascinating option to color textile. You are able to color wonderful imprints on cotton fiber, silk, wool and even synthetic materials using rusty “stuff.”

I’ve colored:

• Cotton quilting textile
• Silk scarves and shawls
• Flannel material for sewing

You'll attain batik-like impacts and wonderful shade shifts by over dyeing colored textiles.

I’ve also dyed silk ties and tops to give as gifts – all making use of rusty nails, bolts, sprockets, hinges, wire as well as other rusty objects discovered our two-acre farm.

Understanding Rust … and What's Going To Rust?
Rust is the typical term for many naturally occurring iron oxides. These iron oxides are created by the corrosion of metal or metallic; this deterioration happens when iron is subjected to oxygen and liquid.

Rust will completely dye a number of materials, and can even color various other products particularly fabric and report. The resulting material is completely colorfast, washable and totally unique.

How Exactly Does It Work?
The rust-dyeing procedure is very easy. When a rusty object is in experience of material, dietary fiber or paper, it simply leaves an imprint. We spot our rusty products on our textile, damp it with water and vinegar to hasten the oxidization (rusting) process, and leave the textile and rusty item together until we have been satisfied with colour or pattern. After that we eliminate the product, wash the textile and use it however we choose! The entire process takes only some times and needs little work.

What do I Want?
Just a few easy items are needed for corrosion dyeing. To start dyeing, you ought to construct:

• Material
• Plastic kitchen gloves
• Spray bottle full of an assortment of 50 per cent liquid and 50 per cent vinegar
• Vinyl bags or place (optional)
• Vinyl container, box or tray
• Rusty products or metal wool pads (brand-new ones are good)